Debates of June 8th, 1994

Committees Of The House

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 27th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding technical amendments to the Standing Orders of the House of Commons.

Auditor General Act

[Jean-Robert Gauthier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-257, an Act to amend the Auditor General Act and the Parliament of Canada Act (appointment of the Auditor General of Canada).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oxford for seconding my motion.

I am pleased to table today a bill whose purpose is to change the way the Auditor General of Canada is appointed. The Prime Minister now appoints the Auditor General without consulting the House, and I would like the act to contain a provision whereby, in the event of a vacancy, the House of Commons Committee on Public Accounts would consider the proposed candidates and submit to the House of Commons a report recommending the appointment of a competent person. In my opinion, after the House of Commons receives the report from the committee, it should be up to the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons to choose the next Auditor General of Canada.

This bill would ensure a greater independence of the Auditor General of Canada, would make the House of Commons responsible for his or her appointment, and I believe strongly that it would help us to better account to Canadians for public funds.

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

Petitions

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am seeking unanimous consent to move the following motion:

That notwithstanding Standing Orders 132 and 140, a petition for a private bill from Garth Wagner and others, presented on Friday, June 3, 1994, and reported on by the clerk of petitions on Monday, June 6, 1994, be deemed to have been filed within the required time limit and received by this House.

(Motion agreed to.)

House Of Commons

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion:

That between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, 1994 the Speaker shall entertain no quorum calls nor shall he receive any dilatory motion.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Does the parliamentary secretary have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to.)

Committees Of The House

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

moved:

That a member of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Disabled Persons be authorized to travel to Fredericton, New Brunswick, to attend a meeting of the Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons, to be held from June 23 to June 25, 1994.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Does the parliamentary secretary have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to.)

Petitions

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions today. The first one is from some 100 residents of the federal riding of Kamloops who have asked me to present this petition.

The petitioners pray that Parliament ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no changes in the law which would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions signed by residents of my constituency, Scarborough West, the first of which deals with the issue of crime prevention and makes the suggestion that one way to help alleviate what seems to be a rash of crime is to protect witnesses who may have evidence that can lead to the apprehension and incarceration of criminals.

In that regard they call upon Parliament to enact a witness protection bill. More specifically, they pray that Parliament enact Bill C-206, which happens to be my bill, at the earliest opportunity so as to provide a statutory foundation for a national witness relocation and protection program.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I also have a petition signed by residents of my riding in which they pray and request that Parliament not amend the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way which would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the Human Rights Act to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

Some have said, incorrectly in my view, that this is a matter of human rights legislation but as we all know every person in Canada has the protection of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the rights stated in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms regardless of what they do or do not do in their bedrooms.

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my first petition concerns serial killer cards. One hundred and ten residents of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo have signed this petition. These petitioners feel that these cards glorify violence and show

disregard for the sanctity of human life and offer nothing positive for children and adults alike to admire.

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is with regard to right to life. I have the honour to table a petition signed by over 260 petitioners from Cambridge.

The petitioners firmly believe in the sanctity of life and urge Parliament to act immediately to extend protection to those unborn children by amending the Criminal Code to extend the same protection enjoyed by living human beings to those who are not yet born.

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my last petition concerns human rights sexual orientation. Over 300 petitioners who have signed this petition in Cambridge pray and request that Parliament not amend the Human Rights Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way which would tend to indicate public approval of same sex relationships or homosexuality. I fully endorse and support those petitioners.

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Swift Current—Maple Creek—Assiniboia, SK]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 it is my honour to table two petitions from residents of my constituency of Swift Current-Maple Creek-Assiniboia.

The first one, signed by 89 residents of the rural districts of Rockglen and Vanguard, Saskatchewan, petitions the government to require Canada Post to rescind its proposed sevenfold increase in the cost of return postage on a book dispatched on interlibrary loan.

I concur with the petition, Mr. Speaker.

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Swift Current—Maple Creek—Assiniboia, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition-and I think this about the eighth of this one I have presented in the House-is from people in the Coronach district of Saskatchewan.

It says whereas under section 745 of the Criminal Code of Canada convicted murderers sentenced to life imprisonment without chance of parole for 25 years are able to apply for review after 15 years and where the murder of a Canadian citizen is a most reprehensible crime, therefore your petitioners request that Parliament repeal section 745 of the Criminal Code of Canada.

I also endorse this petition.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have 2,064 signatures on a petition asking the Parliament of Canada to prohibit and to continue to prohibit assisted suicide and to support the Criminal Code provisions prohibiting such activity which exists at the present time.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I also have petitions signed by 657 Canadians asking the Parliament of Canada for tougher sentences for youthful offenders.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by 1,698 Canadians who want to ban the product known as the serial killer board game.

This brings the number of signatures that I have tabled in this House to ask for a ban of the serial killer board game to a grand total of 111,638.

[Alex Shepherd, Liberal, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from my constituents to amend the laws of Canada to prohibit the importation, distribution, sale or manufacture of killer cards and to advise the producers of killer cards that their product, if destined for Canada, will be seized and destroyed.

I believe that the commercialization and glorification of violence in our society should be abhorred by all.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Shall all questions stand?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Motions For Papers

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers be allowed to stand.