Mr. Speaker, in 1838 Lord Durham, on commission from Queen Victoria, wrote that in order to maintain stability in the Canadian colonies, the government must be held accountable to the people who elect it by retaining the confidence of the House. This principle of responsible government is the democratic foundation upon which this country was founded.
The Prime Minister is no longer governing with the consent of the governed, which is the traditional test of legitimacy according to our Constitution. His attempts to delay another confidence motion mocks our democracy, smacks of desperation and underlies the lack of legitimacy of his government.
Political legitimacy is delegated in the highest regard to this House by the citizens of this country. To retain any authority to govern that he might once have had, the Prime Minister must table a confidence motion that can be voted upon by all representatives of the people, not just at his own convenience.