But while the American Constitution was the child of war, ours grew out of discussion, bargaining and negotiation. - John Allen Fraser

As our parliamentary system now stands, we say that this role of overseeing the Government has probably become the main function of the House of Commons. the purpose of this function is to illuminate the weaknesses in government policies, the errors that may have been committed and the sectors that may have been forgotten, and to suggest alternative solutions.

Democracy is not a form of government. It is a political philosophy that can be embodied in various systems of government.

as I became Speaker in 1986, I made a point of setting up a public information office to respond to requests and provide information about Parliament and how it functions.