Evidence of meeting #8 for Bill C-35 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was statistics.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Gary Mauser  Criminologist, Simon Fraser University, As an Individual

4:30 p.m.

Prof. Gary Mauser

One of the findings of the Kates and Mauser paper, which is listed in the references, is that there are innumerable ways to kill people, if you are of the mind to do so.

Of course, this pencil is a deadly weapon if that is my intent. Luckily for all of us, we are not so intended. Knives are all over and are easily available, as are blunt weapons. There are fewer people being killed by telephones now because telephone technology has changed from big, heavy, ugly, black things to little, light, plastic, pink things. Be thankful our local perpetrators don't watch more television or they would discover that bombs are much deadlier than guns.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bernard Patry

Thank you very much for attending our session.

Mr. Hanger, you may have a last question. Go ahead.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Art Hanger Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB

I don't have a question, but I have a comment that's unrelated to Mr. Mauser's appearance here.

It's in reference to polling the committee members to see if they would be willing to sit for an hour tomorrow to conclude the clause-by-clause we started this morning. We're only going for one hour tomorrow. We could finish that one hour and conclude the clause-by-clause.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC

Would you like us to meet at 4:30 or 5:30? Is that what you want to do?

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Art Hanger Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB

Yes, it may not take that long.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bernard Patry

We could try. I only want to know what colleagues think.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Art Hanger Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB

I have to sit as the chairman anyway.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bernard Patry

I don't know if any colleagues have amendments to this bill. I don't have a clue about this.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Could you wait while we check our schedules?

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Art Hanger Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB

Yes.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bernard Patry

Go ahead. We can wait a minute. It's not a problem.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

The problem as well is that we have at least one member who's not scheduled to be here tomorrow, and it means a replacement.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

I have an alternate for one hour only. If you want to sit for two hours, I will have to check.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Art Hanger Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB

I think we've gone through most of the contentious amendments.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC

I think we need to finish studying Bill C-23 as quickly as possible. It is not a contentious bill. I see no problem with it.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bernard Patry

Are the Liberals okay with this?

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Well, at least two Liberals are okay. Do you want to move to clause-by-clause tomorrow?

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Art Hanger Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB

We are already on clause-by-clause. We're finishing the bill. We want to finish Bill-23, which we started this morning.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Okay. I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about Bill C-35.

You're talking about continuing the clause-by-clause of Bill C-23, from 4:30 until 5:30 on Wednesday, May 16.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Art Hanger Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB

That's right.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Okay. It means we will need to get replacements.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bernard Patry

That's not my business. I only want to pinpoint the answer.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Excuse me, Mr. Chairman. Will we be meeting in the same location?

May 15th, 2007 / 4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bernard Patry

Yes. We're not changing the room tomorrow. We'll have witnesses tomorrow.

When we come back on Tuesday, we'll go to clause-by-clause for Bill C-35 You'll also receive notice that the minister will appear on June 5 for Bill C-27.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Chairman.