Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since I became a Member some six years ago I have rarely used the tabling of letters practice, but I've used the tabling of documents portion of our orders for printed items and things like that. Mr. Speaker, ever since I've been here, I have always believed -- and I don't know where I heard it, but I think I was getting instructions from Members when I first became a Member, about tabled documents -- that any letters that were tabled had to be signed or initialled. I've never, ever tabled anything without a signature for the same reasons that my colleagues have put forward.

As a Member, I receive a number of letters weekly that are unsigned and I treat them exactly that way. I file them in the garbage can because I have a policy -- and the public knows this -- that if they don't want their name used, all they have to do is let me know. But, if they want to bring information through a letter, I accept that and I respect the confidentiality. I think the same thing must apply here in the House. I've seen a number of very defamatory items which have come across my desk dealing with businesses and people, unsubstantiated, and I would be derelict in my duty if I were to publicize these things as factual.

The other day the issue that was raised, I discussed briefly with my colleague when I first heard it. I thought it was part of a report. When it came to further tabling of unsigned letters and just tabling an envelope, it goes beyond what I felt the protocol of this House is. I have checked with my colleague, who is better informed on this than I am. It is true, we don't have a written policy, but I have always believed we have unwritten guidelines and that anything that would be tabled would carry the identification of the author, either through an initial or signature. If there was some special case, we may have had to block out the signature for some reason, we would do that, but the public would know that that was what we were doing. I have always felt that and upheld that. If we haven't got that protocol now, it is time we established that, so it is very clear to all Members, now and later on, of the policy of unsigned documents being tabled. Thank you.

---Applause