Before we resume debate, I would just like to take a moment to get back to the hon. member for Nanaimo—Cowichan and the House in respect to the point of order she raised earlier this hour.
As I alluded to in the course of my comments at the time, the practice of taking up consideration of selection or non-selection of amendments at report stage is a practice that the Speaker takes under consideration in the normal course and with the precedents of the House.
I would like to draw to the attention of the House a decision from March 21, 2001, by Speaker Milliken, who was Speaker at that time. He concludes, after a considerable preamble on this very point:
Finally, the Chair intends to maintain its current practice of not providing justification for the selection of amendments, or reasons for the non-selection of amendments at the time of a report stage ruling.
Members may have recollected that there have been some exceptional occasions when the Speaker has provided additional explanation in respect of these reasons. I would point out, however, that this only occurs at a time when those circumstances are exceptional.
In this particular case, the selection of report stage amendments was the usual practice, and the consideration was given at that time. I would remind the House that these decisions are indeed final.
Resuming debate, the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.