Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, happy birthday. Rumour has it you are 55 years old, or something like that, today. If I could sing happy birthday, I would.
I want to quote Steven Chaplin from a story in The Hill Times. Here is a homework assignment for the Conservative members: to read the article. If they understand the article, they will understand what they are doing wrong and why they should not be supporting the leader of the Conservative Party's initiative.
This is the essence of the article: “It is time for the House to admit its overreach before the matter inevitably finds it way to the courts which do have the ability to determine and limit the House’s powers, often beyond what the House may like.” Steven Chaplin is an individual whom members need to take note of.
The leader of the Conservative Party believes he can use his abusive powers to override Parliament, much like when he was the parliamentary secretary to Stephen Harper, who was found in contempt of Parliament. I would suggest something to my Conservative friends across the way, while they ask and beg their leader to do what is right on getting the security clearance and putting Canadians ahead of his own personal leadership in the Conservative Party: Let us put Canadians ahead. Get the security clearance. Let us stop the game and stop the abuse we are seeing on the floor of the House of Commons.