House of Commons Hansard #111 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was young.

Topics

Department of Social Development ActGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Augustine)

All those opposed will please say nay.

Department of Social Development ActGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Department of Social Development ActGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Augustine)

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Department of Social Development ActGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Augustine)

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

Department of Social Development ActGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Augustine)

The division on the motion is deferred.

The House proceeded to the consideration of Bill C-26, An Act to establish the Canada Border Services Agency, as reported (with amendment) from the committee.

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

June 8th, 2005 / 5:15 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

There is one motion in amendment standing on the notice paper for the report stage of Bill C-26.

Motion No. 1 will be debated and voted upon.

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Edmonton Centre Alberta

Liberal

Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

moved:

That Bill C-26, in Clause 144, be amended by replacing line 13 on page 62 with the following

“(b) Schedule IV to the Financial Adminis-”

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Etobicoke North Ontario

Liberal

Roy Cullen LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, a technical error was recently discovered in Bill C-26, an act to establish the Canada Border Services Agency. The error was located in the coordinating amendments in subparagraph 144(4)(b).

In subparagraph 144(4)(b) of Bill C-26, the Canada Border Services Agency was added to schedule V in error. The Canada Border Services Agency should have been added to schedule IV, the list of organizations considered to be part of a core public service for which Treasury Board is the employer.

The Public Service Modernization Act adds new schedules to the Financial Administration Act indicating which departments and agencies have the authorities of separate employers, schedule V and which remain under the auspices of the Treasury Board, schedule IV. The PSMA, or Public Service Modernization Act, comes into force later this year.

The amendment will have no effect on the main part of the bill, nor will it have an effect on Bill C-26, until the entry into force of the Public Service Modernization Act. If this mistake is not corrected, the Canada Border Services Agency will be deemed to be a separate employer when the Public Service Modernization Act comes into force.

This was never the intent, as the orders in council creating the CBSA in December 2003 clearly established CBSA as an organization under which Treasury Board is the main employer, nor was it the intent of the subcommittee on public safety and emergency preparedness which reviewed this legislation.

Treasury Board does the collective bargaining and sets the terms and conditions of employment for the core public service currently including the Canada Border Services Agency and the policy intent behind Bill C-26 is for that relationship to continue.

For these reasons, I believe that should you seek it, Mr. Speaker, you would find unanimous consent in the House to adopt this amendment and proceed immediately to third reading.

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is it agreed?

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(Motion No. 1 agreed to)

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Barrie Ontario

Liberal

Aileen Carroll Liberalfor the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

moved that the bill, as amended, be concurred in with a further amendement.

(Motion agreed to)

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

When shall the bill be read the third time? By leave now?

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Aileen Carroll Liberal Barrie, ON

moved that Bill C-26, An Act to establish the Canada Border Services Agency, be read the third time and passed.

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:25 p.m.

Etobicoke North Ontario

Liberal

Roy Cullen LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, in the short time I have before the bells ring, I would like to tantalize the House with a few remarks, so that members will come back tomorrow and hear the conclusion. I will just have a chance to get members interested in this very important topic.

I am proud to rise in the House today to promote Bill C-26, an act to establish the Canada Border Services Agency. I would like to begin my remarks with a word of appreciation for the chair and members of the subcommittee on public safety and national security.

Recently the subcommittee held in-depth discussions on this very important piece of legislation, discussions that have enriched our understanding of issues pertaining to border services and integrity.

Let me begin with a brief description of the Canada Border Services Agency. It is part of the portfolio of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Its role is to manage the country's borders by enforcing some 90 domestic laws and regulations, as well as international agreements governing trade and tourism.

Upon their arrival in Canada, whether by air, sea or land, people must report to a port of entry of the Canada Border Services Agency and declare any goods. Employing a workforce of some 11,500 civil servants, the Agency is present in 100,369 service points throughout Canada and in 39 locations abroad. In addition, some particularly busy offices are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I would like to speak briefly about some widely held but spurious notions surrounding the integrity and security of Canada's borders. I would like to recount for my hon. colleagues the work being done on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to ensure we are all safer. I know this will surprise members, but some myths do exist.

Take for example the myth that the 9/11 hijackers had entered the United States illegally from Canada. Ultimately, the former U.S. attorney general admitted himself at a press conference in December 2001:

--the stubborn facts are that these individuals did not come to the United States through Canada.

The U.S. justice department confirmed a year later in The Washington Times that all 19 hijackers had legally entered the U.S. on tourist or student visas.

The day America's sense of security collapsed cannot easily be forgotten, so it will not surprise anyone in this House that our American neighbours are still asking themselves if they are any safer. What the scores of experts and officials agree on is that as safe as we have become, we still have much farther to go and I look forward to discussing it in more detail tomorrow.

Canada Border Services Agency ActGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

It being 5.30 p.m., pursuant to order made on Tuesday, May 31, 2005, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded divisions.

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

The House resumed from May 31 consideration of the motion.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:50 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Pursuant to order made earlier this day, the previous question is deemed carried on division.

(Motion agreed to)

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:50 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The question is on the main motion.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:50 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is the House ready for the question?

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Question.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:50 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

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

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

5:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.