Mr. Speaker, I will try to be brief.
I thank the member for Scarborough—Rouge River for the excellent job she does. She works very hard for her constituents. I think we should applaud her for everything she has done since being elected.
It is true that introducing a bill in the Senate means introducing it in a chamber that is full of unelected people who, in my opinion, do not adequately represent the Canadian people.
Bills, especially ones that are so fundamental they change an accused's right to defend himself, should be the prerogative of this country's elected members, who are able to debate, make amendments, testify and invite witnesses.
The Senate should not be the chamber to introduce this kind of bill. That is undemocratic. The Senate does not really have a place in a modern state like Canada. The Conservative government should be ashamed of trying to bypass the House of Commons. The debate should be held here.
If this bill passes second reading, it will be sent to committee. This bill should have been sent to the House of Commons committee from the beginning. That is where the debates should be held. Canada's elected members should debate this fundamental bill. I would like—