House of Commons Hansard #167 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC
Mr. Speaker, the third petition concerns section 745 of the Criminal Code of Canada. Under this section the sentence of murderers convicted to life imprisonment without chance of parole for 25 years are able to apply for a review after 15 years.
The petitioners request that Parliament repeal section 745 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC
Mr. Speaker, the fourth petition is regarding the current gun legislation before the House.
To date I have presented 3,010 signatures. These petitioners from Osoyoos, Oliver, Princeton and other areas in the Okanagan Valley oppose further legislation for firearms acquisition and possession and ask Parliament to provide strict guidelines and mandatory sentences for the use and possession of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.
I concur with my petitioners.
Philip Mayfield Reform Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to the House a petition containing over 100 signatures mainly from the city of Quesnel in my constituency of Cariboo-Chilcotin.
These petitioners request 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.
The petition is presented with my concurrence.
Philip Mayfield Reform Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have one more petition. I would like to present a petition signed by 134 constituents, again from the city of Quesnel and other areas of British Columbia.
These petitioners 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 Canadian Human Rights Act to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.
This petition is also presented with my concurrence.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting two petitions today. The first is signed by petitioners from my constituency of Burnaby-Kingsway as well as other communities in British Columbia.
It calls on Parliament to support an all-party parliamentary resolution to acknowledge the injustice and racial discrimination inherent in the Chinese head tax-it was imposed from 1885 to 1923-and also in the Chinese immigration exclusion act which prohibited Chinese immigration from 1923 to 1947.
It calls on Parliament to recognize and compensate for the suffering of individual Chinese Canadians and the entire Chinese Canadian community that resulted from this legislated discrimination.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by hundreds of residents of Kamloops, the Fraser Valley, Burnaby-Kingsway, other communities throughout British Columbia and beyond.
It calls on Parliament to amend the Criminal Code to ensure the right of all Canadians to die with dignity, by allowing people with terminal or irreversible and debilitating illness the right to the assistance of a physician in ending their lives at a time of their choice, subject to strict safeguards to prevent abuse and to ensure the decision is free, informed, competent and voluntary.
Tony Ianno Liberal Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of some of my constituents of Trinity-Spadina.
The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act so as to protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
On behalf of my constituents, I humbly submit these petitions.
Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions today from constituents in my riding of Bruce-Grey.
Two of the petitions request that Parliament not amend the human rights code and the Canadian Human Rights Act or Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way that would indicate societal approval for same sex relationships or homosexuality, including amending the human rights code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the defined phrase sexual orientation.
Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, the next petition requests that Parliament ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no change in the law which would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide, or active or passive euthanasia.
Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, the fourth petition asks Parliament 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.
Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley East, BC
Mr. Speaker, just before the budget was brought down I presented petitions against tax increases from all over Canada signed by 20,431 people. Ever since the budget came down, more of these petitions have been pouring in.
Today 16,967 more petitioners, for a grand total of 38,297 people from all over Canada, 11,711 of them from my own constituency, together pray-and unlike some prayers this prayer may be in vain-that Parliament reduce spending instead of increasing taxes and implement a taxpayer protection act to limit federal spending as well.
I could not concur more strongly with all 39,000 petitioners.
PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
I am told that eventually all prayers are answered.
Jan Brown Reform Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise again to present another petition in this course of action undertaken by constituents who wish to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson.
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 the families of the victims of convicted murderers.
John Nunziata Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have been asked today to present two petitions to the House. The first petition is with regard to human rights violations in Sri Lanka.
The petitioners urge the Government of Canada to intervene immediately in the decade old national ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka with the view to: first, bring about an unconditional ceasefire, preferably verified by the United Nations; second, to bring the parties in the conflict to the negotiating table, preferably with United Nations mediation so that matters under dispute could be resolved satisfactorily and lasting peace achieved; and, third, to suspend forthwith all foreign aid and, if necessary, impose sanctions until cessation of hostilities and human rights violations.
John Nunziata Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is with regard to the Young Offenders Act.
It calls on Parliament to amend the act: first, to lower the age limits which define a young offender to include only those children between the ages of 10 and 15; second, to increase the maximum penalty for first and second degree murder from 5 to 10 years, which has already been done by the government; and, third, to allow the publication of a young offender's name after a second serious offence, and any other changes necessary to ensure that the public interest as well as the needs of Canadian youth are addressed in a fair and balanced fashion.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present three petitions today.
The first group of petitioners request that the Government of Canada not amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to include the phrase sexual orientation. The petitioners are troubled about not defining the phrase sexual orientation. They have a legitimate concern that such a broad term could include all kinds of sexual behaviour.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with the subject of Bill C-68, gun control. The petitioners state that the target for all gun control laws in the Criminal Code of Canada must be the criminals who are a danger to the public safety and not law-abiding, responsible firearm owners.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
The third petition is very appropriate. It deals with budget '95.
It is quite timely. It was collected by small businessmen from my riding including Mr. Brent Stief, Mrs. Neillie Murray, Mr. Phil Walker, Mr. Arch Brown and Mr. Bill Schwartz.
The petitioners request that with Canadians already overburdened with taxation due to high government spending Parliament reduce government spending instead of increasing taxes and I wholeheartedly agree with all three petitions.
John O'Reilly Liberal Victoria—Haliburton, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise and present three petitions today signed by people from West Guilford, Haliburton, Eagle Lake, Minden, Wilberforce and Tory Hill in the riding of Victoria-Haliburton.
They draw the attention of the House of Commons to gun control and ask Parliament not to pass any law that would prohibit the legitimate use of firearms.
A further petition concerns gun control and supports the present legislation before the House.
Rey D. Pagtakhan Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour, pursuant to Standing Order 36, to present petitions on behalf of my constituents and the immediate neighbourhood of Winnipeg North.
The petitioners are concerned about physician assisted suicide and euthanasia, concerns that I share. They are concerned about the negative impact of such a move on families as well as loss of respect for human life and far reaching negative implications in society.
They therefore pray that Parliament continue to reject euthanasia and physician assisted suicide; that it continue to enforce section 241 of the Criminal Code prohibiting the commission of assisting suicide; and that it consider expanding palliative care accessible to all dying persons knowing that such care is compassionate and therefore will result in the relief of pain and suffering without the danger concomitant with assisted suicide.
Diane Ablonczy Reform Calgary North, AB
Mr. Speaker, I would like to join my colleague from Fraser Valley East in presenting a petition from nearly 1,000 people in my riding of Calgary North requesting that Parliament reduce government spending instead of increasing taxes and also that Parliament implement a taxpayer protection act to limit federal spending.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have a brief point of order with respect to the presentation of petitions. I have noticed that a practice seems to have grown in the House of members' indicating their concurrence with particular petitions.
This is a matter of debate. I wonder whether the Speaker might provide some guidance to the House on this matter because the practice has been growing.
PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
The hon. member raises a very valid point. As a general statement the Chair would not encourage whether a member concurs with the presentation of a specific petition brought to the floor.
I would encourage all hon. members to desist from saying whether they are for or against certain petitions.
I have been letting this go for some time. Hon. members will understand that sometimes hon. members are put into positions in which they do not really want to say whether they are for or against a petition but it is their duty to present petitions to the House.
The point of the hon. member for Burnaby-Kingsway is well taken and I would encourage all hon. members to desist saying whether there is concurrence or not.
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, the work stoppage in west coast ports has dangerous implications for the economy of western Canada and therefore legislation is urgently required to reopen the ports.
Therefore I move, pursuant to Standing Order 53:
That the 48 hours notice be waived in order to permit the Minister of Labour immediately to introduce a bill entitled an act respecting the supervision of longshoring and related operations at west coast ports and,
That the House not adjourn this day except pursuant to a motion by a minister of the crown.
LabourRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
Will those members who object to the motion please rise in their places.
Fewer than 10 members have risen to object, pursuant to Standing Order 53(4) the motion is adopted.
(Motion agreed to.)