No, Mr. Speaker, I have a few more.
On page 369 of Marleau and Montpetit there is a reference to an intervention by the Speaker on a time allocation related tactic used by the government. It describes how Speaker Fraser ruled on the government tactic of skipping over routine proceedings to go to orders of the day. As we are all aware this tactic, if allowed, would secure for the government the opportunity to move time allocation.
While Speaker Fraser ruled such a motion in order on April 13, 1987, page 369 references another ruling where the Speaker ruled out of order a similar motion only a few months before. The Speaker was able to judge each situation and rule accordingly. Speaker Fraser demonstrated that a Speaker could and should intervene when a government abuses its powers and the rules of the House.
The rule governing time allocation can be found in Standing Order 78. It provides for more than one day of allocated debate yet the government never exercises this option. The government, by only allotting the minimum amount of time to debate each stage of a controversial bill, prevents the opposition from doing its job. It prevents the opposition from enlisting public support and getting its point of view across, thus affecting its privileges.
The right of the opposition to raise the profile of an issue in debate is one of the indispensable principles that make up parliamentary law. These principles, as described in Beauchesne's 6th edition, are:
To protect the minority and restrain the improvidence and tyranny of the majority, to secure the transaction of public business in a decent and orderly manner, to enable every member to express his opinions within those limits necessary to preserve decorum and prevent an unnecessary waste of time--
Mr. Speaker, you have never ruled in favour of these questions of privilege but there does come a time. The government is into record time allocations; the people have a right to hear this debate. This is an important debate especially for rural Canadians, something the government does not understand much about. I would ask you, Mr. Speaker--