Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her comments in support of the legislation.
She provided an interesting historical overview. It was a bit shocking but useful to hear that recommendations for changes to the criminal law to capture this kind of situation go back as far as 60 years. It would be completely unfair for me to try to hold the current Liberal government accountable for all 60 of those years of inaction, but I have to say that it concerns me somewhat that there is a lack of urgency. There is a casualness that maybe this is something we should do something about.
If we consider that in the 10 years the government has been in office, close to 10,000 workplace deaths have taken place and there have been somewhere between six and seven million workplace accidents and injuries. It would be madness to suggest that corporate negligence or corporate irresponsibility accounted for all of those. I am not suggesting that for a moment, but it does add a sense of urgency to what we are talking about to have that historical perspective as well as the current figures.
What assurance does the member feel there is from her party, the governing party, that this bill will not die on the order paper again, as has already happened?
Also, I would ask the member to comment on the concern that has been raised again and again about a future prime minister who has seen fit to operate his ships under a company that he owned, that would evade the labour standards and evade taxation by flying flags of convenience rather than the Canadian flag. What possibility is there that this issue would be given the kind of attention and serious treatment that it requires? If the member shares any of those concerns, what commitment is she prepared to make to be sure that this is dealt with as part of the--