Tarik Brahmi: Mr. Speaker, once again—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Tarik Brahmi: We already have submarines that cannot go underwater and now the government wants to purchase planes that do not even fly. Those submarines cost $750 million—they should not be proud of that—plus the billions of dollars needed for repairs. This government—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Tarik Brahmi: How can our soldiers trust the Conservatives when they signed—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
The Speaker: Order. The hon. Associate Minister of National Defence.
Hon. Julian Fantino: Mr. Speaker, the best way I can answer whatever that question was is to say that the public and our Canadian Forces can trust our government to do the right thing for them. The no defence party over there would have no appreciation for that whatsoever.
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Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order that relates to Standing Orders 16 and 18. Standing Order 16(2) states:
When a Member is speaking, no Member shall…interrupt him or her, except to raise a point of order.
Standing Order 18 states:
No member shall speak disrespectfully…nor use offensive words against…any member thereof.
The House started the 41st Parliament with a real commitment to respectful discourse, but there is no question it has slid badly. There is no one party which is solely responsible. Every party has played its part in making the atmosphere unpleasant and excessively partisan.
However, I must say that I found the treatment of the hon. member for Saint-Jean when he was posing his question today to be despicable. Imagine ourselves as teachers in a schoolyard where one child may not speak as clearly as the others and a bunch of bully boys decide to make fun of that child as he is speaking. We would look on that situation and as teachers, we would say, “Excuse me boys, you don’t speak to so and so that way. Give him a chance”.
I know we are partisan, but do we have to be cruel?
Tarik Brahmi: Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues who spoke. I would just like to say to them that I already know how to read, therefore I am learning to speak. Perhaps in a few years, I will know how to speak. I will be on the other side and I will speak to you.