Svend Robinson

[Petitions, March 10th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition on the same subject as the one presented by the member for Okanagan--Coquihalla on the subject of the recognition of the loving and committed relationships of same sex couples.

The petitioners point out that same sex couples do indeed form loving and committed relationships but are denied the equal ability to celebrate those relationships through marriage. They point out that the protection of true family values requires that all families be respected equally. They note that denying same sex couples the equal right to marry reinforces attitudes of intolerance and discrimination, and is inconsistent with the Canadian values of equality, dignity, and respect.

The petitioners from my constituency of Burnaby--Douglas and constituents from across Canada, and thousands from Okanagan--Coquihalla, call upon Parliament to pass legislation that would provide same sex couples with the equal right to marry.

[Petitions, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition which is signed by hundreds of residents of the greater Toronto area. In particular, I want to note the work of the Worker-to-Worker Canada-Cuba Labour Solidarity Committee in assembling these signatures.

The petitioners express concern about the Helms-Burton law, which has been legislated in the United States, and concern about our own Canadian government's lack of action concerning companies in Canada that have cancelled contracts with Cuba in order to comply with U.S. pressures.

They raise serious questions about the impact on Canadian sovereignty and they call upon Parliament to defend both Cuba and Canada by prosecuting any company operating in Canada that cancels contracts with Cuba in order to comply with the Helms-Burton law.

[Petitions, March 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting two petitions this afternoon. The first petition is signed by hundreds of residents from my constituency of Burnaby--Douglas, as well as other residents of British Columbia.

The petitioners note that same sex couples form loving and committed relationships but are currently denied the equal ability to celebrate those relationships through marriage in a number of jurisdictions in Canada.

They point out that the protection of true family values requires that all families be respected equally and they note the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteeing equality of all Canadians, including gay and lesbian couples. They point out that denying same sex couples the equal right to marry reinforces attitudes of intolerance and discrimination.

They therefore call upon Parliament to enact legislation that would provide same sex couples with the equal right to marry.

[Supply, February 17th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, as a fellow member of Parliament for British Columbia, the member will appreciate the seriousness of this in the context of British Columbia as well. Not only do we have this cloud of stench and corruption hanging over the Liberal Party nationally, but in our home province of British Columbia we have the Liberal Party of British Columbia which has that same cloud. In fact, its membership has skyrocketed from 4,000 to 40,000 and nobody knows where the money came from. The former Liberal riding president from Vancouver Quadra said that no one knows where the money came from and there has been no accounting for it.

The Prime Minister's director of communications and director of fundraising have had their homes searched; drug warrants have been issued; organized crime is involved.

Does the member not agree that this is just another nail in the coffin of the federal Liberal Party and that it is no surprise that the Liberal member for Vancouver South—Burnaby said that given what is happening now, the Liberals will be lucky to hold onto what they have in the province of British Columbia?

[Supply, February 17th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I know that the hon. member would want to ensure that the statements he makes in this House are truthful.

The member stated that the hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle was convicted of an offence. That is absolutely false, scurrilous and dishonest.

I would call on the member to do the honourable thing, apologize and tell the truth.

[Petitions, February 16th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition signed by hundreds of residents of Quebec who note that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are often the target of heinous crimes across Canada. They also note that federal justice ministers have committed since 1999 to change the Criminal Code to protect these people against heinous propaganda. They ask Parliament to make heinous propaganda against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people illegal.

[Petitions, February 16th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition to table today on the same subject but from a different perspective, signed by residents of my constituency of Burnaby and from North Vancouver and elsewhere in British Columbia.

These petitioners point out the provisions of section 15 of the charter of rights, the equality rights section. They note that the British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario courts, as well as various governments in Canada, the law commission, the Human Rights Commission, unions, groups of citizens and others have called for Ottawa to end marriage discrimination. The petitioners call upon Parliament to protect human rights in Canada, uphold the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and take all necessary steps to ensure that the definition of marriage be changed to encompass same sex couples.

[Health, February 16th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, there is not one word about these despicable senators in his reply.

I have a supplementary question. The Liberal government is silent on the Romanow report, yet it stands by while Liberal senators support an illegal assault on the Canada Health Act.

I want to ask the minister whether he will ask his Liberal buddies in the Senate to stop attacking the Canada Health Act, to listen to Roy Romanow and to back off on using public money to subvert the Canada Health Act.

[Health, February 16th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.

The Supreme Court of Canada will hear an appeal by a Quebec physician, Dr. Jacques Chaoulli, who wants a parallel private health care system, which would destroy the public system. Now, ten senators, including Senator Michael Kirby, are intervening in support of this appeal.

Can the minister confirm who is subsidizing this intervention, and why these Liberal senators are supporting this attack on our public health care system?

[Immigration and Refugee Board, February 16th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in Toronto I met with Korean refugee Song Dae Ri and his young son, Chung Il.

Mr. Ri fled to Canada with his family from the terror of the brutal North Korean regime in 2001. Both his wife and his father were executed in North Korea, and now a Canadian officer of the Immigration and Refugee Board has ordered that Mr. Ri be sent back to North Korea even though he faces certain death himself.

I call on the immigration minister today to immediately reverse this outrageous, cruel decision and allow Mr. Ri to remain in Canada with his beloved son. It is cruel to keep him waiting any longer.

The minister should also reprimand Bonnie Milliner, the officer who made this incredible decision, and change the blatantly political IRB appointments process.

Song Dae Ri is not a war criminal. I join with thousands of Canadians in appealing to the minister to show compassion and humanity and grant Song Dae Ri and his son permanent residence in Canada today.