Mr. Speaker, since 1997 I have had a private member's bill to encourage all Canadians to profoundly observe a wave of silence across the country on Remembrance Day. The bill is modeled on a motion that passed through both the Westminster parliament and the Ontario legislature. It has been endorsed by every major veteran's organization in Canada and has received 60,000 signatures in support in the largest petition tabled in this parliament.
However on five separate occasions, including one just a moment ago, I have sought unanimous consent to have the bill deemed votable. I regret that two members from the Progressive Conservative Party decided not to grant it that status.
When we have meritorious bills of this nature before the House which are symbolic in nature and which seek, for example, to increase observance of the commitment of our armed forces and the sacrifices of our war dead, we ought to treat these matters in a completely non-partisan fashion.
I hope that in the future all members will give proper consideration and will not attempt to use private members' business to treat bills from one party differently than bills that emerge from a member in another party.