House of Commons Hansard #242 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was culture.

Topics

Division No. 561Government Orders

6:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Division No. 561Government Orders

6:45 p.m.

The Speaker

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Division No. 561Government Orders

6:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Division No. 561Government Orders

6:45 p.m.

The Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

Division No. 561Government Orders

6:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Division No. 561Government Orders

6:45 p.m.

The Speaker

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Division No. 562Government Orders

June 10th, 1999 / 6:55 p.m.

The Speaker

I declare the motion carried.

(Amendments read the second time and concurred in)

Division No. 562Government Orders

6:55 p.m.

The Speaker

On a point of order, the hon. government House leader.

First Nations Land Management ActGovernment Orders

6:55 p.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I wish to give notice that when the House next considers the motion for consideration of the amendments made by the Senate to Bill C-49, an act providing for the ratification and bringing into effect of the framework agreement on first nations land management, a minister of the crown shall propose a motion, pursuant to Standing Order 57, that the debate be not further adjourned.

First Nations Land Management ActGovernment Orders

6:55 p.m.

The Speaker

It being 6.56 p.m., the House will now proceed to the consideration of Private Members' Business as listed on today's order paper.

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC

moved that Bill C-502, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (deduction of expenses incurred by a mechanic for tools required in employment), be now read a second time and referred to a committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to this bill, which I introduced in the House in order to raise an issue that has been around too long and is harmful to the growth of an essential sector of Canadian and Quebec industry, namely auto mechanics.

I introduce this bill on behalf of all the women and men who work as auto mechanics and have been calling for this bill for some years now.

Mr. Speaker, you are a democratically elected member of parliament, as I and every one of the 301 members of this House are. We all know that when we are campaigning and visit various car dealerships and garages, the mechanics frequently raise the issue of having a tax deduction for the cost of purchasing tools.

I am calling for the co-operation of the House for I believe that there is nothing partisan about this legislation in the least. The bill is presented with no malice and no ulterior motive, and I trust that my colleagues of all parties will subscribe to it.

I take care to point out that it concerns mechanics and not the broader issue of the automobile, because I would need a number of hours more in order to explain the negative effects Quebec has felt since the implementation of the auto pact.

In this regard, I will simply say that since its implementation a number of years ago, this trade agreement with United States has benefited Ontario only. Given that 97% of automobile assembly takes place in Ontario, clearly the auto pact benefited Ontario. It explains in large measure the difference in the rates of unemployment between Quebec and Ontario.

We are not talking here about automobile mechanics in the true and literal sense of the word. Instead, we are talking about men and women who, day in day out, slog under automobile hoods in often difficult working conditions.

There is winter when they have to work under cars with salt, snow or slop literally running down their faces. These men and women slog, their hands covered in grease, in an effort to repair what many people—often the poor—consider one of their most valuable possessions. For many people, their only possession—when it is not borrowed from the bank—is a car. These men and women must be encouraged, and this is the intent of this bill.

I say cars represent one of the most valuable possessions because of the major financial investment that their purchase or lease represents for Canadian and Quebec households.

We want to be able to make use of this investment, which we pay back at the end of each month to the bank, for a long time. This is why everyone wants cars to be well maintained and the necessary repairs made, hence the absolute necessity of being able to count on trained, competent and motivated mechanics to work on their cars and trucks.

As things now stand, it is difficult for these mechanics to be able to work under ideal conditions because of the high cost of buying the tools they need.

Since my time is running out, I will conclude by saying that I am counting on all members of the House to support this bill. These men and women are asking the government to allow them to deduct from their income the cost of buying their tool set, which can run from $5,000 to $40,000.

Ultimately, what we want is for all of society to benefit.

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)

I recognize the hon. government House leader on debate.

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I wish to state that the completion of Bill C-49 is an urgent matter because it has been delayed some five months longer than hoped by dozens of groups of Canadians, both natives and others, who must await its passage before completing long overdue arrangements.

Therefore, I move, pursuant to Standing Order 53, that in relation to Bill C-49—

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

Reform

Leon Benoit Reform Lakeland, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We are debating now a private member's bill on mechanics' tools. I just cannot understand the relevance of the House leader for the governing party talking about Bill C-49 during this debate.

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)

I appreciate the intervention of the hon. member for Lakeland. The government House leader rose on debate, was recognized and was making his point.

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

Liberal

Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Mr. Speaker, in addition to what I have just said, I want to say that in relation to the said bill, Bill C-49, the requirement for notice of motion—

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Gerald Keddy Progressive Conservative South Shore, NS

Order.

Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Mark Muise Progressive Conservative West Nova, NS

Order.

First Nations Land Management ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I move, pursuant to Standing Order 53:

That, in relation to Bill C-49, the House continue to sit until the adjournment is proposed by a Minister of the Crown; and

That, in relation to the said bill, the requirement for notice of a motion pursuant to the standing order be suspended.

First Nations Land Management ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

Reform

Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This is a debate on mechanics' tools. This individual is totally out of order. He cannot do this by the standing orders.

He is trying to sneak in a statement here which he cannot do any other way. It is just downright dirty and I ask you to rule, Mr. Speaker, that what he is trying to do is out of order. Let us get on with the debate on Private Members' Business.

First Nations Land Management ActPrivate Members' Business

7:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)

Perhaps we can lower the temperature here a bit if we read the relevant standing order. It is Standing Order 53(1). If members will give me a second, I will consult with the Clerk to make sure that what we are doing here is absolutely kosher.

The relevant standing order is found at page 30 of the standing orders dated February 1, 1999. Standing Order 53(1) states:

In relation to any matter that the government considers to be of an urgent nature, a Minister of the Crown may, at any time when the Speaker is in the Chair—

And the Speaker is any of the chair occupants:

—propose a motion to suspend any Standing or other Order of this House relating to the need for notice and to the hours and days of sitting.

It goes on, but the government House leader is entirely within the purview of the standing orders of the House of Commons.

A motion has been proposed on a matter of urgent nature by the government House leader pursuant to Standing Order 53(1). If we go further into the standing orders, and if members would bear with me I would appreciate it because this is the first time this has happened to me as well, the Speaker has the option to provide for up to one hour of debate.

The time provided to debate the motion will be up to one hour. It is the purview of the Speaker to determine how it will be done. It would seem to be appropriate that it would be done by party at 10 minutes each.

Unless someone else can give me a reason that we do it some other way that would be better, that is what we will do.

First Nations Land Management ActPrivate Members' Business

7:10 p.m.

Reform

Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point or order. This is not according to the rules of the House.

First Nations Land Management ActPrivate Members' Business

7:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

First Nations Land Management ActPrivate Members' Business

7:10 p.m.

Reform

Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB

I do not know Beauchesne's totally by heart.

First Nations Land Management ActPrivate Members' Business

7:10 p.m.

An hon. member

The Speaker ruled.