Debates of June 4th, 2009
House of Commons Hansard #68 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was drug.
Topics
- Question Period
- Information Commissioner
- Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
- Government Response to Petitions
- Elimination of Racial and Religious Profiling Act
- State Immunity Act
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order paper
- Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
- Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
- 2010 Olympic Winter Games
- Veterans Affairs
- Francis Murphy
- Aboriginal Affairs
- TAG Canada
- Children
- Ducks Unlimited Canada
- World Environment Day
- Poland
- National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
- 1989 Tiananmen Square Protest
- Filipino Community in Manitoba
- History of Canada
- Pay Equity
- Human Rights
- Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
- Minister of Natural Resources
- Justice
- Minister of Natural Resources
- Justice
- Minister of Natural Resources
- Medical Isotopes
- Nuclear Waste
- Forest Industry
- Government Assets
- Royal Canadian Mint
- Veterans Affairs
- Minister of Natural Resources
- Quebec Nation
- Taxation
- Trade
- Health
- Consumer Product Safety
- Sealing Industry
- Official Languages
- Justice
- Public Safety
- Health
- Business of the House
- Mothers and Newborns
- National Aboriginal History Month
- Points of Order
- Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
- Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Information Commissioner
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
The Speaker Peter Milliken
I have the honour, pursuant to section 38 of the Access to Information Act, to lay upon the table the report of the Information Commissioner for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h), this report is deemed permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.
Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
The Speaker Peter Milliken
I have the honour to lay upon the table the annual reports on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act of the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner for the year 2008-09.
These documents are deemed to have been permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Government Response to Petitions
Routine Proceedings
10:05 a.m.
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre
Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski 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 six petitions.
Elimination of Racial and Religious Profiling Act
Routine Proceedings
10:05 a.m.
NDP
Bill Siksay Burnaby—Douglas, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-407, An Act to eliminate racial and religious profiling.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table again a private member's bill entitled, “An Act to eliminate racial and religious profiling”. This bill seeks to ban racial and religious profiling by federal law enforcement agencies and officials.
I and my NDP colleagues have been very moved and often angered by the experiences of racial and religious profiling shared with us by constituents and other Canadians. The impact of this practice has been very serious and costly to those who have been its victims and to our society. Such actions by law enforcement officers and agencies are based solely on false stereotypes. It is bad public policy and bad law enforcement practice, plain and simple.
This is an updated version of a bill introduced by the member for Vancouver East in the 38th Parliament. It defines racial and religious profiling as actions undertaken for reasons of safety, security, or public protection that rely on stereotypes about race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry, religion or place of origin rather than on reasonable suspicion to single out an individual for greater scrutiny or different treatment.
The bill would require the RCMP, customs, immigration, airport screening officers and CSIS agents to eliminate racial and religious profiling. Those agencies would report to Parliament on their progress. They would also be required to have a working analysis of how racism functions in their law enforcement context.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
State Immunity Act
Routine Proceedings
June 4th, 2009 / 10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Irwin Cotler Mount Royal, QC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-408, An Act to amend the State Immunity Act and the Criminal Code (deterring terrorism by providing a civil right of action against perpetrators and sponsors of terrorism).
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this bill which is an act to amend the State Immunity Act and the Criminal Code, co-sponsored by my hon. colleague from Toronto Centre.
Canadian law presently shields state sponsors of terrorism from justice for Canadian victims. Canadian law presently offers immunity to those countries that expressly seek to harm Canadians. Canadian law regrettably denies a remedy to victims of terror. This bill will right this injustice.
The bill provides justice to victims immediately. It comports with our obligations under international law to both prohibit and combat international terrorism and to provide such a remedy. It does not shield itself behind an escape clause that renders it completely ineffective until foreign states are named on a case-by-case basis. Such an approach politicizes justice.
As Victor Comras, formerly of the U.S. state department, testified here before a Senate committee, let us please learn from the American mistake.
We need to value Canadian rights over foreign state sponsors of terrorism, value action over acquiescence, and value justice over politics.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Joe Preston Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 18th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House yesterday, be concurred in.
The report concerns gifts under the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons.
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Speaker Peter Milliken
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Speaker Peter Milliken
The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Joe Preston Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Mr. Speaker, if the House give its consent, I move that the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House on May 15, be concurred in.
The report concerns changes to the Standing Orders.
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Speaker Peter Milliken
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
Procedure and House Affairs.
Committees of the House
Routine Proceedings
10:10 a.m.
Liberal
The Speaker Peter Milliken
The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?