Debates of May 12th, 2005

Government Response to Petitions

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Parliamentary 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 three petitions.

Criminal Code

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-49, an act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons).

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

Committees of the House

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in accordance with its order of reference on Tuesday, April 19.

The committee has considered Bill C-40, an act to amend the Canada Grain Act and the Canada Transportation Act and agreed on Tuesday, May 10 to report it with an amendment.

[Paul MacKlin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, following an editorial amendment consented to by all parties, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Justice, Human Rights, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

In accordance with its order of reference of Tuesday, November 2, 2004, your committee has considered Bill C-13, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the DNA Identification Act and the National Defence Act, and agreed on Tuesday, May 10, 2005, to report it with amendments.

(Bill C-13. On the Order: Government Orders:)

May 12, 2005--Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada--second reading, report stage and third reading of Bill C-13, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the DNA Identification Act and the National Defence Act.

Criminal Code

[Paul MacKlin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That Bill C-13, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the DNA Identification Act and the National Defence Act, be deemed read the second time, considered in committee, reported, concurred in, read a third time and passed.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. Parliamentary Secretary have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to, bill read the second time, considered in committee, reported, concurred in, read the third time and passed)

Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-386, an act to amend the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act (appointment of permanent members).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this private member's bill today and in that way demonstrate that some of us are still interested in continuing to work in this Parliament.

In this particular instance, this is an issue of great importance to working people because the Canadian International Trade Tribunal is a very influential body and currently there is no labour representation on this panel.

We believe that this critically vital panel should be in a balanced tripartite initiative with business, labour and industry represented on the tribunal to ensure the interests of all of the stakeholders are in fact looked after.

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

Competition Act

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-387, an act to amend the Competition Act (investigations by Commissioner and class proceedings) and to make a related amendment to another Act.

Mr. Speaker, it again gives me great pleasure to introduce a bill that we have been working on for some time in consultation with a number of stakeholder groups across the country.

The bill would make changes to the Competition Act regarding the investigation by the commissioner and also regarding class action suits.

The interesting change that the bill would make is that the commissioner of competition would be able to cause an inquiry upon application by 100 or more persons who are of the view that there exists in any sector of the Canadian economy an arrangement or relationship that may constitute an offence. In other words, the commissioner would be allowed to take action and undertake a full inquiry on a petition of 100 or more Canadians who are of that view.

Just as critically, it also would provide that class actions for compensation by any of those who under normal circumstances can demonstrate that they have suffered losses as a result of a contravention of provisions of the act, that such class actions would be allowed an avenue of redress for those who may feel that they have suffered damages under an absence of competition.

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

Pension Benefits Standards Act

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-388, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (protection of the assets).

Mr. Speaker, there is just so much work to do and so many things that need to be done in this Parliament that I am taking this opportunity to present another issue of critical importance to working people all over the country.

This bill would amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act in such a way that there would be mandatory equal representation on the board of trustees of pensions so that the representation should allow for pension beneficiaries and pension plan membership. This is currently not mandatory across the country.

It would also limit the amount that employers are allowed to underfund pension plans. Currently almost an emergency across the country is the situation of underfunded pension plans. We believe that this practice has to stop and we believe that Canadians want us to take action to limit this so that in the event of a bankruptcy we do not want to find that a pension plan is 50% underfunded.

It would also prevent members and beneficiaries from being limited from trading in the employer's shares and stocks unless the directors and officers of the company are similarly limited. In other words, no more of the practice of the officers and board members of a company being able to trade in the shares of that company and the beneficiaries of the plan being barred from doing so.

The final thing that this particular bill to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act would do is protect members and beneficiaries by providing that they must--

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

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Winnipeg Centre knows he is supposed to give a short explanation but unfortunately they are getting longer and longer with every bill. We will have to move on and deal with first reading of this bill. It is a short explanation of the bill that is required, not a detailed account of every clause. I am sure the hon. member has worked hard on this but it is only first reading.

Credit Ombudsman Act

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-389, an act to establish the position and Office of the Credit Ombudsman, who shall be an advocate of the interests of consumers and small businesses in credit matters and who shall investigate and report on the provision, by financial institutions, of consumer and small-business credit on a community basis and on an industry basis, in order to ensure equity in the distribution of credit resources.

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly try to be brief because I know you do not like it when I go on too long, but I was trying to explain the four key elements of my previous bill.

The bill that I have just introduced is an act to establish the office of a credit ombudsman simply because there has been a growing demand for access to credit from people. The greatest evidence of that is the burgeoning growth of the private payday loan operations and Money Marts.

The purpose of the bill is to establish the office of a credit ombudsman to be an advocate for the interests of consumers in all credit matters and to ensure that ordinary Canadians have access to adequate credit when they need it. When the banks really have this obligation and payday loans are having to fill that void, we need an ombudsman to whom Canadians can complain.

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

(Bill C-40. On the Order: Government Orders:)

May 12, 2005--the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food--report stage and third reading of Bill C-40, an act to amend the Canada Grain Act and the Canada Transportation Act.

Canada Grain Act

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move:

That Bill C-40, an act to amend the Canada Grain Act and the Canada Transportation Act, as amended, be concurred in at report stage, read a third time and passed.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

The Bloc Québécois critic on a point of order.

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Charlevoix—Montmorency, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to know whether we are talking about Bill C-40.

[An hon. member]

Yes.

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Charlevoix—Montmorency, QC]

We agree.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Jay Hill, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this is most unusual. Certainly we are supportive of this particular initiative, but I wonder why it has been brought to the House in this manner. There was no discussion among all the parties and no discussion among the House leaders of the parties, but we are prepared to support it.

[The Speaker]

I am afraid your Chair knows nothing of this, but does everyone agree that the member can propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?