Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to speak to Bill S-34. As some of my colleagues explained, the purpose of this bill is to change the way we proceed, in particular through the introduction of a written declaration instead of what I would describe as the traditional parade we now have.
First, I want to say that we unreservedly agree with this legislation, which should have been introduced long ago. It is also surprising that it is coming from the other chamber instead of this one. We think that a genuine modernization of our institutions must be undertaken. Not only there must be a debate about the way the assent is given, in this case through a written declaration, but also a larger debate should be launched in this House about the way, for example, we proceed with voting. Would it be possible, for example, to consider holding a debate on what is called electronic voting? Would it not be worthwhile to hold a debate on the way our institutions work in order to speed up the process and make it more effective and efficient?
Today we are going at it with a timid step, one that we approve, of course, but we also want this debate to go further, to improve the effectiveness of parliament.
Need I remind the House that this bill comes from the other place. While the elected representatives of the people should be the ones involved in modernizing Canadian institutions, this piece of legislation is coming from the Senate. Ironically, the government has refused for years to make official something that should have been made so years ago.
Concerning Bill S-34, an act respecting royal assent to bills passed by the Housesof Parliament, let me say to the House that our party will support the bill, as I said earlier, since its intent is to modernize parliament, something we have been wishing for for a long time. This is the kind of debate young parliamentarians would like. We believe that we can speed up the proceedings of parliament through very simple measures that would make this institution more efficient.
We think this bill from the other house is a legitimate one. Its intent is to modernize the royal assent procedure by enabling royal assent to be signifiedby written declaration, instead of the traditional parade we now have for each royal assent ceremony.
The government member has reminded us that this procedure was changed a long time ago in Quebec. Back in 1969, Quebec opted for the written declaration procedure for the approval of bills. It is somewhat strange that we had to wait until 2002 to do the same thing, when other institutions and modern parliaments in America decided long ago to have this procedure, which should be considered normal, official, acceptable and legitimate.
In Quebec, I would point out, royal assent has been given through what could be called a summary process since 1969. More than 30 years ago, Quebec decided, through its institution, that it would use a written declaration process. On February 27, 1969, the National Assembly adopted the second report of its standing orders review committee. This committee recommended that bills be given assent in the office of the lieutenant-governor. The report was adopted that same day. It was a step towards the modernization of parliament.
There are many other fundamental reforms the government should implement. At the very least, the government should allow private members' business introduced by members on this side not only to be debated in the House, but also to be made votable. Such a move would be the first step in the modernization of parliament. Modernization is not a hollow concept, it is a concept that can increase the efficiency of our institutions.
The House should discuss certain matters, such as the modernization of the Senate, up to and including its abolition, as well as the modernization of the traditional voting process, up to and including electronic voting.
Obviously those substantive debates, by which Canada and this institution will move in the direction of true modernization, are far from the timid bill before us. This legislation is only designed to provide a written declaration as an alternative procedure for signifying royal assent, thereby doing away with the parade. While modern legislatures in America have decided to modernize 30 years ago, we can see through this debate that, compared to initiatives taken by other legislatures here in America, and I take as an example the National Assembly of Quebec, our institution is lagging behind.
Besides, need I remind the House that during what has been called the quiet revolution in Quebec, the government of Quebec carried out an extensive reform of parliamentary institutions. As a matter of fact, on November 29, 1968, the Legislative Assembly of Quebec passed a bill abolishing the legislative council, the equivalent of the other place in this parliament.
On December 12 of the same year, the legislative council undertook consideration of the bill providing for its abolition.
The council gave speedy passage to the bill. On December 18, 1968, the act abolishing the legislative council received assent. Under this legislation, there is now only one chamber, the National Assembly, with men and women democratically elected by the people.