House of Commons Hansard #173 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was mace.

Topics

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

The question is on the amendment. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

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

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

All those opposed will please say nay.

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

In my opinion the nays have it.

And more than five members having risen:

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:05 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Madam Speaker, I believe you would find unanimous consent to defer the taking of the recorded division.

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:10 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

Is it agreed?

PrivilegeOral Question Period

5:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Youth Criminal Justice ActRoutine Proceedings

5:10 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Gary Lunn Canadian Alliance Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-444, an act to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a private member's bill to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Property crime is one of the most invasive acts in our society. My bill would seek to balance the need to punish youth who commit these crimes with the understanding that many young offenders never reoffend if they get the help they need.

If passed my bill would do the following: first, impose mandatory curfews for all young offenders convicted of a break and enter or a home invasion, until the age of 18, for one year to a maximum of three years; second, impose mandatory jail terms for repeat offenders of these crimes with a minimum sentence of 30 years; and third, when a young offender breaches a probation, the parent or guardian would be responsible. That parent or guardian must report it to the authorities. If the parent or guardian were to fail to report a breach to the authorities, then they would be subject to a criminal offence.

My bill recognizes that without enforcement mechanisms many probation breaches go unreported. Without reporting, youth do not get the guidance they need. This bill would seek a fair balance between punishment and rehabilitation. I encourage all members to support it and to contact me with any questions or concerns.

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

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

5:10 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Keith Martin Canadian Alliance Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-445, an act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of child before birth)

Madam Speaker, fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the most devastating problems in our country today. Tens of thousands of children are born with this preventable problem. In fact fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading cause of preventable brain damage in children.

The bill seeks to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome by ensuring that a woman who is pregnant and who consumes harmful substances that are injurious to her fetus but refuses all forms of treatment can be put into a treatment facility against her wishes for the protection of herself and more important, for the protection of the fetus. This is only for a woman who has chosen to carry the fetus to term and clearly has nothing to do with the issue of abortion.

This law has its roots in the ability of physicians to put people who are injurious to themselves or others and cannot take care of themselves in a treatment facility against their wishes if necessary. The bill would give caregivers and medical personnel, specifically physicians, the ability to do that for the protection of the woman and to ensure that no more children are born with the devastating problem of fetal alcohol syndrome.

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

Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade ActRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Keith Martin Canadian Alliance Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-446, an act to amend the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act.

Madam Speaker, Canada is known as a major trafficking conduit for endangered species from all over the world. In fact Canadians would be shocked to know that this situation exists. By allowing it to exist we become part of the problem in the decimation of endangered species from all over the world, such as Siberian tigers, Bengal tigers, Javan rhinos and a wide array of species.

The bill deals with the control of the international trade in wildlife. It calls for import and export permits to ensure that there are permits from the country authorizing the trade in these animals. It adds protection for wildlife in transit and ensures that proper care is available for them. It requires full records to be maintained by law, which goes to our obligations under CITES. It requires the mandatory marking of specimens to be imported and exported. It also requires that there be an organization within the Department of the Environment to ensure that our obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species be fulfilled.

The bill would go a long way in ensuring that our obligations under CITES are respected. It would go a long way in ending the debacle in our country that allows us to continue to be part of the problem in the trafficking of endangered species.

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

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

NDP

Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

moved for leave to introduce Bill 447, an act to amend the Income Tax Act

Madam Speaker, the bill seeks to amend the Income Tax Act to disallow the fact that currently fines and levies on businesses are tax deductible.

The bill finds its origin in the supreme court ruling that allowed that fines, penalties and levies that businesses incur were tax deductible as long as the business received the fine in the operation of its business and in searching to make an income.

Most Canadians would agree that I do not think parliament ever intended to allow this particular situation. The penalty would undermine the detrimental value of the fine if it were allowed as a tax deduction. I cannot deduct my parking tickets from my income taxes. We do not believe that a business should be able to deduct any kind of a fine or penalty from its taxes either.

I hope that the bill finds broad support among members of the House.

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

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I would be grateful if you would seek unanimous consent to return to presenting reports from committees. I have a report which the other parties are aware of.

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

Is it agreed?

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present the 52nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership and the associate membership of some committees.

If the House gives its consent, I move concurrence at this time.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

Is it agreed?

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Madam Speaker, I am proud to put forward a substantial petition signed by thousands of first nations citizens in the province of Manitoba.

These citizens reject the government's first nations governance initiative as put forward by the minister of Indian affairs. They suspect it to be nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to diminish or even extinguish their treaty rights.

The petitioners point out further that the consultation process that is going on with the first nations governance initiative is nothing more than a sham. They do not believe it meets the legal test of what broad consultation should really be. They argue that they will submit more signatures of citizens than the minister actually managed to reach in his consultation process.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Gary Lunn Canadian Alliance Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. When I spoke on my private member's bill, I apparently said for a maximum sentence of 30 years. I meant to say 30 days. I ask for consent to have that changed in the record.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

That is fine.