House of Commons Hansard #6 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.

Topics

People with DisabilitiesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, in its report, the Standing Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities criticizes the way people with disabilities are being treated.

However, the Minister of Finance disagrees with the committee's findings and, moreover, he is advocating a tightening up of existing eligibility criteria that allow people with disabilities to deduct certain costs that are incurred because of their condition.

How can the Minister of Finance explain that, after targeting the unemployed and various other groups, he is now going after the elderly by making it harder to qualify for the disability tax credit?

People with DisabilitiesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, we are not limiting access to the tax credit. We have tried to clarify who qualifies, following the decision of the courts. In fact, there has been an increase of about 70% in the amount that has gone out under the disability tax credit since 1996.

We are actually increasing the benefits available to people with disabilities.

Canadian Wheat BoardOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Murray Calder Liberal Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade. Earlier this year the U.S. trade representative warned that the Americans were considering WTO action against the Canadian Wheat Board because of illegal trade practices. It now looks like the U.S. will be ready to file in the next few days.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade update us on this important issue for Canadian wheat farmers?

Canadian Wheat BoardOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

London—Fanshawe Ontario

Liberal

Pat O'Brien LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade

Mr. Speaker, Canada's wheat sector policies have been investigated many times. Every time they have been shown to be fully consistent with our international trade obligations.

Marketing boards, such as the Canadian Wheat Board, are domestic policies. They will be made in Canada, by Canadian farmers.

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Andy Burton Canadian Alliance Skeena, BC

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know the Kyoto accord will be detrimental to our ability to compete in global markets, costing hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars. The government has said that it will consult prior to ratification, but it has no realistic estimate of costs nor an implementation plan.

As the consultation process clearly shows no appetite for this pig in a poke deal, will it stop its bulldozer tactics, shelve Kyoto and come up with a made in Canada deal?

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, the premise of the hon. member's question is incorrect.

However with respect to the issue of the made in Canada plan, that is precisely what the Government of Canada wants. That is why we were so disappointed that the government of the Province of Alberta pulled out from co-chairing the process after five years, just this last summer.

We want to bring it back in because we think the made in Canada plan includes the contribution of all governments in Canada, not just the federal government.

Correctional ServicesOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Bloc

Richard Marceau Bloc Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC

Mr. Speaker, last week we learned that some prisoners had used their personal computer in prison to commit fraud through the Internet and to devise escape plans.

Following these revelations, correctional services announced a moratorium on the procurement of personal computers in the future, but said that inmates who already had a computer have vested rights.

My question is for the Solicitor General. How does he justify and explain the fact that the notion of vested rights applies in prison, particularly since it is inmates who already have computers who have used them for dubious purposes?

Correctional ServicesOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, CSC is conducting a thorough risk assessment of all the computers in the system. CSC is also conducting a full review of the situation.

Presence in GalleryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Speaker

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Kimmo Sasi, Minister of Transport and Communications of Finland.

Presence in GalleryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Canadian Alliance

Stephen Harper Canadian AllianceLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, in the course of question period a member of the NDP, in making reference to my colleague from West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, accused my colleague of recently having been involved in queue jumping in the medicare system. I wish to set the record straight on this matter.

As a pedestrian in Vancouver the member for West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast was struck by a car several days before the House of Commons opened. At that time the X-rays apparently were misread. In spite of the member having a serious fracture, he travelled across the country to be here for the opening of the House.

Upon being in considerable pain, his office arranged a legal MRI with a private clinic here in central Canada. None of this, by the way, was in violation of the Canada Health Act or on the recommendation of a doctor or jumping any kind of queue.

On the basis of the MRI, it was noted that the hon. member for West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast had a fairly serious fracture in his leg upon which a doctor then recommended him for emergency surgery. He received that emergency surgery one week after being struck by a car and being in considerable pain.

This was not queue jumping. This is an outrageous accusation by the NDP. I want to say that it is about time the NDP began to put people's health and pain ahead of its little ideological crusade. I know that members of this party and other parties in the House wish the former leader of the opposition well in his recovery.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS

Mr. Speaker, I have a very brief point of order with respect to the correctness of the Journals of the House of Commons. I know the Chair takes great pride in assuring their accuracy.

The Speaker will naturally recall that on last Friday the Chair delivered a ruling concerning the motion offered by the government concerning the revivification of dead parliamentary business that fell victim to the government's prorogation last session. Your Honour's ruling was that the government's motion was flawed in form and directed that the government motion be divided for the purpose of voting.

There are many rulings of little consequence to the actual business before the House of Commons but, by contrast, Friday's ruling had the effect of altering the question. Indeed, it created two questions where there had previously been one the day before.

There is no reference to that ruling in the Journals. What we are left with is a record that makes no sense. The Journals report that the government leader moved two distinct motions at once. It would be easy for those who consult the Journals to interpret the record as indicative that the government moved by right to move two motions at once.

Avid readers of the Journals, such as myself and others in my employ, simply seek that the record report accurately what occurred on this matter before the House. The Journals are the record of the proceedings of the House. It is my respectful view that your ruling Friday was a precedent in that it altered the question then before the House and therefore the ruling should be recorded and reflected in the Journals.

If the House had altered the motion by amendment, that fact would have been recorded. In this instance, Your Honour used the undoubted power of the Chair to divide the question and, in that fact, and I would suggest it should be the Chair's view, it should be recorded in the Journals as part of those proceedings.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

The Chair must thank the hon. member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough for his vigilance in reviewing the Journals in this way. I can only say that having arrived in Ottawa a little late this morning I have not yet had a chance to read the Journals for Friday or I would have shared the hon. member's horror at the omission.

I can assure him that we will review the matter and try to ensure that the proper corrections are made in the finished product which, as the hon. member knows, will be published later this week. We will strive of course for excellence in these matters, as we do at all times. We appreciate the hon. member's vigilance.

Annual Report of the Chief of the Defence StaffRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Haliburton—Victoria—Brock Ontario

Liberal

John O'Reilly LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I have the pleasure to table, in both official languages, two copies of the 2001-02 annual report of the Chief of the Defence Staff.

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Halifax West Nova Scotia

Liberal

Geoff Regan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the 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 five petitions.

User Fees ActRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Roy Cullen Liberal Etobicoke North, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-212, an act respecting user fees.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring back to the House this bill, an act respecting user fees, which will bring greater accountability and transparency to the introduction and increase in any user fees brought about by the government or its agencies and departments. It also links user fees more closely with performance and with international benchmarks.

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

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Art Hanger Canadian Alliance Calgary Northeast, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-213, an act to amend the Criminal Code (violent crimes).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased once again to reintroduce this private member's bill. Under this bill everyone who is convicted of a violent crime for the second time would be imprisoned for life. In other words, two strikes and they are out.

Canadians deserve to feel that they and their families are safe in their homes, at work, at school, on the street and in their communities. In short, Canadians want a country in which they are not constantly looking over their shoulders to see who is coming after them.

To the perpetrators of violent crime, this private member's bill would ensure that they never again have the opportunity to commit such dangerous acts. For the victims and their families, the bill represents a return to fundamental justice.

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

Carrie's Guardian Angel LawRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Art Hanger Canadian Alliance Calgary Northeast, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-214, an act to amend the Criminal Code (dangerous child sexual predators).

Mr. Speaker: I am pleased to reintroduce this bill entitled Carrie's Guardian Angel Law. The intent of the bill is to get tough with dangerous child sexual predators. It carries a sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment in cases of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault on a child that involved the use of a weapon, repeated assaults, multiple victims, repeat offences, more than one offender, confinement or kidnapping for an offender who is in a position of trust with respect to the child.

As the bill is identical to Bill C-396, which I introduced in the previous session, pursuant to Standing Order 86(1) I ask that the bill be reinstated in the order of precedence.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the hon. member for Prince Albert for seconding the bill.

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

Carrie's Guardian Angel LawRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

The Speaker

The Chair is satisfied that the bill is in the same form at Bill C-396 was at the time of prorogation of the first session of the 37th Parliament. Accordingly, pursuant to Standing Order 86(1), the bill shall be added to the bottom of the list of items in the order of precedence on the order paper following the first draw of the session.

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Art Hanger Canadian Alliance Calgary Northeast, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-215, an act to amend the Criminal Code (prohibited sexual acts).

Mr. Speaker, I rise to reintroduce my private members' bill which seeks to raise the age of sexual consent from age 14 to age 16. I first introduced this bill in 1996, reintroduced it in 1997, 1999, 2001, and now again in 2002.

In this country we do not vote, consume alcohol or fight in the military until age 18, yet it is legal for a child at the age of 14 to engage in sexual activity, according to our Criminal Code.

With the increase in child pornography and child prostitution it is now more urgent than ever to raise the age of consent to protect the young and vulnerable in our society from sexual predators among us.

I urge hon. members to give the bill full and fair consideration.

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

Referendum ActRoutine Proceedings

October 7th, 2002 / 3:10 p.m.

NDP

Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-216, an act to amend the Referendum Act.

Mr. Speaker,it is a very sensible act. The bill would amend the Referendum Act to allow a referendum to be held on any question relating to the reform of the electoral system and here I thinking about the introduction of proportional representation where the people would have the final say in the kind of system we want in this country.

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

Business Development Bank of Canada ActRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

NDP

Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-217, an act to amend the Business Development Bank of Canada Act and the Canada Student Loans Act to provide for a student loan system that is more supportive of students.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this enactment is to establish the Business Development Bank of Canada as a lender of guaranteed student loans and to provide that student loan interest rates are set at the rate of inflation for the previous year and adjusted annually.

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

Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985Routine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

NDP

Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-218, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985.

Mr. Speaker, this act would make a number of changes to the Pension Benefits Standards Act. Among those changes, it would also give the members and beneficiaries of pensions in this country some representation on the boards of trustees of the pension funds, on the pension committees and on the pension councils, as well as about five or six other important things I do not have time to enumerate today.

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

Parliament of Canada ActRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Eugène Bellemare Liberal Ottawa—Orléans, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-219, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (oath or solemn affirmation).

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce a bill to make an addition to the oath of allegiance for federal members of parliament who wish to sit in the House.

If my private member's bill is adopted, newly elected members would henceforth have to swear allegiance to our country and not exclusively to the Queen.

It is strange that Canada is possibly one of the only countries where elected officials do not swear allegiance to their country. It was out of pride and patriotism that I included this voluntarily when elected the last three times.

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

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Diane Marleau Liberal Sudbury, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table two petitions on behalf of a number of constituents in my riding of Sudbury. They call on the federal government to take swift action to ensure that all forms of child pornography are prohibited and dealt with in the strongest possible manner.