Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for a fine speech, reflecting his previous career in law and as a scholar. I would like to ask him about one of the elements of the Liberals' proposed legislation that is important to many of us on the official opposition benches.
I am wondering whether my colleague sees, as we in the official opposition see, something of a forewarning in the removal of Her Majesty's portrait from that vast wall in the Global Affairs entrance hall in favour of the two admittedly fine works of art by the great Quebec master, Alfred Pellan. Because my colleague is from a royal city, I wonder whether he agrees with those of us in the official opposition that the Liberal government, by attempting to withdraw the offence of an assault on Her Majesty from the Criminal Code, has demonstrated or reflected diminished respect for our head of state. Or, does my colleague think it was merely an ill-considered proposal made by the justice minister?