House of Commons Hansard #39 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was provinces.

Topics

Research and DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, we received today the judgment of the Supreme Court of Canada. We will be reading it with care.

I can tell my hon. friend and the House we will be acting soon in response to the issue. We will be consulting Canadians and the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee. We will also be listening to the caucus on the issue, as well as cabinet colleagues.

Our effort will be to strike the right balance between, on the one hand, encouraging innovation and, on the other hand, protecting the values of Canadians when it comes to patenting higher life forms.

HousingOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Mr. Speaker, close to 100 homeless people are facing imminent eviction from their makeshift tents around the Woodward's building in east Vancouver. The newly elected city council there is urgently trying to line up alternate housing.

I would like to ask the minister responsible for homelessness, will she give her commitment that she will work with the city to provide the federal funds necessary so that people are not left on the street? Will she work with the community to secure Woodward's as affordable long-term housing?

HousingOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe New Brunswick

Liberal

Claudette Bradshaw LiberalMinister of Labour

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member that one of our best communities for the homeless is the community of downtown east Vancouver.

The mayor and council of Vancouver have done a tremendous amount of work. I can assure the hon. member that if the community groups want to support the Woodward's building we will be there. I also want to assure the hon. member that the community groups are working very hard to ensure that the homeless have a place to sleep.

Firearms RegistryOral Question Period

December 5th, 2002 / 2:45 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice said today that he will keep the gun registry running because he believes in protecting society. What he does not believe in is ministerial and financial accountability. There is absolutely no proof that gun registration is working for Canadian society.

If it can be proved that the gun registry has no benefit to public safety will the minister cancel the gun registration right now?

Firearms RegistryOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member says there is no proof.

What about the more than 7,000 firearm licences that have been refused or revoked? What about police agencies that access the firearms on-line registry 1,500 times daily?

The number of persons prohibited from owning a firearm has also continued to increase by almost 50% from 1998 to 2001. The number of lost or missing firearms has declined by 68% from 1998 to 2001. This is why we are going to keep proceeding--

Firearms RegistryOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Gander--Grand Falls.

HealthOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rex Barnes Progressive Conservative Gander—Grand Falls, NL

Mr. Speaker, I have been swamped with names from thousands of people from my riding who have written to protest the government's money pit of a gun registry. Meanwhile my constituents in Gander--Grand Falls, like most Canadians, do not have access to adequate health care services. This is a direct result of the lack of funding and planning by these Liberals.

Will the Minister of Health rise and outline to the members of the House and to the thousands of people who signed these petitions who are very concerned, and to all Canadians who do not have proper health care services, what she would have done with a billion dollars if it had not been wasted on the Liberal government's firearms bureaucracy?

HealthOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Edmonton West Alberta

Liberal

Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, let me be absolutely clear. The government put 21.1 billion new dollars into the health care system as of September 2000. We have put an additional $1 billion into a medical equipment fund as of September 2000. We put $800 million into primary health care renewal as of September 2000. The government has pledged that we will do our part in the renewal of our health care system.

Child PornographyOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has just gone back 10 years in the fight against child pornography. Although the minister has finally recognized the danger of the artistic merit defence, he has now proposed that it be replaced with a law that was already rendered ineffective by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1992. Simply renaming discredited laws does not make the law any more effective.

Why will the minister not set a clear direction on child pornography and protect children?

Child PornographyOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, members will know that as a government we have acted in the past on that question. The interest of children in our nation is a top priority on this side of the House. I thank our caucus members for supporting it.

Today I was very proud to table a bill regarding the question that has been raised by the Sharpe decision last spring.

What we are doing in the bill regarding the child pornography provision of the Criminal Code is putting in place a single defence of public good. We have also expanded the definition of written child pornography. We have increased the question--

Child PornographyOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Provencher.

Child PornographyOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB

Mr. Speaker, artistic merit has simply been renamed. Canadians will not be fooled and children will not be protected. The loophole may be smaller but the rats still scuttle through.

Why is there no zero tolerance for child predators?

Child PornographyOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, as I said this morning, it is zero tolerance for child predators in this country. What we did this morning was we changed the defence to ensure that we offer better protection for our children in this nation by proceeding with the defence of public good. We have added a category with regard to sexual exploitation, namely section 153, and changed the sentencing.

What we tabled this morning was a strong package to protect the children in our nation. This is what the government has committed to do. I am pleased to have the support of Liberal members in caucus.

Rimouski Weather and Environmental Services OfficeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski-Neigette-Et-La Mitis, QC

Mr. Speaker, rumours of the closure of the Rimouski Weather and Environmental Services Office are still rampant, yet this office is essential to the growing shipping industry of eastern Quebec.

Does the Minister of the Environment intend to ensure personal and economic security and encourage the development of non-polluting energies in eastern Quebec by pledging to keep the Rimouski weather office open?

Rimouski Weather and Environmental Services OfficeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we wish to ensure public safety with the best possible system. This does not mean, however, that changes will not be made from time to time.

I can reassure the hon. member in this connection, however. I have made no decision at this time concerning the closing down of any offices in Canada.

Rimouski Weather and Environmental Services OfficeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski-Neigette-Et-La Mitis, QC

Mr. Speaker, the problem arises from this minister's inability to make a decision.

While the debate on ratification of Kyoto rages on, does the minister realize that closing offices, and the Rimouski office in particular, would be sending a very poor message, as well as seriously jeopardizing the future of the fledgling wind energy industry in eastern Quebec?

Rimouski Weather and Environmental Services OfficeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, renewable energy such as wind energy is, of course, very important. This does not mean that each and every Environment Canada office throughout the country must remain totally unchanged. There must be some flexibility, so as to use resources where they can do the most good.

Age of ConsentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Art Hanger Canadian Alliance Calgary Northeast, AB

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the justice minister.

The minister is saying that it is still okay for adults of any age to have sex with 14 year old children as long as they are not in a position of trust or authority. For the majority of parents in this country, that is not acceptable.

On behalf of the children, again I ask the minister to change the legal age of sexual consent from 14 years to 16 years while he still has the chance.

Age of ConsentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member would read the bill that we tabled this morning, he would see that we are amending section 153 and adding a new category with regard to sexual exploitation. It covers the question of children between the ages of 14 years and 18 years.

Age of ConsentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Art Hanger Canadian Alliance Calgary Northeast, AB

Mr. Speaker, that still does not answer the question nor does it solve the problem.

A child abuse investigator must have the power to disrupt the illegal activities of those involved in the sexual exploitation of children. Criminals entice 14 and 15 year old children for sex because they are too young to make their own mature decisions. They do not understand the repercussions of having sexual acts with criminals.

Again, on behalf of our children, to protect them from pedophiles, pornographers and pimps, will the minister take the legislation back to the drawing board, change it and raise the age of consent?

Age of ConsentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, with what we are doing with the bill, we will offer of course much better protection for our children.

The new category which has been proposed is that the court must consider whether a relationship is exploitative based on its nature and circumstances. Of course, some factors are listed in the legislation, such as the difference in age, evolution of the relationship, and the degree of influence.

Violence against WomenOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow will be the 13th anniversary of the massacre at École Polytechnique in Montreal where 14 women lost their lives just because they were women. Tomorrow all over the country Canadians will mark this tragic anniversary. At Toronto's Women's College Hospital it will be their 12th anniversary marking this day.

Every day, women are targets of violence. Could the Secretary of State responsible for the Status of Women tell the House what steps the federal government is taking to bring attention to this very important issue?

Violence against WomenOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Etobicoke—Lakeshore Ontario

Liberal

Jean Augustine LiberalSecretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)

Mr. Speaker, on December 3 I released the publication “Assessing violence against women: a statistical profile”. The report not only highlights what we know about violence against women, but it also serves to draw attention to where more work is needed.

This report is an important first step in developing a full picture of women's experience with violence. Initiatives like the recently announced extension of funding to the family violence initiative are a good start. We hope to do much more in this regard.

Border CrossingsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Rahim Jaffer Canadian Alliance Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Mr. Speaker, the government has put the brakes on enforcing the Criminal Code at the border, against its own amendments to the Customs Act. Today only 31 of the 147 border crossings enforce the Criminal Code. Known criminals, child abductors and drunk drivers will not be stopped at any other points of entry. On March 1 CCRA is planning to stop further implementation of this legislation.

Why is the government against stopping criminals before they enter Canada?

Border CrossingsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Thornhill Ontario

Liberal

Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, the member's preamble is absolutely inaccurate. I know of no plan to stop doing the mandate that CCRA and customs officials do so well.

Many of our officers have been designated with officer powers which gives them the authority to arrest individuals under the Criminal Code. They have always had the authority to arrest individuals under the Customs Act. They will continue to carry out their mandate with pride. Canadians can be proud of them.