Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay. I share his sadness that we have to engage in this debate tonight on the motion before the House.
I listened with interest to his explication of some of the recent practices of certain members in the House and in the Senate. I have to agree with the Speaker about the relevancy of the motion before the House.
The motion presented by the official opposition talks about suspension. I would like to ask the member for Timmins—James Bay to carefully examine the language of Section 502(3) of the Canada Elections Act. It talks specifically about the fact that a person who has been convicted of having committed an offence that is an illegal practice or a corrupt practice under this act, in addition to any other punishment for that offence prescribed by this act in the case of an illegal practice during the next five years or in the case of a corrupt practice during the next seven years after the date of their being so convicted, shall not be entitled to be elected or to sit in the House of Commons.
Does this provision under (3)(a) not require us to immediately expel the member?