The Chair will happily take this matter under advisement, and I do appreciate the advice that has been offered by members on this important issue.
The suggestion is that somehow I might have expressed my view in answer to a questionnaire or somehow might want to urge changes in the rules that would go one way or the other with respect to private members' business.
Of course the Chair is the servant of the House. I can only stress that and I cannot stress it too forcefully, and any opinion I might have had in the old days is irrelevant now. I was a member for many years of the procedure and House affairs committee and participated in discussions that led to some of the rules that are now being discussed in this question of privilege. I was part of it. I had opinions then but I do not any more.
I can only assure hon. members that I will do my very best to examine the point of order or the question of privilege, the alternative question of privilege, that has been raised by the hon. member for Ottawa--Vanier.
I appreciate the comments made by other hon. members and I thank them. I will get back to the House regarding this issue.
I also appreciate the fact that the leader of the government in the House suggested that an attempt may be made to find another way of solving these issues. I hope that House leaders, perhaps with the participation of the whips, and particularly the chief opposition whip, who submitted ideas to this effect today, can work together to find another way of doing things. This might help all members of parliament in their work.
I thank the hon. members for their submissions. I will get back to the House to decide whether this is in fact a question of privilege. Whether I can be of great assistance in the matter I am not sure, but I will certainly examine all the issues that have been raised and reported.