Bill C-350 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking and transplanting human organs and other body parts)

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to provide for the imposition of penal sanctions for persons who, in Canada or outside Canada, are knowingly involved in the medical transplant of human organs or other body parts obtained or acquired as a consequence of a direct or indirect financial transaction or without the donor’s consent. It also amends the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to impose sanctions on individuals in respect of whom there are reasonable grounds to believe that they were engaged in the trafficking and transplanting of human organs or other body parts by providing that they are inadmissible for the purposes of entering or remaining in Canada.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petition people are calling for the government to work quickly to pass Bills S-240 and C-350 from a previous Parliament. The petitioners are looking forward to that bill being passed. The bill would make it illegal for Canadians to go overseas to get an organ that may have been harvested.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, five years ago when Parliament passed Bill C-14, then justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said that it represented a finely tuned balance between access and safeguards. It also included a five-year review.

Petitioners on the first petition I'm presenting are very concerned to see Bill C-7 before Parliament, which removes safeguards ahead of that five-year review. Petitioners specifically mention their concerns about the removal of the mandatory 10-day reflection period, which can already be waived in certain circumstances. They are concerned about reducing the number of witnesses required to oversee it and ensure that a request has been properly made. I commend that petition to the consideration of the House.

The second and final petition that I will be presenting today is with respect to Senate Bill S-204. This would make it a criminal offence for a person to go abroad and receive an organ from a person who did not consent. This responds specifically to concerns about organ harvesting in the People's Republic of China involving Falun Gong practitioners and increasing concerns that this is being or about to be applied to Uighurs as well.

Canada can and should take action on this. Petitioners are noting that in the previous Parliament there were bills on this, Bill C-350 and Bill S-240. Now, in this Parliament there is a bill, Bill S-204, and the petitioners hope that this 43rd Parliament will be the one that gets it passed.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today and present a petition.

The people who have signed this petition are concerned about forced organ harvesting internationally. We condemn organ trafficking and we would like to see the passage of legislation in this place. The people who have signed this petition referenced Bill C-350 and Bill S-240 from the last Parliament. They look forward to seeing similar legislation passed in this Parliament.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I bring members' attention to this petition signed by people from across the greater Toronto area. They want to bring attention to the harvesting of human organs. The petitioners want the government to take action by specifically supporting a number of bills: Bill S-204 and Bill C-350. The petitioners are urging Parliament to move quickly on this matter.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to table today.

The first is on the issue of forced organ harvesting and trafficking. It was signed in support of bills that went forward in the last Parliament, Bill C-350 and Bill S-240. Bill S-240 received unanimous support in both Houses of Parliament. Unfortunately, it was not the same version so it was not adopted. Petitioners no doubt hope that a similar bill will be passed and finally make it into law in this Parliament.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present today.

The first petition is in support of Bill C-350 and Bill S-240, which were in the last Parliament. They deal with the issue of forced organ harvesting and organ trafficking. It calls for these bills to be adopted. There is no doubt that petitioners would want to see action taken in the current Parliament, given that those bills did not make it all the way in the last Parliament.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be tabling a petition that is in support of two bills that were up in the last Parliament: Bill C-350 and Bill S-240. These were bills designed to combat the scourge of forced organ harvesting. Unfortunately, those bills did not pass in time in the last Parliament, but no doubt petitioners hope that similar bills will be brought forward and passed in this Parliament.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to stand today and present a petition from Canadians from across the country in support of Bill C-350 and Bill S-240, regarding forced organ harvesting that happens around the world.

Human trafficking is a horrific human rights violation that happens right here in this country, as well. I hope that we can pass similar bills in this Parliament forthwith.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be presenting a petition in support of two bills that were in the 42nd Parliament: Bill C-350 and Bill S-240. These bills sought to deal with the scourge of forced organ harvesting and trafficking by making it a criminal offence for a Canadian to go abroad and receive an organ for which there had not been consent.

The petitioners no doubt hope that this important legislative initiative will be taken up in this, the 43rd Parliament.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to table a petition in support of Bill C-350 and Bill S-240 from the previous Parliament. These bills received unanimous consent in both Houses but did not pass in identical form, thus the law was not changed.

The petitioners hope to see this Parliament be the one that finally takes action on forced organ harvesting.

[Nelly Shin, Conservative, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise to table a petition that supports Bill C-350 and Bill S-240 from the 42nd Parliament. The petitioners want the 43rd Parliament to be the one that finally takes action on forced organ harvesting and passes these bills.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity today to present two petitions.

The first is with respect to the issue of organ harvesting and trafficking. In the last Parliament, attempts were made to get Bills S-240 and C-350 through the House. Unfortunately, they failed to make it. The petitioners are calling on Parliament to take action on this issue, and hope that the 43rd Parliament will be the one to finally get it done.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition in support of Bill C-350 and Bill S-240 from the previous Parliament. These bills received unanimous consent in both Houses, but did not pass in identical form and thus the law was not changed.

Petitioners hope to see this Parliament be the one that finally takes action on forced organ harvesting.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am tabling a petition to support Bill C-350 and Bill S-240 from the 42nd Parliament. Petitioners want the 43rd Parliament to be one that finally takes action on forced organ harvesting and passes these bills.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, as it is my first time being recognized in the House, I want to thank the good people of Peace River— Westlock for putting their faith in me to represent them in Ottawa once again. I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your election to the Speaker. I know this will be a prosperous Parliament because of that.

I too would like to present a petition today calling for the passage of Bill C-350 and Bill S-240. These bills were introduced in the last Parliament. They passed unanimously through the last Parliament, but were unable to be declared into law. We look forward to reintroducing them and having them pass swiftly through this Parliament.