House of Commons Hansard #68 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was claims.

Topics

Presence in GalleryOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine Québec

Liberal

Marlene Jennings LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Canada—U.S.)

Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that the member for Medicine Hat, while asking a question in the House, said that I had been kicked out of the House. I find it interesting but not surprising.

I absented myself from the House for an urgent call from my office which had nothing to do with the proceedings of the this House, but it is not surprising--

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. The hon. parliamentary secretary has the floor on a point of order. We will hear the hon. parliamentary secretary. I am sure she appreciates all the help, but she has the floor and we will want to hear her.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that the member for Medicine Hat, given the party that he belongs to, would prejudge a situation without having all of the facts at hand. We have seen this time after time on the part of the members of the Conservative Party who continually have one or two facts, prejudge, and come to a conclusion.

We know that it is improper for a member of the House to call attention to the absence of another. Therefore, the member for Medicine Hat committed unparliamentary behaviour in my view. In addition, for that member to come to the conclusion that my absence in this House was due to my being kicked out is amazing. That is my first point of order.

I have a second point of order and it concerns the member for Newmarket--Aurora, who asked a question in the House in which she purported to relate accurately comments that I made in the subcommittee on international trade in its public hearing yesterday. In fact, I would encourage the member for Newmarket--Aurora, that if she wishes to quote me, that she use the entire statement that I made in that committee.

The statement that I made in that committee was to agree with the witnesses that Canada should use chapter 20 of NAFTA in order to conduct a public review on chapter 19 and the irritants of 19. I agreed with the witnesses that this would embarrass the United States when the United States has as its main objective to negotiate binational trade agreements with other countries. Other countries would possibly be leery of signing a binational with the United States given Canada's experience of the United States not respecting chapter 19.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. At least we now know why the hon. member for Newmarket—Aurora did not quote the entire statement of the parliamentary secretary. She could not have got it in on the 35 second limit on the question.

With respect to the parliamentary secretary allegedly having been kicked out of the House, as was stated, I agree that the hon. member for Medicine Hat may have stepped over the line. I was not sure which house he was referring to and since he did not say the hon. member was not here, I was not sure whether he meant this one so I did not let the matter attract my attention.

However, if he meant that the hon. parliamentary secretary was kicked out of this House, I know he will want to retract that part of the statement because he knows that making reference to that only causes disorder in the House, as happened at the time during the hon. member's question. Other than that, I do not know whether he is intending to respond in some way to this. I will hear briefly from the hon. member for Medicine Hat.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

Conservative

Monte Solberg Conservative Medicine Hat, AB

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and imagine, all of that without taking a breath. I assume that phone call was not from George Bush.

I want to make it very clear that I certainly did not want to leave the House with the impression that the member was called outside the House just because I was getting up to ask a tough question.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

The Speaker

We will deal now with the hon. member for Newmarket—Aurora.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

Conservative

Belinda Stronach Conservative Newmarket—Aurora, ON

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to repeat the quote: “let's embarrass the hell out of the Americans. They want to expand their markets and other countries are going to be leery”if they hear of Canada's experience.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

The Speaker

I had not intended to give the member a chance to repeat what we have heard a few times already, but perhaps the matter has now been sufficiently clarified.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, I only wish to state I find it unfortunate that the member for Medicine Hat is not big enough to simply say he is sorry.

Points of OrderOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

The Speaker

I caution hon. members from referring to the absence of members. I have done that before. It is out of order. Whether it is something that requires a retraction is another matter, but I would hope the hon. member will not repeat that performance and all hon. members will follow the example we try to set in this regard.

Canadian Landmine FundRoutine Proceedings

March 9th, 2005 / 3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report on the Canadian Landmine Fund on completing the task.

Certificate of NominationRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Beauséjour New Brunswick

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 110(2) I am tabling a certificate of nomination with respect to the Canadian Museum of Civilization. This certificate stands referred to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the parliamentary delegation of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, the APF, on the meeting of the APF in Hue, Vietnam, on January 29 and 30, 2005.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Lynn Myers Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, respecting its participation in the meeting of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, held in London, England, January 20 and 21, 2005, and its participation in the first part of the 2005 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, held in Strasbourg, France, January 24 to 28, 2005.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration on supplementary estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2005.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I would like to present a petition signed by individuals in Montreal, including in my riding of Pierrefonds—Dollard, on the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The petitioners are calling on the Canadian Parliament to increase quotas for family class sponsorships and reduce the time it takes to process such applications.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise and present this petition on behalf of many families in the riding of South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale. The petitioners ask Parliament to amend the Canada Health Act to include as medically necessary therapy for children suffering from autism. The petitioners also ask Parliament to contribute to the creation of academic chairs at Canadian universities, chairs dedicated to the research and treatment of this disease.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Susan Kadis Liberal Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today which has been signed by over 200 people from my riding of Thornhill. The petitioners are asking that pursuant to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and in the spirit of Canada's commitment to humanitarian assistance, Parliament increase the total of parental sponsorship admissions and reduce the waiting times of such applicants.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Bloc

Sébastien Gagnon Bloc Jonquière—Alma, QC

Mr. Speaker, I hereby table a petition on behalf of constituents in my riding. This petition expresses their opposition to Bill C-38.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Mr. Speaker, on the petition I have here the petitioners recognize that traditional marriage is the best foundation for society, families and the raising of children. Therefore, they ask that Parliament uphold the traditional definition of marriage, that being the union of one man and one man to the exclusion of all others.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Claude Drouin Liberal Beauce, QC

Mr. Speaker, I wish to submit a petition on behalf of clothing and textile workers in the ridings of Beauce and Mégantic—L'Érable.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Conservative

Dick Harris Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present two petitions containing several hundred names of people in my riding. These petitioners pray that Parliament will ensure that marriage is defined as Canadians wish it to be defined, that is, the legal union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, and that Parliament would use section 33 of the charter, the notwithstanding clause, if necessary, to preserve and protect the definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Conservative

Dick Harris Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC

Mr. Speaker, these petitioners from my riding are very concerned that women who are contemplating an abortion procedure should have full access to knowledge from their physician so that they understand the risks of the procedure. The petitioners request that Parliament bring in a women's right to know act that would guarantee this.