House of Commons Hansard #218 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was senate.

Topics

Presence In The GalleryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

Presence In The GalleryOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

Also I draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of Mr. Ola Ullsten, present head of the World Commission on Forestry and Sustainable Development and former Prime Minister of Sweden.

Presence In The GalleryOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

Freshwater Fish Marketing CorporationRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 109, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to the report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans on the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

June 14th, 1995 / 3:05 p.m.

Kingston and the Islands Ontario

Liberal

Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 13 petitions.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Kingston and the Islands Ontario

Liberal

Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 82nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding a change to Standing Order 36 in relation to the acceptability of petitions.

If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 82nd report later this day.

I also have the honour to table the 83rd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs relating to the selection of votable items in accordance with Standing Order 92.

In accordance with that standing order the report is deemed adopted on presentation.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Speller Liberal Haldimand—Norfolk, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food which deals with Bill C-86, an act to amend the Canadian Dairy Commission Act.

It is reported with amendments.

Oceans ActRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-98, an act respecting the oceans of Canada.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

Termination Of Assistance To Indonesia ActRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

NDP

Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Kingsway, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-333, an act to terminate Canadian assistance to Indonesia.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to introduce this bill which would terminate Canadian bilateral government to government aid and multilateral aid to Indonesia. Aid to NGOs that work in Indonesia and humanitarian assistance would be exempt.

To explain the purpose of the bill, I would note that human rights abuses in East Timor perpetrated by the Indonesian government are indisputable. Human rights organizations have reported evidence of gross violations, including repression of freedom of expression, arbitrary arrests, torture and killings. Similar human rights abuses go on elsewhere throughout Indonesia, including appalling labour conditions, the banning of the country's only free trade union, and the shutting down of Indonesian weekly newspapers.

Finally I would note that the Government of Indonesia has continually flouted international law and ignored United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions calling for Indonesia's immediate withdrawal from East Timor.

For these reasons I believe the Government of Canada should terminate its bilateral and multilateral aid to Indonesia and call for respect of human rights.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

Canada-United States Tax Convention Act, 1984Routine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Richmond B.C.

Liberal

Raymond Chan Liberalfor the Minister of Finance

moved that Bill S-9, an act to amend the Canada-United States Tax Convention Act, 1984, be read the first time.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.)

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Kingston and the Islands Ontario

Liberal

Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move that the 82nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.

I may say, just by way of explanation, that this very modest change to the standing orders of the House simply makes it possible to file petitions where there has been an interlineation on the petition but not in the text of it.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)

Does the hon. parliamentary secretary have the unanimous consent of the House?

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to.)

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Andy Scott Liberal Fredericton—York—Sunbury, NB

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I rise to present three petitions on behalf of over 200 constituents from my riding of Fredericton-York-Sunbury.

The petitioners call on Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I wish to present a petition that has been circulating across Canada. This petition comes from the Calgary, Alberta, area.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which has not been recognized for its value to our society.

They also state that the Income Tax Act discriminates against families who make the choice to provide care in the home for preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.

The petitioners therefore pray and call upon Parliament to pursue initiatives to eliminate tax discrimination against families who decide to provide care in the home for preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Harry Verran Liberal South West Nova, NS

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour and the privilege to present three petitions on behalf of the constituents from the Middleton and Margaretsville areas of Annapolis county, Nova Scotia.

One petition comes from the Digby and Weymouth area of Digby county in the federal riding of South West Nova.

The petitioners pray and request that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the charter of rights and freedoms in any way which would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the human rights code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I wish to present two petitions.

The first petition is from 60 Canadians, some of whom reside in the riding of Ottawa-Vanier. The petitioners call on Parliament to act quickly to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and to adopt all necessary measures to recognize the full equality of same sex relationships in federal law.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Mr. Speaker, the second petition which I would like to present is from 37 constituents of Ottawa-Vanier.

They call on Parliament to amend the Divorce Act to include a provision similar to article 611 of the Quebec civil code, which states that in no case may a father or mother, without serious cause, place obstacles between the child and grandparents. Failing agreement between the parties the modalities of the relations are settled by the courts.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Reform

Leon Benoit Reform Vegreville, AB

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the constituent Valerie Morrow I would like to present two petitions under Standing Order 36.

The first petition protests the appointment of co-chairs to a political party.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Reform

Leon Benoit Reform Vegreville, AB

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls for stronger enforcement of the section of the Criminal Code which deals with arson.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

NDP

Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Kingsway, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present petitions signed by residents of my constituency of Burnaby-Kingsway as well as residents elsewhere in British Columbia and in Saskatchewan.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House the fact that the current Criminal Code denies people who are suffering from terminal or irreversible and debilitating illness the right to choose freely and voluntarily to end their lives with the assistance of a physician.

Therefore the petitioners call on Parliament to amend the Criminal Code to ensure the right of all Canadians to die with dignity by allowing people with terminal or irreversible and debilitating illness the right to the assistance of a physician in ending their lives at the time of their choice, subject to strict safeguards to prevent abuse and to ensure that the decision is free, informed, competent and voluntary.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from Canadians who point out that acts of discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual Canadians are an every day reality in all regions of Canada, that this kind of discrimination is unacceptable in a country known for its commitment to human rights, equality and dignity for all citizens and that the citizens who are so discriminated against pay taxes and make contributions to employee benefit plans and are entitled to the same rights and responsibilities as other citizens.

Therefore, the petitioners call on Parliament to act quickly to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and to adopt all necessary measures to recognize the full equality of same sex relationships in federal law.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from 777 people of British Columbia. I concur with the petition.

The petition states that we the undersigned residents of the province of British Columbia draw the attention of the House to the following: that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a real and hurtful form of discrimination in this country; that all forms of families in this country, those based on financial and emotional interdependency, are equally meaningful and important to the social well-being of Canada; and that both protection against discrimination and recognition of relationships based on financial and emotional interdependency are necessary to ensure the equal treatment of gays, lesbians and bisexuals under the law.

Therefore your petitioners request that the Parliament of Canada amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation as a basis for protection against discrimination and to include recognition of relationships based on financial and emotional interdependency.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Reform

Randy White Reform Fraser Valley West, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition from constituents from Fraser Valley West.

The petitioners ask that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the charter of rights and freedoms in any way which would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the human rights code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Reform

Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions to present today on behalf of the constituents of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt.

The first petition requests that Parliament not amend the Canadian Human Rights Act or the charter of rights and freedoms in any way that would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the Canadian Human Rights Act to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase, sexual orientation.