Debates of Dec. 15th, 2011

James Bezan Selkirk—Interlake, MB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-386, An Act to amend the Radiation Emitting Devices Act (tanning equipment) and to warn Canadians of the cancer risks of using tanning equipment.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to bring this bill before the House for consideration at first reading. I thank the member for Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale for seconding my private member's bill.

It is timely that we consider and look at my private member's bill about tanning devices knowing that a lot of Canadians and a lot of colleagues here in the House of Commons will be shooting off for winter vacations. A lot of people like to go and jump into a tanning bed thinking they need to get that glow started before they actually get to the beach.

My bill would ensure that Canadians are aware of the cancer risks that are generated from tanning equipment. Artificial tanning beds and tanning salons are an increasing health risk.

My bill would do three things. First, it would increase labelling on tanning equipment ensuring that people see that there is a warning about cancer risks associated with using radiation emitting devices like tanning beds. Second, it would create a prohibition for youth under the age of 18 from using tanning salons and that those establishments must be well labelled, similar to what we see under the Tobacco Act of 1977. Third, the tanning salons would need to ensure that Canadians are aware that youth are not allowed to make use of those facilities, and that there are a number of different cancer risks.

In 2009, the World Health Organization, under the International Agency for Research on Cancer, moved tanning salons, tanning beds and radiation emitting devices to category one stating that they are carcinogenic to humans.

The Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Dermatology Association, the Save Your Skin Foundation and the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation are all supporting my private member's bill and realize that we need to take action so we can prevent this disease from getting out of hand.

People who use artificial tanning methods increase their risk of exposure to melanoma by over 75%. Just yesterday, the Yale School of Public Health said that there was a 70% increase in risk for those who use tanning equipment, especially before the age of 30, of cancer causing basal cell carcinoma cancers.

It is important that we ensure Canadians and consumers are aware of this health risk and i encourage everyone here to avoid using tanning equipment.

On that note, I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas.

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

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

Pat Martin Winnipeg Centre, MB

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

Therefore, these 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 to stop blocking international health and safety conventions designed to protect workers from asbestos, such as the Rotterdam Convention.

Kirsty Duncan Etobicoke North, ON

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

The first one is on CCSVI. There is an absolute difference between my Bill C-280 and the government's position in terms of phase of clinical trials, start date for clinical trials, follow-up care and the need for experts.

The petitioners are therefore calling on the Minister of Health to consult experts actively engaged in diagnosis and treatment of CCSVI to undertake phase III clinical trials on an urgent basis with a large patient population not less than 100 people in multiple centres across Canada and to require follow-up care.

Kirsty Duncan Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is on climate change, our most pressing environmental issue. It is a justice issue, a human rights issue and an international security issue. It requires moral and intergenerational responsibility.

The petitioners call for the immediate and fullest attention by the government to commit to the most science-based greenhouse emission reduction targets, to facilitate the transition to the clean energy economy and to make us a world leader on climate change solutions as the government did with acid rain and ozone.

The third petition is also on climate change by faith-based groups. Worldwide, we are concerned about keeping climate change warming to 2° Celsius which is associated with dangerous climate change and that window is fast closing.

The petitioners call for collective action by signing and implementing a binding international agreement to ensure that global temperatures stay below 2° Celsius to demonstrate national responsibility to implement climate justice.

The fourth petition is on ozone. The assistant deputy minister told committee that the ozonesondes at Alert, Eureka and Resolute Bay will continue to operate. We would like to know what would happen at the seven ozonesonde stations in southern Canada to keep pollution forecasts on track.

The petitioners call upon the Minister of the Environment to develop a plan to ensure integrity of ozone monitoring and to assess the adequacy of the Canadian contributions to the global—

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order, please. I thank the hon. member.

The hon. parliamentary secretary to the government House leader.

Tom Lukiwski Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Is that agreed?