Debates of April 28th, 2008

Jay Hill Secretary of State and Chief Government Whip

Mr. Speaker, I think if you were to seek it, you would find unanimous consent for the following two travel motions. I move:

That, in relation to its study on the status of the free trade agreements and ongoing negotiations between Canada, Colombia and Panama, 12 members of the Standing Committee on International Trade be authorized to travel to Bogota, Colombia, and Panama City, Panama in May 2008, and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Does the hon. chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

The Speaker Peter Milliken

(Motion agreed to)

Jay Hill Secretary of State and Chief Government Whip

Mr. Speaker, second, I move:

That, in order to attend the Conference of the Canadian Council of the Public Accounts Committees, 12 members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be authorized to travel to Whitehorse, Yukon, from September 7 to 10, 2008, and that the necessary staff do accompany the committee.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Does the hon. chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

The Speaker Peter Milliken

(Motion agreed to)

Paul Szabo Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to again present an income trust broken promise petition on behalf of a large number of constituents in my riding of Mississauga South. The petitioners want to remind the Prime Minister that he promised never to tax income trusts, but he broke that promise by imposing a 31.5% punitive tax which permanently wiped out over $25 billion of the hard-earned retirement savings of over two million Canadians, particularly seniors.

The petitioners, therefore, call upon the Conservative minority government to admit that the decision to tax income trusts was based on flawed methodology and incorrect assumptions as shown at the finance committee hearings; second, to apologize to those who were unfairly harmed by this broken promise; and finally, to repeal the punitive 31.5% tax on income trusts.

Yvon Godin Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this House to present a petition concerning student loans. Hundreds of petitioners are calling on the minister to review Canada's student loan system and create a federal, need-based grant system by rolling in the budget of poorly targeted federal post-secondary education programs and the millennium scholarship foundation.

They are also calling on him to reduce the interest rate on loans, create a federal student loan ombudsperson, provide better relief during repayment of student loans and extend the time allowed before repayment, which is currently only six months.