Debates of Nov. 20th, 2009

Oral Questions

[Jay Hill, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that all too often during the heat of debate in question period things are said that people afterwards might think that they wished they had not said.

During question period today, when the hon. Minister of Transport was replying to the supplementary question from the member for Malpeque, the official opposition House leader said, “What do you want, a body bag?”

I want to give my hon. colleague from Wascana the opportunity to withdraw those words. I think they are completely over the line. I recognize that sometimes it is a heated debate in this place, but with all due respect I think that was clearly way over the line.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the line of argument being advanced by the minister, who was answering today on behalf of the government with respect to the situation in Afghanistan, was that there were no proven allegations with respect to what Richard Colvin had put on the record. That was the minister's defence: where is the evidence that would prove the allegations?

The point is, what kind of evidence would the government consider sufficient or satisfactory to satisfy it that the allegations are in its words “proven”? The point of the intervention in question period was to ask the government to be specific. What kind of evidence is sufficient from its point of view to be a proven allegation?

If the government found a particular interjection to be offensive from its point of view, we can completely withdraw that allegation. The point is, answer the question. What evidence is sufficient to satisfy the government?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Question period is over for now, so we will not proceed further on that one.

International Mobile Satellite Organization

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)]

Mr. Speaker, with leave of the House and pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) of the House of Commons, I would like to table, in both official languages, the following texts:

Final Acts of the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (Antalya 2006), done at Antalya on November 24, 2006.

Final Acts of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 of the International Telecommunication Union (WRC 2007), done at Geneva on November 16, 2007.

Amendments to the Convention on the International Mobile Satellite Organization adopted at the 20th session of the assembly done at Malta on October 2, 2008.

An explanatory memorandum is included with each treaty.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, 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 two petitions.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities on poverty reduction in Canada.

November 24, four days from now, will mark the 20th anniversary of the resolution passed by this House to reduce poverty by the year 2000. That goal was not met. Therefore, the government is invited to present a plan to the House to address this issue.

Young Offenders

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure, as the member of Parliament for Burlington, to present two petitions to the House.

The first petition, by a number of constituents of mine, calls on the Minister of Justice to strengthen the penalties for those youth who commit violent crimes, murder and other violent crimes.

Animal Welfare

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have another petition signed by a number of constituents of mine supporting a universal declaration on animal welfare.

Health Care

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have several petitions. The first one is from folks who are really concerned about what is happening in the health debate in the United States. They found offensive a campaign of false information being used to discredit our public health care system with the people of the United States by powerful opponents of President Obama's proposed health care reforms.

They call upon Parliament to immediately undertake an official campaign to counteract the misinformation and that one of the first priorities of the new ambassador should be to make representation to the American people on the merits of Canada's universal health care system.

Old Age Security

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Madam Speaker, the second petition deals with Bill C-428. A number of persons in my riding are concerned about this private member's bill. They say that there are currently already 50 social security agreements in place with a wide variety of countries that allow for a period of residence and contributions to the other country to be used to meet a 10-year requirement.

They feel that a cost of over $700 million that the bill would entail is too costly and irresponsible, and would be paid for by the Canadian taxpayers. They request the House of Commons to reject Bill C-428, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (residency requirement).

Canada Post Corporation

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Madam Speaker, the third petition deals with Canada Post. The petitioners say that the current new rules and procedures and post office closures in rural and small towns, as recommended by the Canada Post Corporation's review, include the ability to replace public post offices with private outlets, undermining public postal services and jobs in rural communities.

Therefore, they call upon Parliament to continue to enforce the current moratorium on post office closures in rural and small towns.

Aviation Safety

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Madam Speaker, the final petition asks the Government of Canada to initiate a commission of inquiry headed by a Superior Court judge to conduct a judicial review into Canada's state of national aviation safety and government oversight of the aviation industry to be followed by further reviews at defined intervals.

Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present four petitions today.

The first petition calls upon the government to ensure that all efforts be made to prevent animal cruelty and reduce animal suffering by supporting the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.

Animal Cruelty

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Madam Speaker, the second petition calls upon the House to reduce the maximum allowed transport times for livestock under Canada's Health of Animals Act.

Darfur

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Madam Speaker, the third petition calls upon the government to engage with the international community to stop the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Madam Speaker, finally, the fourth petition calls upon the Government of Canada to press for a review of NATO's nuclear weapons policy to ensure that all states fulfill their obligations under the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons which Canada has signed.

Assisted Suicide

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Madam Speaker, I would like to table two petitions consisting of over 15 pages of signatures signed by the residents of the communities of Cumberland, Rockland, Russell, Embrun and surrounding areas of my riding who are opposed to Bill C-384 which proposes to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide. The petition states that Bill C-384 contradicts fundamental Canadian values and threatens all Canadians by undermining the inherent and inviolable value of each human life and its dignity. It is a real and growing threat to the sick, the depressed, seniors and the handicapped.

The petition urges us to vote against Bill C-384. I would also like to mention that this call for positive measures to protect life was highlighted by the presence of over 12,000 people here on the Hill who participated in the March for Life earlier this spring.

Post-Secondary Education

[Bruce Hyer, NDP, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour of presenting a petition on behalf of hundreds of members of over 50 first nations from across Ontario including nine in my riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North. They are rightly concerned with verified reports that the Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs is considering removing the post-secondary student support program from first nations management and to place it under the Canada student loans program or similar third party. This would turn the grants given under this program into loans, saddling many of our most underfunded students with a debt. It would also remove our first nations from management of their own academic support funds specifically promised in at least six treaties and historically provided to all first nation students.

The petitioners urge the government to confirm the programs as permanent first nations community level funded programs and take immediate action on the recommendations of the February 2007 report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Firearms Registry

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have three petitions to present today. The first petition is on the long gun registry.

The petitioners wish to draw to the attention of the House the fact that the long gun registry was originally budgeted to cost Canadians $2 million but the price tag spiralled out of control to an estimated $2 billion a decade later.They also indicate that the registry has not saved one single life since it was introduced.

The petitioners therefore call upon the House of Commons to support legislation that would cancel the long gun registry and streamline the Firearms Act.

Employment Insurance

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Madam Speaker, the second petition is with regard to medical benefits.

The petitioners point out that there are a number of severe, potentially life-threatening health conditions that do not qualify for disability programs because they are not necessarily permanent.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt legislation to provide additional medical EI benefits at least equal to the maternity EI benefits for people who find themselves in that situation.

Protection of Human Life

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Madam Speaker, the last petition I wish to present to the House today is in regard to life.

The petitioners point out that Canada is a country that respects human rights and includes in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that everyone has the right to life.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to pass legislation for the protection of human life from the time of conception until natural death.

Aviation Safety

[Jim Maloway, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Madam Speaker, I am tabling a petition with 16 pages of signatures from Canadian workers who are deeply concerned by the fact that Transport Canada is reducing its overall traditional oversight and on-site inspection of airplanes.

Transport Canada has been virtually outsourcing and privatizing its responsibilities to aviation companies via the so-called SMS system, safety management systems.

The petitioners are concerned by the fact that Transport Canada is trying to reduce Canadian safety standards through the back door by changing Canadian aviation regulations after the Conservative government failed to pass enabling legislation in the House.

The petitioners call upon the government to initiate a commission of enquiry to assess the state of our national aviation safety and to look into government oversight of the aviation industry.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition signed by over 100 Canadians from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, who are very concerned about aviation safety and the need for better government oversight of the airline industry in Canada.

The petitioners are particularly concerned about allowing aviation companies to be responsible for their own safety inspections through safety management systems, or SMS. They point out that this will lead to situations where financial considerations will trump appropriate attention to passenger and worker safety.

The petitioners are seeking a commission of enquiry, headed by a superior court judge, into the state of aviation safety in Canada.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 459 and 476.

Question No. 459

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

With regard to the proposed Mealy Mountains National Park: (a) what were the dates and locations of each meeting of the Steering Committee; (b) what is the area, in square kilometers, of the proposed park according to the latest proposals for park boundaries; (c) what are the outstanding issues which remain to be settled before this National Park can be established; (d) what are the government’s plans to address these outstanding issues; (e) what are the next steps in the park establishment process and what is the anticipated timeline for those steps; and (f) what is, or what has been, the budget for the Mealy Mountains National Park establishment process for each fiscal year from 2006-2007 up to and including the current fiscal year?