David Norris (Independent)

Yes, very much so. It is a directly relevant element. It is the practical question of payment and financial support. That is in the first amendment. Some of the others deal with guardianship and so on. I am parking to one side the question of adoption and whether single parents are capable of doing the job or whether two parents are needed. I am just considering the question of financial support, which is what this amendment addresses. I would be surprised if anyone on either side of the House questions the fact that all the indicators and sociological surveys demonstrate that financial security is an important factor in developing a child's emotional security and welfare. For that reason I welcome the moderate tone adopted by my colleagues who take a different view on this. It slightly surprises me.

We are all capable of unfortunate sentiments and occasionally I indulge in them myself. I will not name anyone, but with regard to impugning the motives of people, I remember people not too far from me indicating that they wanted to impugn the motives of scientists by saying they were motivated not by humanity but by an interest in fame and wealth. That was actually impugning. I very much welcome that that kind of thing has not been engaged in here tonight. For that reason, for the time being I will suspend this hand-written note that I made from radio broadcasts of other unfortunate comments made in the area of this general Bill. It is a temporary suspension, but I do so as an earnest of goodwill so that we can all get on with the debate without name calling.

While I am not trying to be contentious, I do not believe that the liberals-----