Debates of Feb. 14th, 1995

Interparliamentary Delegations

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie, 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 third annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific parliamentary forum which was held in Acapulco, Mexico, from January 12 to 15, 1995.

The Asia-Pacific parliamentary forum, which was inaugurated in January 1993, is quickly becoming an important voice in dealing with political and security matters, co-operative economic arrangements and other key regional interests and issues.

At the same time the Asia-Pacific region is becoming increasingly significant in the achievement of Canada's goals in terms of trade, technology acquisition in job creation, in sustaining a global environment and in managing the demographics of immigration.

These forums provide parliamentarians of the subject regions the opportunity to express their own views and those of the people they represent in a frank and open manner. The opportunity to meet and discuss issues with fellow parliamentarians from 20 other Pacific rim countries was a positive experience. In effect it was an international discussion at the grassroots level and this is to be encouraged.

In 1997 Canada will host the heads of government and the ministerial meetings of the Asia-Pacific economic co-operation, APEC. The government is considering that 1997 be declared the year of Canada in Asia-Pacific.

I am pleased to add that Canada has also been asked to host the fifth meeting of the Asia-Pacific parliamentary forum in January 1997. This is an honour and an indication of the high regard in which our country is held in the international community.

Firearms Act

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-68, an act respecting firearms and other weapons.

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

Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am today presenting petitions signed by 1,563 of my constituents of Prince George-Peace River.

The petitioners feel that no amount of gun control has ever succeeded in preventing criminals from acquiring guns for illegal means. Therefore they ask Parliament to support laws that punish criminals using firearms, support, recognize and protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and use recreational firearms, and abolish any existing gun control laws that have proven ineffective.

I concur and fully endorse these petitions.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions to present today.

On behalf of the hon. member for Calgary Southeast I rise before the House on day seven to present petition number seven. These petitions are being presented on behalf of constituents who wish to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson. April 11 is the date set for the parole hearing.

The petitioners are concerned about making our streets safer for citizens. They are opposed to the current practice of early release of violent offenders prior to serving the full extent of their sentences.

The petitioners pray that the streets will be made safer for law-abiding citizens and the families of the victims of convicted murderers.

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

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, has a very simple message: do not tax RRSPs.

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

Mr. Speaker, the third and fourth petitions deal with the issue of gun control.

The petitioners call on the House to oppose further legislation for firearms acquisition and possession and provide strict guidelines and mandatory sentencing for the use or possession of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.

To date, 1,571 constituents from Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt have signed this petition and there are many more to come.

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have two petitions to table today.

The first one is signed by 75 of my constituents in the Langham area. It draws to the attention of the House that because of the inclusion of sexual orientation the Canadian Human Rights Act will provide certain groups with special status, rights and privileges and because these rights and privileges would be granted solely on the basis of sexual behaviour these petitioners call upon Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provides for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from the Rosetown area and is signed by 29 of my constituents, I believe primarily from the Rosetown Alliance Church.

They draw to the attention of the House that whereas the majority of Canadians are law-abiding citizens who respect the law and respect the sanctity of human life, and whereas the majority of Canadians believe that physicians in Canada should be working to save lives and not to end them, they pray that Parliament ensure 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.

I concur with both of these petitions.

[Sharon Hayes, Reform, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present four petitions today on behalf of my constituents.

The first one is rather timely. The petitioners request that Parliament support laws that severely punish all violent criminals who use weapons in the commission of a crime, support new Criminal Code firearms control provisions and recognize and protect the right of law-abiding citizens to only use recreational firearms, and support legislation which will repeal and modify existing gun control laws which have not improved public safety and have proven not to be cost effective or have proven to be overly complex so as to be ineffective or unenforceable.

There are 125 signatures which support that petition.

[Sharon Hayes, Reform, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions that call upon Parliament to review the Young Offenders Act in an open and accountable process which addresses the following principles: deterrence of the offender, accountability of the offender and the rights of the victim.

I support these petitions.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions dealing with various subjects that I would like to table before Parliament today pursuant to Standing Order 36.

The first is from a large number of constituents who want to prevail upon Parliament to respect human life and not to sanction euthanasia.

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition concerns the issue of same sex relationships.

The petitioners 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 societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the human rights code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

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

Mr. Speaker, the third petition deals with the Young Offenders Act.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to amend the Young Offenders Act to reflect the changing character of young offenders by increasing the maximum penalty for first and second degree murder from five to ten years, allowing the publication of the young offender's name after a second indictable offence

and lowering the age limits that define a young offender to include those children between the ages of 10 and 15.

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

Mr. Speaker, the last petition has to do with the question of the relationship between the decline in the groundfish population in Atlantic Canada and the burgeoning seal population and calls upon Parliament to urge the federal government to recognize the opportunity presented by the huge seal populations and designate herds for uses to viable entrepreneurial resources.

[Philippe Paré, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, one of my constituents, Tran Trieu Quan, has now been in prison in Vietnam for nearly a year. Your petitioners call upon Parliament to take action as soon as possible in order to obtain the release of Mr. Quan, a request I fully support.

Questions On The Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 118 and 120.

Question No. 118-

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

How many business people accompanied the Prime Minister to China; what were the criteria for choosing these people; how many of these people had part of their trip paid for by the Canadian government; and what was the total amount of federal government assistance to business people on the trip?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

The Team Canada delegation was comprised of approximately 450 representatives of over 250 companies. Participation was open to all Canadian companies on a first come, first served basis. No members of the business delegation had any part of their trip paid for by the federal government.

Question No. 120-

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Which memorandums of understanding were signed in China, and what promises were made of possible federal government financing or other assistance if these should result in firm sales?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

For a complete list of memorandums of understanding, please refer to the answer to question No. 119 tabled this day. No promises of possible federal government financing were made in support of potential firm sales.

[The Deputy Speaker]

The questions as enumerated by the parliamentary secretary have been answered.

Questions Passed As Orders For Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 119 could be made an Order for Return, the return would be tabled immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House that Question No. 119 be deemed to have been made an Order for Return?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 119-

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Which Canadian companies signed firm deals in China, what was the total dollar amount for these deals, and what was the extent and source of federal government financing to make these deals possible?

(Return tabled.)