Debates of Feb. 16th, 1995

Electoral Boundaries Readjustmentact, 1995

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

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-69, an act to provide for the establishment of electoral boundaries commissions and the readjustment of electoral boundaries.

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I wish to inform the House that the bill just introduced is in response to the order of the House, pursuant to Standing Order 68(6), made last Tuesday.

Consequently, further proceedings will be subject to the provisions of Standing Order 68(7)(a), which includes a requirement that consideration of second reading be postponed until no earlier than the third sitting day after today.

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

Canada Health Act

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-302, an act to amend the Canada Health Act (nutrition services).

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to introduce today in this House a bill to amend the Canada Health Act with regard to nutrition services.

This bill includes the expression "nutrition services" in the definition of health services provided under the existing Canada Health Act. We all know that nutrition is an essential component of health and that Canadian dieticians are the only health professionals duly trained and authorized to evaluate a person's nutritional status.

Furthermore, the Canadian government recognizes dieticians as key resources in developing health policies such as Canada's Food Guide, which sets guidelines for good health. I therefore feel that it is important, as much for the general public as for the order of dieticians, that they be formally recognized and included in the Canada Health Act.

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

Criminal Code

[Ian McClelland, Reform, Edmonton Southwest, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-303, an act to amend the Criminal Code (dangerous intoxication).

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to introduce this bill. I know other members in the House were working on similar bills. The motivation behind the bill is to remove the ability of persons to hold themselves harmless from responsibility for self-induced intoxication.

As members know, recently the Supreme Court held that persons could be held harmless from the result of their own actions because of self-induced intoxication. This goes against the grain of all thinking Canadians and common sense.

This bill, which I would ask all members in the House to support, would create a separate offence. The offence of being criminally intoxicated would ensure that Canadians are held personally responsible for the results of their actions. They cannot hide behind the charter of rights and freedoms to escape responsibility for what they have done. This would prevent violence to others who are innocent.

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

Business Of The House

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

Madam Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for a couple of motions. I move:

That notwithstanding any standing or special order of this House, when the House adjourns on Wednesday, February 22, 1995, it shall stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Friday February 24, 1995;

That the address of the President of the United States of America, to be delivered in the House Chamber on Thursday, February 23, 1995 before members of the Senate and members of the House of Commons, together with all introductory and related remarks, be printed as an appendix to the House of Commons Debates of Friday, February 24, 1995 and form part of the records of this House; and

That media recording and transmission of such address, introductory and related remarks be authorized pursuant to established guidelines for such occasions.

(Motion agreed to.)

Committees Of The House

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

moved:

That two Library of Parliament research officers assigned to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development be allowed to travel to Toronto on February 19 and 20 in order to attend a conference of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.

(Motion agreed to.)

Petitions

[Garry Breitkreuz, Reform, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Madam Speaker, it gives me pleasure to present a petition today from men and women in southern Ontario.

The petitioners would like to draw the attention of the House to the fact that public safety is the number one priority of the criminal justice system. The existing controls on law-abiding, responsible firearm owners are more than enough to ensure public safety and that the current and proposed laws criminalizing certain firearm activities when the danger to the public safety and criminal intent is either virtually non-existent or totally absent.

The target for all gun control laws in the Criminal Code of Canada must be the criminals who are either a danger to the safety of the public or those who have criminal intent, not law-abiding, responsible firearm owners. No amount of gun control has ever succeeded in preventing criminals from acquiring guns by illegal means. What our criminal justice system must ensure is that criminals who steal, import, sell and possess guns and/or use guns in the commission of a crime will be severely punished.

Therefore, the petitioners pray and request Parliament to support laws that will severely punish all violent criminals who use weapons in the commission of a crime; second, support new Criminal Code firearms control provisions which recognize and protect the right of law-abiding citizens to own and use recreational firearms, and last, support legislation which repeals and modifies existing controls-

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Maheu)]

May I remind hon. members that it is normal to read the prayer only and not to enter into a form of debate when presenting petitions.

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

Madam Speaker, this petition is about abuse and violence in society.

The petitioners believe that unnecessary violence and abuse in society in all of its forms, on radio and television, have become a major concern of the Canadian population.

They want the government to ensure that the CRTC is able to regulate it and reduce it and if possible remove it, I suspect. They point out that it is not necessary to educate and it goes counter to families trying to raise their children.

[Cliff Breitkreuz, Reform, Yellowhead, AB]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present three petitions on the whole business of firearms legislation. Two petitions are from towns in Yellowhead and one is from Ontario.

Among other things the petitioners request that Parliament support laws which will severely punish all violent criminals who use weapons in the commission of a crime. I concur with that request.

[Jim Jordan, Liberal, Leeds—Grenville, ON]

Madam Speaker I have petition with 1,826 signatures. It is a rather interesting petition. It was the inspiration of a Mrs. Ruby Stone who lives in my riding.

She is petitioning the government as all these people are against the introduction of a $2 coin. Some of us may not be aware that there is a study going on in this country to introduce a $2 coin. Sometimes these things are slipped in. I know this government would not likely do that.

I think we should introduce more $2 bills because if you use a $5 bill you usually get four coins back. People are getting tired carrying them around. I support these petitioners.

[John O'Reilly, Liberal, Victoria—Haliburton, ON]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 it is with pleasure that I rise today to present a petition containing signatures from people in Beaverton, Fenelon Falls, Woodville and Cannington in the riding of Victoria-Haliburton.

This petition calls on Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

[John Duncan, Reform, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of 78 of my constituents from Gold River and Campbell River, British Columbia, who call upon this Parliament to reject any further firearms control legislation, regulations or orders in council and rather focus on the misuse of firearms by violent criminals.

I support the petition.

[Paul Forseth, Reform, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Speaker, I present a petition today from some 25 lower mainlanders, some of whom are constituents of mine from New Westminster-Burnaby, British Columbia.

The petitioners fear that inclusion of sexual orientation in the Canadian Human Rights Act will infringe on the historic rights of Canadians such as the freedoms of religion, conscience, expression and association. Therefore, they call upon Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

[Tony Ianno, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present several petitions. Several members of my constituency of Trinity-Spadina call upon the Government of Canada to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act so as to give statutory recognition of homosexual relationships and to enshrine their equality before the law with that of heterosexual relationships.

On behalf of my constituents, I humbly submit these petitions.

[Tony Ianno, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Madam Speaker, I also rise today for members of my constituency of Trinity-Spadina who call on the government to enact legislation of a national policy on child care that is unifying and provides non-discretionary, equitable and sufficient service to all residents of Canada.

On behalf of my constituents, I humbly submit this petition.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have four petitions to present on behalf of the constituents of Simcoe Centre today. The first group of petitioners request that the Government of Canada not amend the human rights act to include the phrase sexual orientation. The petitioners fear that such an inclusion could lead to homosexuals receiving the same benefits and societal privileges as married people.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, the second petition concerns the subject of the family. The petitioners request that Parliament oppose any legislation that would directly or indirectly redefine the family, including the provision of marriage and family benefits to those who are not related by ties of blood, marriage or adoption, where marriage is defined as a legal union between a man and a woman.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, the third petition is on the issue of euthanasia.

The petitioners request that current laws regarding active euthanasia be enforced and that Parliament not sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or euthanasia.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, the final petition today is of the subject of section 745 of the Criminal Code. The petitioners request that Parliament repeal this section so that those convicted of first degree murder will have to serve their full 25-year sentence behind bars.

[John Bryden, Liberal, Hamilton—Wentworth, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present three petitions today. The first is to ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament

make no changes in the law that would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

[John Bryden, Liberal, Hamilton—Wentworth, ON]

Madam Speaker, the second petition from the constituents of Hamilton-Wentworth calls upon Parliament to put an end to the discriminatory treatment of gay and lesbian citizens and their familial relationships by amending federal legislation that currently allows unequal treatment, including an amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Madam Speaker, the third petition calls for Parliament to 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.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition on behalf of the citizens of the great communities of Logan Lake, Kamloops, Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Merritt and Savona. There are hundreds of names on this petition.

The people point out that Canada's mining industry is a mainstay of employment in over 150 communities across Canada, an important contributor to Canada's gross domestic product in total exports and a cornerstone of our economic future. They point out that the industry has proposed a 10 point plan of action which would enhance the mining industry of Canada.

They are calling upon Parliament to take any action that will increase employment in this sector, promote exploration, rebuild Canada's mineral reserves, sustain mining communities and essentially keep mining in Canada.

Questions On The Order Paper

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

Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 46 and 128.

Question No. 46-

[Dave Chatters, Reform, Athabasca, AB]

With respect to government funding of Indian bands, tribal councils and aboriginal/Metis organizations, ( a ) how many are in a deficit situation, ( b ) for each of them, what is the amount (i) received in the last fiscal year, (ii) of their current deficit, (iii) they will receive for the current fiscal year?

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

I am informed by the Departments of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Canadian Heritage as follows:

In so far as the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, DIAND, is concerned:

(a) For the year ended March 31, 1993, 159 Indian bands, tribal councils and aboriginal organizations are in a deficit position.1-2

(b) With respect to the names and deficit situation of Indian bands, tribal councils and aboriginal organizations, this information is confidential third party financial information under section 20(1)(b) of the Access to Information Act and cannot be released.

1 DIAND does not fund Metis organizations. Please refer to the answer by Canadian Heritage.

2 DIAND determines a recipient's deficit position by applying an indicator of whether the recipient's cumulative deficit is greater than 8 per cent of its total revenues, one month's cashflow. Statistics are collected on this basis.

In so far as the Department of Canadian Heritage is concerned:

(a) Based on the 1992-93 audited financial statements available-48 per cent were available-27 organizations were in a deficit situation.

(b) With respect to the name and deficit situation of these organizations, this information is confidential third party financial information under section 20(1)(b) of the Access to Information Act and cannot be released.

Question No. 128-