Debates of April 5th, 2012

The Acting Speaker Bruce Stanton

Does the chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to adopt the motion?

The Acting Speaker Bruce Stanton

(Motion agreed to)

Gordon O'Connor Minister of State and Chief Government Whip

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That, in relation to its briefing on the situation in Ukraine, seven members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development be authorized to travel to Kiev, Kharkiv and Lvov, Ukraine, in the spring of 2012, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

The Acting Speaker Bruce Stanton

Does the chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to adopt the motion?

The Acting Speaker Bruce Stanton

(Motion agreed to)

Peter Braid Kitchener—Waterloo, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have one petition signed by a number of residents of the Waterloo region. It is regarding the moral issue of abortion in Canada.

Paul Dewar Ottawa Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by literally thousands of Canadians, mostly of Vietnamese origin, to raise attention to human rights violations in Vietnam.

The petitioners call on the government to urge Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. The petitioners also request that the Government of Canada integrate universal human rights into trade and aid relations.

Finally, the petitioners request that the Government of Canada urge the Vietnamese government to repeal or modify the vaguely defined articles in the penal code and various decrees that are used to criminalize citizens who peacefully advocate for their rights.

I join the petitioners in their call for action. We need to all work together and support those who are promoting freedom and democracy in their homelands.

Mark Strahl Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have several petitions to present today.

The first petition is from the people of Chilliwack calling upon the House of Commons to speedily enact legislation that restricts abortion to the greatest extent possible.

Mark Strahl Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls upon the House of Commons to amend section 223 of the Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence on the human being.

Kevin Lamoureux Winnipeg North, MB

Mr. Speaker, the House is aware of the thousands of workers, who used to work for Air Canada and then went to Aveos, who are now unemployed.

This petition deals with the issue of article 6.1(d), which reads, “provisions requiring the Corporation to maintain operational and overhaul centres in the City of Winnipeg, the Montreal Urban Community and the City of Mississauga“.

The petitioners are asking the Government of Canada and the Prime Minister to hold Air Canada accountable under the law.

Pat Martin Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce a petition signed by literally tens of thousands of Canadians who call upon the House of Commons to take note that asbestos is the greatest industrial killer that the world has ever known. They point out that more Canadians now die from asbestos than all other industrial and occupational causes combined and yet Canada remains one of the largest producers and exporters of asbestos in the world. They also point out that Canada spends millions of dollars subsidizing the asbestos industry and blocking international efforts to curb its use.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon Parliament to ban asbestos in all of its forms and institute a just transition program for asbestos workers and the communities in which they live, to end all government subsidies of asbestos, both in Canada and abroad, and finally, to stop blocking international health and safety conventions designed to protect workers from asbestos, such as the United Nations Rotterdam Convention.