House of Commons Hansard #62 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was education.

Topics

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Statements by Ministers.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order under the item Statements by Ministers. It relates to points of order raised earlier about the ability of members in this House to do their jobs responsibly.

It is hard for us to do our job on a critical issue like compensation for hepatitis C victims when the Minister of Health is out there bashing the provinces instead of in here making a statement to this House.

Would it not be in order, Mr. Speaker, for ministers of the crown to bring to this House full details of such critical issues so that we can carry out our duties responsibly?

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I think the hon. member knows that the practice of the House is that a minister may make a statement under Statements by Ministers when the minister considers it appropriate.

Over many years I am sure the hon. member has followed the proceedings of this place.

Complaints along the lines of that raised by the hon. member have been raised by other hon. members. They have suggested that somehow a minister in making statements outside the House is not fulfilling his or her functions in the House.

The Chair has consistently ruled that it is not a matter for the Chair to intervene in, nor is it a matter affecting the privileges of hon. members should ministers choose to make statements outside the House instead of here.

It is an opportunity for members to comment when ministers make statements in the House but the fact that statements are not made here I do not believe is a matter for comment by members on a question of privilege, nor is it one that relates to either a point of order or a question of privilege in this House.

While I am pleased that the hon. member has been able to air a grievance, I do not believe it is a question of privilege or a point of order.

Grant Expenditure Report ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Reform

Jim Abbott Reform Kootenay—Columbia, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-359, an act to require every organization that receives a grant of public money to submit a report on the way it is spent that is to be available for public inspection.

Mr. Speaker, as members may recall, as the heritage critic for the Reform Party it has been a concern of mine that there have been ongoing expenditures of public funds, sometimes on very questionable projects as deemed acceptable by people from the Canada Council right through the heritage department.

It seems to me that the way to bring that under proper control is to create a situation of accountability, of transparency, of visibility regarding how these funds are being spent, and that is the purpose of this bill.

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

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Liberal

Janko Peric Liberal Cambridge, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-360, an act to amend the Transfer of Offenders Act (removal of foreign offenders).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce my private member's bill which seeks to make amendments to the Transfer of Offenders Act. This bill was developed in conjunction with amendments to the Immigration Act.

The goal is to facilitate the deportation of non-Canadians convicted of crimes. This bill will assist the crown in the removal of such criminals.

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

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Reform

Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have two motions today. Motion No. 337 calls for this House to restore the taxes on cigarettes to the level existing January 1, 1994 which happened just at the time when the government dropped the taxes and caused the single biggest increase in consumption by youth this country has ever had.

It also calls for the tax rate on tobacco sticks to be the same as the tax rate on tobacco sticks equal to that on cigarettes, increase the rate of tax on fine cut tobacco, smokeless tobacco and leaf tobacco intended for retail sale so that this tax on one gram of tobacco is equal to the rate of one cigarette and, last, to improve the tax paid markings that are required on packages of tobacco products and apply the incremental revenue to health care.

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The motion I believe is on the Notice Paper. Why is he rising on motions today? Could he explain that to the Chair, please.

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Reform

Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

I call for unanimous consent, Mr. Speaker.

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

What is he asking for unanimous consent to do?

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Reform

Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have another motion that I would like to ask for unanimous consent for.

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

An hon. member

For what?

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Reform

Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

To pass the following motion.

The motion calls for this House to convene in 1998 a meeting of like-minded nations in order to develop a multilateral plan of action to reform international organizations such as the IMF, the World Bank and the UN, so that they can identify the precursors to conflict and establish multilateral conflict prevention initiatives. This is so we can move our foreign policy from dealing with conflict—

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

The hon. deputy government whip, on a point of order.

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Mr. Speaker, there has been no information given to us on this side of the House. I am wondering if the member has any compelling reason why his motion should be taken out of precedence of all the other motions of the other members of Parliament. There is a procedure that we follow for private members' motions. I wonder if he has a compelling reason why his should be treated differently.

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I have a feeling that if we got into the reasons we would be into a debate. I think the question that is properly before the House at the moment, with respect, is whether or not the hon. member has consent to deal with his motion today during motions. Is there consent?

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Transfer Of Offenders ActRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

There is no consent.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Bernier Bloc Bonaventure—Gaspé—Îles-De-La-Madeleine—Pabok, QC

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Gaspé—Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Pabok, I am pleased to present a petition to this House from the Pabok regional county municipality. This petition contains 1,276 signatures and concerns the Atlantic Groundfish Strategy, more commonly known as TAGS.

The petitioners are drawing attention to the fact that our region has been heavily affected by the groundfish moratorium imposed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada back in May 1994. Since then, the Atlantic Groundfish Strategy, or TAGS, has been the only means of survival for a large part of our population. This program was slated to continue until the end of the moratorium in 1999, but has been re-examined and is now slated to terminate in August 1998.

The people are calling for this program to be continued until the end of the initial moratorium and feel they should not be the victims of poor management.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Steckle Liberal Huron—Bruce, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a petition this afternoon from a great number of constituents from my riding.

The petitioners feel that the issue which they are addressing in this petition certainly is something which consumers right across Canada feel is important at this time. They feel that Canadian consumers are at the mercy of the pricing policies of oil companies. They call upon the Parliament of Canada to adopt legislation which would require gasoline companies to give 30 days written notice to the Minister of Natural Resources of an impending significant increase in the price of gasoline that is over 1% of the current pump prices per litre and that such notice also contain the reason or reasons for the increase and when it will take effect.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Bloc

Antoine Dubé Bloc Lévis, QC

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition bearing 239 signatures, which combine with the 10,847 I have already tabled in the House, for a total of 11,086 people who have signed the petition, which reads as follows:

“We would like VIA Rail to continue to use the Lévis intermodal train station and also the Montmagny subdivision trunk line between Harlaka and Saint-Romuald for the operation of the Chaleur and Ocean trains”.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Gurbax Malhi Liberal Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to present a petition.

The petitioners draw the attention of the House to the fact that some individuals are marrying Canadian citizens or permanent residents for the primary purpose of entering Canada as a member of the family class. Since fraudulent marriages of convenience cause pain to innocent spouses, the petitioners request that Parliament encourage the government to consider introducing a three year conditional period for sponsored spouses.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Liberal

Reg Alcock Liberal Winnipeg South, MB

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition from Catherine Kowalchuk, Jeff Leroux, Laurie Cameron, Susan Scarth and more than 23,000 others who are calling upon Parliament to create a system of student financial aid which includes the following elements: special opportunities grants, a national grant program, expanded and extended interest relief, income based remissions after interest relief, work study programs and tax refunds.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by a number of Canadians, including constituents from my riding of Mississauga South.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that our police officers and firefighters are required to place their lives at risk on a daily basis as they execute their duties. The employment benefits of police officers and firefighters often do not provide sufficient compensation to the families of those who are killed in the line of duty. Finally, the public also mourns the loss of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty and wish to support in a tangible way the surviving families in their time of need.

The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to establish a public safety officers compensation fund for the benefit of families of public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty.

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Peterborough Ontario

Liberal

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

Mr. Speaker, the following question will be answered today: No. 9. .[Text]

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Reform

John Reynolds Reform West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC

Concerning the travel to Australia and New-Zealand between August 24 and September 3, 1997, by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, could the Minister please provide:

(a) the number, names and titles of the individuals who accompanied the Minister on that trip;

(b) the total cost for all aspects of that trip;

(c) the names and positions of the individuals the Minister met and the purpose of each meeting in Australia and New-Zealand;

(d) the Minister's itinerary for the complete trip; and

(e) information on any agreements or joint undertakings initiated, or planned between Canada/Australia and Canada/New-Zealand as a consequence of that trip?