Evidence of meeting #20 for Canadian Heritage in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was carmichael.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

February 2nd, 2012 / 11:10 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

Good morning, everyone.

We are presently distributing the amendments. I believe that they are all available in English and in French. This will be a full session, I think. So we are going to start as quickly as we can.

In terms of the agenda, pursuant to the order of reference of Wednesday, February 1, 2012, today we will be talking about Bill C-288, An Act respecting the National Flag of Canada. We have with us Mr. John Carmichael, MP for Don Valley West. My thanks to him for joining us today. We are going to listen to his presentation on the bill for 10 minutes or so, after which we will be able to ask questions.

Mr. Carmichael, the floor is yours.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

John Carmichael Conservative Don Valley West, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good morning, members of the heritage committee and colleagues.

I'm delighted to be here with you today and for the opportunity to address my private member's bill, Bill C-288, an act respecting the national flag of Canada, and to move it forward this morning.

I'm delighted to present this bill on behalf of Canadians across this country who want to fly the Canadian flag proudly at their homes and residences. This bill was initiated and introduced because Canadians from all across this land are being restricted from flying the Canadian flag, not only residents in my riding of Don Valley West but Canadians from all across this great land.

There are countless Canadians who have faced the risk of eviction, hefty fines, and other punitive actions, not to mention large legal bills, associated with their deep desire to show their patriotism and their pride in our flag.

These are the stories of valiant veterans, such as Guy Vachon and Fred Norman of Ottawa, who served for more than two decades of their lives in our armed forces. Fred Norman travelled halfway around the world to fight in the Korean conflict. At that time, the Internet was a distant possibility. There were no Googles or Wikipedias to inform them of the land or the challenges they would face. These men went blindly to their destination in the name of democracy to proudly serve our country. They endured the harsh and unimaginable conditions of war. They carry the heavy burden of having left many of their fellow soldiers on faraway battlefields.

Today these men have fought a different battle in their quest to fly the Canadian flag. They have had to put up an extensive fight for the right to fly the flag they love, something to which these veterans should never have been exposed. Surely enabling these men and women to exercise the right to fly our maple leaf on Canadian soil is the least we can do as a token of gratitude by this country.

The House is already familiar with other stories that I've spoken to earlier, such as that of Brian and Linda-Lee Cassidy of southern Ontario. This couple has proudly flown the Canadian flag for nearly 40 years, in four different homes, and recently had their homeowners' association demand that they remove their flag for fear of repercussions. Because of their non-compliance and their pride in flying the Canadian flag, their standing in the association has been downgraded. They have been left in bad standing.

You may also recall the story of Rose Wittemann, from Mississauga, who sought to fly the flag in honour of her brother, who was fighting in the war in Afghanistan, or that of Kirk Taylor, from Calgary, who simply wished to hang his flag outside in honour of all that the Canadian flag has represented to him and his family.

As you can see, these stories are from coast to coast to coast in our great country, and they reflect a common theme: a deep desire to fly our Canadian flag and a deep pride in doing so.

There are also the stories of new Canadians who wish to proudly fly the Canadian flag as a symbol of the adversity they have overcome to achieve citizenship in Canada.

All of these individuals should have the right to fly the flag at their homes. This bill serves to ensure that all Canadians, with their unique stories and motives for proudly flying the Canadian flag, are honoured. This bill ensures that they have the right to fly our flag without fear of eviction, financial penalty, bullying, or intimidation.

There has been much debate on this bill. Strictly focusing on the relevance of this bill, there are several issues I know we will discuss this morning that will lead to corrective amendments to ensure that this bill is acceptable to all parties.

Amendments to this bill will be made in an effort to ensure that citizens who wish to exercise their right to fly the flag will be able to do so. Further, this will ensure that strata boards, building councils, homeowners' associations, condominium boards, and others will all understand that restrictive protocols simply are not acceptable.

This bill was not initiated to be partisan or divisive. Throughout the debates in the House of Commons, while there was a good deal of straying from the focus at hand, there was a common theme that underlined all discussions, that being that all members, I believe, demonstrated and felt pride in our Canadian flag.

Further, we echo one another's sentiments in the deeply symbolic message that the flag represents, with ideals such as democracy, equality, and freedom.

I know that all here today are proud Canadians and that Bill C-288 serves to ensure that all citizens join us in their desire to have the right to fly the flag.

I thank you for your time today and I appreciate the opportunity to join you this morning.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

11:10 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

Thank you, Mr. Carmichael.

Thank you.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of the preamble and clause 1 is postponed because they may change as the result of modifications that arise from any amendments.

So I invite you to discuss clause 2 of the bill. I invite each of you to speak on it. On clause 2, do any members want to read amendments that they would like to propose?

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Yes, there is an amendment. We distributed an amendment for clause 2, and I think you have that as well, Mr. Chair.

It reads:

That Bill C-288, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing the heading before line 19 on page 1 and line 19 on page 1 to line 3 on page 2 with the following:

DISPLAYING THE NATIONAL FLAG

2. (1) All Canadians are encouraged to proudly display the National Flag of Canada in accordance with flag protocol.

(2) Every person who is in control of an apartment building, a condominium building or building in divided co-ownership or another multiple-residence building or a gated community is encouraged to allow the National Flag of Canada to be displayed in accordance with flag protocol.

In your package, you have that in French, as well.

11:15 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

We can start the debate with that amendment. Do you want to take any more time to explain it? Do members on the other side have any comments on it?

11:15 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL

Which amendment are we looking at now?

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

It is the clause 2 amendment.

11:15 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

Go ahead, Mr. Simms.

11:15 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL

Is this a Q and A right now with our guest, or are we going straight into amendments?

11:15 a.m.

An hon. member

We're doing clause by clause, Scott.

11:15 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL

I know, but there are times when we do Q and A as well.

11:15 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

Since an amendment has been presented, we are going to debate it. Afterwards, we will move to questions to Mr. Carmichael.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

May I make a suggestion, Mr. Chair? Since we have an amendment, we'll deal with it, but perhaps before we move to the next amendments, which might spur more questions, we could have a round of questioning.

11:15 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

Certainly.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Is that agreeable? After we deal with this amendment, we'll each have one seven-minute round.

11:15 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL

Do you mean after the amendments?

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

I mean after this one particular amendment.

11:15 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL

It's quite agreeable, so yes, go ahead.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

We'll have further amendments as well. We'll deal with this one, and then I think the NDP has an amendment.

Why don't we deal with this amendment and then go to a seven-minute round?

11:15 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

Exactly.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Does that sound good? Okay. There is no discussion on our part.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Terence Young Conservative Oakville, ON

Mr. Chair, on a point of clarification, I have three copies of amendments that say “Moved by”, but the space is empty. I'd just like to clarify who these amendments were moved by.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

The amendment to clause 2 was moved by me.

11:15 a.m.

NDP

The Vice-Chair NDP Pierre Nantel

For clarification, the amendment that was just read is moved by Mr. Calandra.

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Yes.