Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do accept what the Member says, that Bill 32 could go further, and I understand that the Member is recommending to the new Legislature that further offences should be considered for inclusion within this bill.

But I would just like to make a point that Bill 32, as it now stands before us this afternoon, does spell out what I believe is called the inherent right of the Legislative Assembly to expel, suspend or discipline a Member according to its own rules and practices. I believe this section --apart from any future amendment to the bill as Mrs. Marie-Jewell is recommending in this motion before us --in the bill, if approved, will give the Legislative Assembly, not the courts, the power to take action against a Member who committed any other inappropriate actions, such as the Member has referred to: drunk offences, abuse, gambling and other undesirable behaviour she has recited.

I guess in speaking to this motion, I would like to point out that, even without further amendments to the bill to bring in further sanctions for convictions under other acts under the Legislative Assembly, federal law and the Criminal Code, Bill 32, as before us, explicitly acknowledges the Assembly's power to action. I just want to say that I haven't really decided whether I'm going to vote in favour of this motion or not. I think the new Assembly will deal with this issue as it sees appropriate, with or without advice from the 12th Assembly.

I just want to point out that, in fact, the bill before us does take into account that there may be other circumstances, other than the sexual exploitation of children or an offence involving violence, on which the Legislative Assembly of the day may wish to take action. It certainly has the clear power to take action. I suspect that if we pass the bill as it is today, a future Assembly may well want to develop procedures relating to the code of conduct that has been adopted and it's inherent right to expel, suspend or discipline Members, which would accomplish the same end that the Member seeks by this motion.

I guess I just want to say that I think we've gone at least some way in the direction the Member wishes us to pursue in the proposed bill before us today. If it's passed, it will enlarge the net, if you like, to make it clear that a Member can be disciplined by his or her peers for offences beyond the two spelled out in section 6(1)(a) and (b). I think we're already moving in that direction, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to make those comments before we consider the Member's motion. Thank you.