Mr. Speaker, earlier today I had the opportunity to ask a question. My preamble was that I thought that this was an important resolution or motion that the opposition brought to the House for us to discuss.
It deals with some very fundamental points and many of them have come up. There are people in this place who are best friends here and it has nothing to do with party lines. I can say as I look around this place that I know almost every member personally. We do talk. I hope Canadians understand that. What Canadians see in this place about the thrust and parry of debate and some of the jabs, et cetera, is not a reflection of our relationships within the House. There are some very good relationships and they have been established across all party lines. It is important that Canadians understand that we are human beings. We are just like their neighbours.
I note that the motion before the House refers to a poll. The motion states:
...69% of Canadians polled in a recent survey viewed the “federal political system” as corrupt--
If we look at the transcripts of the debate in the House of Commons about this 69%, particularly the questions at question period, members will see that many of the questioners said that 69% of Canadians believe the Liberal government is corrupt.
That was not what the poll said, but in this place wordsmithing and a little bit of massaging of the language allows insinuations. However, members will know that the poll basically shows that our profession is not held in high esteem and that is unfortunate for all of us. It is a reflection on all of us.
I remember being at a political meeting about 20 years ago, when I first became involved in the political process, where someone asked the rhetorical question: What is the role of the opposition? Someone who is now a member of parliament stood up at that meeting and suggested that the role of the opposition is to deliver blows that would tenderize a turtle. I think it was rather crass language. I think it was a rough analogy. However, I think it is very reflective of what happens in this place, at least during question period.
Question period lasts 45 minutes a day, but I only wish Canadians could see the debate within the House when we are debating various bills. I wish the public could see more of members of parliament working in committee and how they work with the committee system and witnesses and how they are dealing with some detailed legislation.
Excuse me, Mr. Speaker, but if there is time left I will be splitting my time with the member for Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot.
I wish Canadians could see members of parliament when they are exercising their responsibilities here on Parliament Hill in their roles of doing some very good and constructive work. I know that all members here have had tremendous opportunities to influence the operations of committee, debate, legislation, motions and discussion of issues and to make sure that the broad range of important issues is there.
That part of our job is probably the 90% that Canadians do not see, but question period is a strange animal. Question period is the time when the ministers are here and all the opposition is here. No committees meet during question period and all members are present. It is the only time period when all the members of parliament are in the House.
When there are over a couple of hundred people in the same room at the same time and someone suggests something that another person might disagree with, it is easy to understand that there will be a reaction. People see question period and say that we are a bunch of children, hooting and hollering, and they ask what is wrong with us. However, I do not think it is possible to put 300 people in a room, split them in two and say one group is the good guys and another group is also good guys, but one group does not like the other group over there. Somebody will stand up and say, “You know what? I think your mother wears army boots”, or something like that, and before you know it the room will start to get pretty excited. It happens. We are human beings.
As members of parliament, because we have good, close relationships across party lines, we cannot ever forget the importance of respecting each other in this place. We cannot forget the importance of the presumption that when members speak here they are telling the truth. There is a presumption of honesty in this place.
I also believe that part of the line we should not be crossing is the presumption of innocent until proven guilty. While I understand that people can get excited and emotional about some of the debate that goes on here, we have to show that level of respect. We have to make sure that we are not twisting facts to the point where we are making allegations that are hurtful and meanspirited, because that is a reflection on all of us. The consequence of being meanspirited and less than forthright with the facts means that 69% of Canadians will believe that the federal system of government is corrupt.
I think it is important that the members of the opposition do their job and continue to prod the government on the important questions of the day that are of interest to them. That is their job. They are the official opposition and it is their job to make sure they ask the tough questions and put the government's feet to the fire. However, we cannot and we should not cross the line with regard to respecting each other, with regard to the presumption of innocence and with regard to the presumption of honesty. I believe that these days we have been getting a little too far over that line. I think it is time to tone down the rhetoric. It is time to get to the facts.
The previous speaker said it could very well be that the cheque was not even signed on that date, that maybe it was done just two days ago. A lot of things are possible, but when the facts are not known we have ways of dealing with it. If it is not the auditor general who deals with it, if it is not the RCMP, we have the procedure and House affairs committee. When there has been disagreement regarding facts, or facts have not been forthcoming, or this place has not been an appropriate forum for the facts to come out, we have often referred matters to the procedure and House affairs committee to make sure that all members get an opportunity, in an appropriate forum, to get the facts out.