Alfonso Gagliano (Chief Opposition Whip; Whip of the Liberal Party)
Liberal
Mr. Gagliano:
I trust that many of them will be able to return here as elected members.
Madam Speaker, I would like to commend you for what you have done, especially in these last few weeks since our Speaker fell ill and had to be away. On behalf of the Official Opposition, I congratulate you, because you have performed brilliantly. I know that it is not easy, especially during Question Period. But I congratulate you on a job well done.
I want to thank our Clerk and his colleagues at the table, all the staff and the people at Hansard. I know that it takes many people to make this House work and we thank them all for their help and support. I would like to thank my colleagues, the government Whip and all his staff for their co-operation, as well as the New Democratic Party Whip, the House leaders, my own staff, my fellow members, the opposition House leader and all his staff and of course the constables and all the employees who belong to this big House of Commons family, and the messengers who help us do a job that can be difficult and hectic at times.
Here we are now at the end of this third session and I might add perhaps at the end of this 34th Parliament, since an election will soon be called. So thanks to all for their cooperation. My experience as Whip was wonderful and I would recommend it, although there are difficult moments.
My colleague before was saying that sometimes he did not listen to the Whip and he had a choice whether to listen to his constituents or the party Whip. It is not an easy job being a Whip. On the other hand after a long day like today one goes home and thinks about it. After all the trouble and all the misery I can say that it is worth while. It has been a pleasure. I think these past two and a half years have been the best two and a half years of my political career.
June 16, 1993
Madam Speaker, I thank you, all your colleagues in the chair, Mr. Speaker John Fraser, the Clerk, the pages, the constables, the messengers and everybody involved with this operation. Have a good summer.
We will let Canadians decide and hopefully we will be back here next fall.
Subtopic: MOTION TO ADJOURN