Mr. Speaker, I listened to the Liberal member give a selective history on the whole issue of protection for foreign takeover of our economy. I wonder if he could address the question so we are clear about this.
I believe he was correct when he said, but maybe I have misinterpreted, that it was in fact the previous Conservative government that took the teeth out of some of our important legislation that would have made it possible to put to the test the question of national interest in our own economy before approving foreign takeovers of some of our major industries. I believe that occurred in the mid-1980s. Perhaps the member could confirm that. I think the unanswered question is really what happened since it was recognized by then that what was effectively happening was that there was a bean counter just counting the numbers of takeovers, with no opportunity to stand up against our national economy being hollowed out.
The Liberals came to power in 1993, and if I am not mistaken, on the eve of an election suddenly wakened to the fact that we needed to have such legislation in place. Now the Liberals are apoplectic that it died on the order paper just before an election, some 13 years after the Liberals came to power.
Am I not correct in that historical account? Although I think the real issue is what needs to be done in the future and who actually can be trusted to follow through, based on their record in this House. If I can finish by making a reference to the fact--