Mr. Speaker, today, the regular proceedings were interrupted for an order. It is a mandatory order. There are different kinds. The language could have said “may.” That is permissive language, and if the order had said “may”, you would have had discretion as to how to proceed. The proceedings were interrupted in the face of a specific order. The order says, “the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings to permit the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to make a statement followed by a period of up to 10 minutes”.
If the government chose not to use its time to make a statement, that is its problem. You are bound by a mandatory order to now give us the opportunity that is set out in the motion. It is not permissive, and it not optional. It is mandatory, and we, as opposition members, expect you to follow and enforce your mandatory order.