Debates of June 21st, 1994

Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group

[Joe Comuzzi, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Nipigon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation to the 35th annual meeting of the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group which was held in Santa Fe on May 19 to 23, 1994.

The agenda at these meetings is always extensive and wide ranging. The meetings in this case were no exception and we dealt with the economic issues as they relate to both countries, the international concerns we both feel and transborder matters. Other sessions dealt with a comparison between Canada's health care system and what the Americans are trying to implement, as well as the political situation in both countries.

The range and depth of the discussions that took place went a long way in allowing the United States and Canadian parliamentarians to better understand the issues that come between both our countries. Whether the issue was softwood lumber or durum wheat, which is so prevalent today, the opportunity to put forward the Canadian position was afforded to us. I was very proud of the delegation being able to put our position forward in the strongest terms.

As a point of fact, one of the main issues discussed-the minister of fisheries reported on it yesterday-was the lamprey infestation in the Great Lakes. We all know that the lamprey situation is reaching epidemic proportions. It is as a direct result of these meetings held in the month of May that the increased funding for lamprey control in the United States and Canada has been increased. We should be able to bring this parasitic animal under some control and guarantee the fisheries in both countries.

In conclusion, the Canadian and American delegations agreed to follow up on the durum wheat issue, cross-border matters and other issues as they relate to Canada and I have the pleasure of presenting this report to the House of Commons.

Committees Of The House

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources on forestry practices in Canada entitled "Canada: A Model Forest Nation in the Making".

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources for all their hard work in the last three months in putting together a very comprehensive report on the state of our forests.

Some 17 recommendations are made on how we can continue to be a model forest nation and what we as a nation must do to have sustainable forest practices in order to continue to lead the world as a forestry nation.

Mr. Speaker, I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources on Bill C-25, an act to amend the Canada Petroleum Resources Act, without amendment.

[René Canuel, Bloc, Matapédia—Matane, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as the Opposition critic for natural resources, I attended the standing committee meetings along with my colleagues from the ridings of Abitibi and Anjou-Rivière-des-Prairies. After hearing from a number of witnesses, we quickly realized that the problem raised in committee was caused primarily by the bad publicity in Europe about forestry products from British Columbia.

We were sensitive to the forestry sector's significant contribution to Canada and to Quebec, to the problem of marketing forestry products on the international scene, and to the impor-

tance of sustainable development as a touchstone to guide action by all parties in the forestry sector.

The Bloc Quebecois has tabled a dissenting opinion for the following reasons. First, because the federal government intends to adopt a centralist approach in order to mediate a problem concentrated in one province. Second, since the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes the provinces' jurisdiction over the development, conservation and management of forestry resources, any action by the federal government would require a prior mandate from the provinces.

Bloc Quebecois MPs nevertheless consider that it is their responsibility to promote the interests of Quebec and the provinces in certain areas, particularly federal-provincial agreements, the rights of aboriginal peoples, the national certification process, and Canada's international forest strategy.

[Richard Bélisle, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. The committee held two meetings to examine chapter 5 of the 1993 Annual Report of the Auditor General with regard to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, specifically the Northern Cod Adjustment and Recovery Program.

The committee is concerned that all government programs include proper financial controls. It is also of the belief that full scrutiny and approval, by Parliament, of the programs for which it allocates funds, is a vital component of financial management and control. In the case of the Northern Cod Adjustment and Recovery Program, these needs were not met fully.

Now that the program has ended, the committee strongly believes that some valuable lessons have been learned from it. These lessons have considerable relevance for the development and implementation of future programs, and ultimately for the way in which Parliament conducts its affairs.

It is out of concern that the kinds of problems experienced by NCARP be either averted or diminished in the future that the committee makes its report and recommendations. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee asks that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Roger Simmons, Liberal, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Health entitled "Towards Zero Consumption, Generic Packaging of Tobacco Products".

Pursuant to Standing Order 109 the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response within 150 days.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that the Bloc Quebecois, the Official Opposition, has tabled a dissenting minority report that the Standing Committee on Health has agreed to attach to the majority report tabled by my colleague from Burin-St. George's.

It is important to recall that the members of the Bloc Quebecois are in favour of implementing true measures designed to protect public health and improve the health of Quebecers and Canadians. We feel that the Standing Committee on Health, despite its best efforts, does not have the tools required to argue conclusively for plain packaging of tobacco products.

While the federal health department's own study is ongoing and will not be completed before the end of the year, introducing plain tobacco packaging is not justified by any testimony that was given before the Standing Committee on Health. What is more, serious concerns were raised about violations of Canada's international trade obligations under the free trade agreement and NAFTA, about substantial losses of direct and indirect jobs and finally about counterfeiting, smuggling and marketing.

The report presented by the members of the Bloc Quebecois sets out our concerns over plain packaging of tobacco products and the issues involved in a true public health policy. We are favourable to any measure that is effective, efficient, sustainable and consistent with the government's obligations with respect to the industry, workers and domestic and international trade. Neutral packaging simply does not meet these requirements, as far as we can tell.

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, if there is unanimous consent, I would like to spend a minute addressing this if I may.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent to have the spokesman of the Reform Party speak with respect to this committee report?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Deputy Speaker]

There is no unanimous consent.

[Francis Leblanc, Liberal, Cape Breton Highlands—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to lay upon the table the 6th report of the standing committee on human resources, concerning the date the committee's report on the review of social

security is to be tabled and a request for permission to travel. If the House agrees, I intend to move that the 6th report be concurred in later today.

Corrections And Conditional Release Act

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-45, an act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Criminal Code, the Criminal Records Act, the Prisons and Reformatories Act and the Transfer of Offenders Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I would like to inform the House that the bill just introduced shall be subject to the provisions of Standing Order 73(1).

Grain Export Protection Act

[Ray Speaker, Reform, Lethbridge]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-262, an act to provide for the settlement of labour disputes affecting the export of grain by arbitration and to amend the Public Service Staff Relations Act in consequence thereof.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to introduce this bill which affects grain transportation labour disputes. As all of us in this assembly know, these disputes have cost farmers in western Canada millions of dollars and it is time to do something about it.

The purpose of this bill is to provide for the settlement of labour disputes affecting the export of grain. It will do this by providing a process for final offer selection arbitration to prevent grain transportation strikes on the coast.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

Financial Administration Act

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-263, an act to amend the Financial Administration Act and other acts in consequence thereof (exempted crown corporations).

Mr. Speaker, in an effort to further the good management of all government departments, agencies and corporations, the bill I am proposing at this time seeks to improve accountability by moving certain crown corporations currently exempted from the provisions of the Financial Administration Act into the accountability framework suggested by the Auditor General.

Auditors General have on several occasions in their annual reports made recommendations to introduce this change. Their concern focuses on the fact that these exempt corporations do not face as rigorous an examination as do all other government departments, agencies and corporations.

In a country with the grave debt problems which we have, all government bodies must have the greatest dedication to accountability. We in this House must ensure that every dollar of taxpayers' money is used carefully and judiciously and in the manner of which all citizens of this country can approve.

This bill will remove concerns in this area by ensuring the highest level of responsibility and embracing the principles of good management. It will enhance the credibility of government and the public image of these corporations.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

National Anthem Act

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Kingsway, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-264, an act to amend the National Anthem Act.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill is to change in the English version only the words "thy sons" to the words "our hearts" in order to remove any sexist reference from our national anthem and to change the word "hearts" to the word "pride".

In introducing this bill I would like to pay tribute to a group of students at Westridge school in my constituency, in particular Tim Wood and Aly-Khan Virani and their teacher Emily Sutherland, who have worked very hard to document and help change the unequal representation of females in the media and elsewhere in Canadian society.

I congratulate these young students and their teacher on their leadership in promoting equality for all Canadians including girls and women in Canadian society.

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that equality is reflected in the wording of our national anthem as well.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

Criminal Code And Young Offenders Act

[Jay Hill, Reform, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-265, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Young Offenders Act (capital punishment).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Skeena for co-sponsoring the bill.

The purpose of this bill is to amend the Criminal Code to impose capital punishment for everyone found guilty of committing first degree murder. Canadians have made it clear that they would like to see some fundamental changes to our criminal justice system and many people are calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty.

I do not know whether capital punishment is a deterrent but I do know that you cannot rehabilitate a violent murderer who has no remorse.

Canadians do not want criminals who are guilty of first degree murder back on their streets to kill again.

There is also a growing perception that our justice system is not dealing adequately with youth crime and many Canadians have called for stiffer penalties for young offenders. Currently young offenders convicted of first degree murder are subject to a maximum sentence of five years. The proposed changes to the Young Offenders Act under Bill C-37 increase the maximum sentence to ten years but still do not include a minimum sentence.

This bill would amend the Young Offenders Act to impose a minimum sentence of ten years on young offenders convicted of first degree murder.

I believe that the introduction of this bill is one way this fundamental issue of justice, of punishment that fits the crime, will be debated in this House. Yesterday the Minister of Justice made it clear that this government does not want to let the Canadian people vote on capital punishment in a binding national referendum at the next election.

I recommend that the government allow a free vote on this bill and encourage all members to actively seek the views of their constituents. This critical decision cannot be made merely along party policy lines or by consulting their own conscience without input from the people they purport to represent.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

[The Deputy Speaker]

Perhaps I could ask the member who wishes to change the seconder of his bill to get up and put it on the record for the House.

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the seconder of my private member's bill should be the hon. member for Calgary Southeast.

[Jay Hill, Reform, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I also would like to note a change. The hon. member who is seconding my private members' bill is the hon. member for Skeena.

Committees Of The House

[Francis Leblanc, Liberal, Cape Breton Highlands—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent I move that the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development presented to the House earlier this day be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to.)

Petitions

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to rise and present to this House the message I have received loudly from the people of the Waterloo region. They have sent hundreds of postcards, attended large public meetings and today petition this House for a moratorium on passenger rail service cuts. These 4,228 people call upon this House to preserve this vital link in our national transportation network.

I will be presenting thousands and thousands more petitions to this House on this issue. The message is simple. We want VIA Rail service in our community enhanced, not eroded.

[Ronald J. Duhamel, Liberal, St. Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my first petition reads as follows: Since the government is interested in reducing violence in society, it is important that it be concerned about violence in the media; the petitioners ask the government to act accordingly.

The second petition is from petitioners who believe that abuse of any kind does not contribute to the creation of a less violent society and they ask government to examine the impact of violence and abuse on society.

[Bernard St-Laurent, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table in the House today this petition, signed by a number of taxpayers in Quebec, particularly on the South Shore of the St Lawrence river.

The body of this petition asks the government of this country to ensure that anti-strikebreaker legislation is passed as soon as possible. The absence of such regulations gives rise to a negotiating atmosphere that is tense and, in any case, unfair for one of the parties involved in a dispute of this type. Quebec has had such legislation since 1977, as has Ontario for some time. Since that legislation was passed, the labour atmosphere and especially the atmosphere surrounding negotiations have improved considerably.

Anti-strikebreaker legislation means respect for the dignity of workers.