Michel Daviault

[Bovine Somatropin, June 19th, 1995]

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

The Food and Drugs Act, which comes under Health Canada, prohibits the sale of the synthetic hormone somatotropin, given, as the minister has said, that Health Canada's study of its impact on humans and animals has not yet been completed.

Would the minister confirm that no Canadian can consume dairy products from cows treated with the synthetic hormone somatotropin?

[Bovine Somatotropin, June 16th, 1995]

Will the Minister of Health recognize that she can either make specific recommendations to the government to extend the moratorium, or propose measures to prohibit the use of somatotropin in Canada, since that hormone is not currently prohibited?

[Bovine Somatotropin, June 16th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the moratorium ends in 17 days and the processes set up by the health minister are as flawed as her will to protect the health of Canadians.

[Bovine Somatotropin, June 16th, 1995]

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

For several months now, milk consumer representatives have been telling the government that the moratorium on the use of somatotropin must be extended. Only the government and Monsanto seem interested in seeing that hormone back on the Canadian market. Two days ago, the health committee unanimously asked that the moratorium be extended for another two years.

Will the minister follow up on the unanimous request made by the three parties represented on the health committee and extend the moratorium for two years?

[Bovine Somatotropin, June 15th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the minister that all of the members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, which met this morning, share this concern about this minor exception. If she talks to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, she will realize that he is of exactly the same opinion.

How can the minister explain why, in the past year, she has taken no steps to plug this important legal loophole, now that the voluntary moratorium imposed by her agriculture colleague has expired?

[Bovine Somatotropin, June 15th, 1995]

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

Health Canada officials revealed today that the synthetic hormone somatotropin can legally be imported and used in Canada. Yet, the Minister of Health has tried to reassure the public by saying repeatedly in this House that the use of somatotropin is illegal in Canada and that cheaters would be punished.

How could the Minister of Health let us believe in the House that Health Canada had the situation under control when she knew that, through a loophole in the Food and Drugs Act, synthetic somatotropin could legally be used in Canada?

[Bovine Somatotropin, June 9th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, earlier, my colleagues reminded this House of the illegalities committed during this voluntary moratorium. How can the minister condone the use of a product that is banned in Canada, when her department does not even enforce the legislation? Will she allow the lifting of the moratorium? Is this what she calls taking action?

[Bovine Somatotropin, June 9th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. The Minister of Health must be aware that the European Community has declared a seven-year moratorium on the use of recombinant bovine somatotropin because this product is a health hazard to both humans and animals.

Given that Health Canada has not yet completed its studies and that the voluntary moratorium expires in 22 days, does the minister intend to take action by imposing a real moratorium?

[Assisted Suicide, June 9th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said he had no objections to letting a House committee review the recommendations made by the Senate committee on euthanasia and assisted suicide.

However, the Minister of Justice does not consider these issues to be priorities. Indeed, while he did acknowledge yesterday the importance of discussing these matters, the minister would not say when and how Parliament would be asked to review them.

Could it be that the personal opinions of the Minister of Justice might prevent Parliament from looking at these sensitive issues in the near future? Let us not forget that the minister already stated his opposition to legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide at the 1994 convention of the Liberal Party of Canada. The attitude of the Minister of Justice says a lot about the real will of this government to debate these important issues.

[Criminal Code, June 7th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, regarding the issue of aggressive therapy, I would remind the Prime Minister of the 1983 Law Reform Commission report which recommended that the Criminal Code be amended, especially with regard to aggressive therapy.

Given the importance of the issue, and considering that there is general agreement to amend the Criminal Code with respect to aggressive therapy, will the Prime Minister undertake to act without delay and table a bill to this effect in this House?