Debates of Feb. 6th, 1995

Points Of Order

[The Speaker]

Dear colleague, with unanimous consent in the House, we can change just about anything we want. I hope this will not become an everyday occurrence. That is why I asked for unanimous consent. If there is unanimous consent, the vote can be changed; if not, it will stay the same.

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

Perhaps the Speaker would allow the whips from all three parties to confer on this issue and we will come back to the House tomorrow with our recommendation and that would perhaps save the time of the House and solve the problem more rapidly.

[The Speaker]

If the three whips would get together we will come back to the point tomorrow.

Government Response To Petitions

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

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 215 petitions.

Committees Of The House

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

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development entitled Security, Opportunities and Fairness: Canadians Renewing their Social Programs .

Pursuant to the order of reference of February 8, 1994 your committee has completed its study of the modernization and restructuring of Canada's social security system.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Madam Speaker, we in the Bloc Quebecois wish to thank the Canadians and Quebecers and all the groups who came to testify before the committee in difficult circumstances. We thank them for their welcome.

I must add, however, that the Minister of Human Resources Development did not publish most technical discussion papers in time, something which we and the groups who appeared before the committee find unfortunate.

I also wish to commend the work done by all committee members and say that the report was produced and the consultations held in difficult conditions. In closing, I want to add that the good will that was in evidence at the beginning made it all the more painful to conclude that it was impossible to come up with a common report.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Rosedale, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

This report relates to Bill C-47, an act to amend the Department of External Affairs Act and to make related amendments to other acts. The committee considered this bill and presents this report with amendments which it recommends to this House.

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary North, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order to comment on the report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Maheu)]

I wish to inform the hon. member that members of the official opposition are the only ones who would normally respond to the report. In order for the Reform Party to do so we will need the unanimous consent of the House?

Does the hon. member have unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

No.

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

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present today the fifty-sixth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs relating to the list of committee members.

With leave of the House, I intend to move concurrence in the 56th report later this day.

I move that the 56th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to.)

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Speaker, I think you will also find unanimous consent for the motion standing in my name on the Order Paper under motions for concurrence in the 53rd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented on Friday, December 9, 1994.

I move that the motion be passed and that the report be concurred in. I think you will find there is disposition on the part of the House to adopt that motion, of which notice has been given today, without debate or amendment.

(Motion agreed to.)

Petitions

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have a couple of petitions. The first petition is on the issue of abortion.

The petitioners pray that Parliament act immediately to extend protection to the unborn child by amending the Criminal Code to extend the same protection enjoyed by born human beings to unborn human beings. I concur in that petition.

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I also concur with a petition where 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 that would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I also have a very voluminous petition of 107 pages with 1,207 signatures. The petitioners are drawing to the attention of the House the Canadian Mineral Industry Federation's proposal of a 10-point plan of action to keep mining in Canada. Again, I concur very vigorously with it.

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Madam Speaker, additionally, I have received a petition of 11 pages with 144 signatures.

I note it is from a very small area in my constituency where they are very deeply concerned about the restrictive firearm controls that are being proposed by the government. Again, I concur with it.

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am also very encouraged to present one last petition which arrived on my desk. It was an absolute surprise to me. It consists of 66 pages with over 1,400 signatures.

The petitioners ask for a national, binding referendum by all Canadians on the issue of capital punishment. That is the position of the Reform Party and it is certainly my position. I concur completely with this petition.

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

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise and present a petition. The petitioners, who are from several communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, have signed their names by the hundreds on the issue of Canada's mining industry, noting that it is the mainstay of employment in over 150 communities. It notes that Canada's investment climate is forcing its mineral industry to look for new opportunities elsewhere.

The petitioners call on Parliament to take action that will grow employment in this sector, promote exploration and rebuild Canada's mineral reserves.

I have great pleasure in supporting this petition.

[Jan Brown, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise today, as I will every day until April 11, 1995 to present petitions. This date is set for the scheduled parole hearing of Robert Paul Thompson seeking his early release.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making our streets safer for our 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 our streets will be made safer for law-abiding citizens and their families of the victims of convicted murderers.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Madam Speaker, it is an honour for me to present a petition made possible through the efforts of Bill C-55 and especially Mr. Doug Collins, Mr. Nick Carter and Daniel Earl and signed by residents of the great city of Kamloops.

Motivated by the Melanie Carpenter tragedy the petitioners call for changes to Canada's justice system, including assurance that those who are violent and sexual offenders are jailed for sufficient terms and if necessary for life to ensure that safety and security return to our streets and to our neighbourhoods.

This is the first of many petitions to come. To this date well over 3,000 signatures have already been gathered in just the last few days urging for changes to our criminal justice system.

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present three different petitions from people in my riding and elsewhere dealing with discrimination and sexual orientation.

The petitioners urge among other things to bring forward the Canadian Human Rights Act amendments that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

On that issue I am very much in agreement and I think it is time that we have this enacted in our legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present today to the House of Commons.

In the first one, 558 constituents from Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt have signed the following: "We the undersigned residents of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt draw the attention of this House to the following: that the finance minister has indicated that he might change the rules regarding RRSPs and pensions and tax the holdings or income of these plans. Therefore we request that Parliament oppose any attempt to alter our ability to provide for secure retirement by way of taxation of assets or income of RRSPs and pension plans".

The message is clear, Madam Speaker. Do not touch our RRSPs or our pension plans.

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

Madam Speaker, the second petition is signed by 86 petitioners from Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt. I point out that to date

1,271 people in my riding have signed this petition which asks the House of Commons assembled to oppose further legislation for firearms acquisition and possession and to provide for strict guidelines and mandatory sentencing for use or possession of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.

I concur with both of these petitions.

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, QC]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I would like to present three petitions on behalf of constituents of Shawville, Quebec dealing with social issues.

In the first two, petitioners pray that Parliament not amend the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way that would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality including amending the Canadian Human Rights Act to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, QC]

Madam Speaker, in the third and final petition the petitioners pray that Parliament act immediately to extend protection to the unborn child by amending the Criminal Code to extend the same protection enjoyed by born human beings to unborn human beings.