Debates of March 26th, 2004

Andy Scott Minister of State (Infrastructure)

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Halifax, and will refer it to the Minister of Labour for a quick response.

Stephen Owen Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for that important question, certainly in his constituency and throughout British Columbia. So far in British Columbia 83 projects have been approved worth $32 million of the $55 million coming to British Columbia, which has levered another $68 million, totalling $100 million for projects. There is another $20 million of projects to come.

At least the money is now starting to roll. The projects have been approved, and these are permanent economic adjustment projects. They are not quick fixes. The due diligence has been done and the cheques are now rolling.

Marcel Proulx Hull—Aylmer, QC

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move: That the 14th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to)

Mario Laframboise Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, on behalf of the men, women and seniors in my riding, a petition which reads as follows:

“Whereas poverty is a plague that seriously affects seniors;

Whereas any measure that changes the financial situation of seniors poses a real threat to their physical health and their autonomy;

Whereas most seniors are living below the poverty line;

Your petitioners are asking Parliament to increase the basic amounts of the old age pension, the widow spouse allowance and the guaranteed income supplement, since we feel that the current amounts are clearly inadequate to allow our seniors to maintain an acceptable quality of life.

Your petitioners are also asking that low income individuals not be subjected to a diminution of the supplement already granted when they take money from an RRSP, a RRSF or when they get another temporary cash inflow.

Lastly, they are asking Parliament to take the necessary measures to adequately inform seniors, so that they do not lose the amounts to which they are entitled and to make eligibility rules more flexible by reducing penalties for all those who were not informed of their rights”.

This petition was signed by 2,800 people from municipalities located in the riding of Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, namely Brownsburg-Chatham, Lachute, Saint-André d'Argenteuil, Wentworth-Nord,Lakefield, Gore, Harrington, Saint-Placide, Mirabel, Morin-Heights, Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard, Grenville, Boileau, Lac-des-Plages, Lac-Simon, Duhamel, Saint-Eustache, and from municipalities located in—

Clifford Lincoln Lac-Saint-Louis, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present.

The first petition is from people in my riding stating that there is a loophole in the Income Tax Act which allows businesses in Canada to deduct from business income for tax purposes the fines and penalties imposed on them for breaking laws and regulations intended to protect the public interest, such as environmental laws, consumer protection laws, workplace safety laws, et cetera.

Clifford Lincoln Lac-Saint-Louis, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition to present on behalf of the people of my riding.

The petitioners pray that Parliament pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being the lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.