Debates of March 17th, 1995

Petitions

[Margaret Bridgman, Reform, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I rise to table four petitions today.

The first petition is signed by 195 people from Surrey and surrounding area and requests that Parliament refuse to accept the justice minister's gun control proposals.

The petitioners feel that this anti-gun legislation will do little, if anything, to reduce the incidence of violent crime and will simply restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens and target shooters.

[Margaret Bridgman, Reform, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by 25 people from Surrey and surrounding area and 170 people from my riding of Surrey North, requesting that Parliament not pass Bill C-41 with section 718.2, as presently written, because of the undefined phrase of sexual orientation.

These petitioners feel that everyone currently has equal status under the law.

[Margaret Bridgman, Reform, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I present a fourth petition signed by 95 people from Surrey and surrounding area. The petitioners pray that Parliament intervene and stop the minister from amending the aircraft maintenance engineering licensing system.

The petitioners feel that the licensing system should be retained in its current form and continue to be monitored as is the current practice.

[Marlene Cowling, Liberal, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present to the House today.

The first petition is signed by 285 of my constituents who live the rural municipality and village of Rossburn.

The petitioners urge the government to take action on the early construction of an all weather road through the west end of the Riding Mountain National Park to connect the communities of Grandview and Rossburn. The hope is that this road will stimulate the stagnating agricultural economy by promoting trade, tourism, social and cultural exchanges.

[Marlene Cowling, Liberal, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I present to the House has 58 signatures and is on the subject of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The petitioners pray that Parliament not repeal or amend section 241 of the Criminal Code of Canada and continue to disallow assisted suicide and euthanasia.

[Marlene Cowling, Liberal, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition is signed by 854 agricultural producers from the province of Manitoba that support the Canadian Wheat Board.

The petitioners draw the government's attention to the fact that a very vocal minority are requesting a dual marketing system for wheat and barley for export.

The petitioners therefore request that Parliament continue to give monopoly power to the Canadian Wheat Board for the export of wheat and barley.

[Val Meredith, Reform, Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to add another 385 names to the hundreds of thousands of other petitioners who have asked that Parliament not pass Bill C-41 with section 718.2 as presently written and not to include the undefined phrase, sexual orientation. The behaviour people engage in does not warrant special consideration in Canadian law.

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition where the petitioners call on Parliament to oppose any amendment to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

[Val Meredith, Reform, Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a third petition which is perhaps a little after the fact.

These petitioners pray and request that Parliament reduce government spending instead of increasing taxes and implement a taxpayer protection act to limit federal government spending.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour and pleasure pursuant to Standing Order 36 to present a petition signed by 295 of my constituents residing primarily in the villages of Coronach, Fife Lake and Rockglen and the surrounding districts.

These petitioners state that except in police states there is no evidence that the suicidal or criminal misuse of firearms is impeded or restricted by legislation.

They therefore humbly pray that Parliament desist from passing additional restrictive legislation with respect to firearms or ammunition and to direct its attention to the apprehension and punishment of those who criminally misuse firearms or other deadly weapons.

I wholeheartedly concur.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present this Melanie Carpenter petition organized by Nick Carter and other staff members from JC-55 SuperCountry Radio station in Kamloops and circulated throughout the Kamloops area, the north and south Thompson valleys and the community of Logan Lake as well as a number of other communities throughout central British Columbia.

This brings to 22,000 the number of names of individuals calling for changes to Canada's justice system and parole system in an effort to make our streets and neighbourhoods safe places in which to live and to raise our families.

Specifically, the petitioners believe that those convicted of dangerous and sexual offences should remain incarcerated until they have successfully undergone treatment and can demonstrate unequivocally that they have been completely rehabilitated.

[Paul Devillers, Liberal, Simcoe North, ON]

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

The first petition contains the signatures of 50 constituents of Simcoe North and calls on Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on Parliament to delete entirely section 718.2 of Bill C-41.

I present these petitions because I believe all my constituents are entitled to express their views. However, I fully support the increased penalties for hate crimes contained in Bill C-41.

I call on the Minister of Justice to bring forward the promised amendments to the Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation as a prohibited grounds for discrimination at the earliest opportunity.

[The Deputy Speaker]

The member may not have heard the Speaker say earlier this week that he does not wish us to say whether we agree or disagree with the petition.

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

Mr. Speaker, these petitioners believe that violence and abuse in all forms is a growing concern in our society.

They also believe that these are not necessary in order to inform or to entertain. They are particularly concerned about abuse and violence in various forms that appear in the media.

They ask the government to ensure that the CRTC regulate this and remove it if at all possible or certainly diminish it. They also believe that violence is counter to the values they try to instil in their families. They do, however, point out that there have been some gains. They appreciate the efforts that have been made to date.

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. 107, 125 and 151.

Question No. 107-

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

What is the estimated economic impact in Canada of the firearms and related industries, with attention to manufacturing, sales and repair, international trade, hunting, sports, recreation, tourism and associated activities and what is the impact that previous and proposed gun control measures have had and will have on the firearms and related industries?

[Russell MacLellan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

The firearms industry is substantial, especially when one considers related industries such as hunting. For example, the Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada) reported that in the year 1991 over 1.2 billion dollars were spent by Canadians and Americans on hunting in Canada.

Firearms control is designed to be cost neutral. The measures introduced continue to respect the legitimate uses of firearms for sporting and recreational purposes.

Stricter firearm control measures are essential to public health and safety, and one cannot pub a price tag on the prevention of violence and the added security felt by Canadians.

Question No. 125-

[Ted White, Reform, North Vancouver, BC]

What legal or constitutional authority provided to Native Band Councils prohibits non-Natives residing on Native lands from exercising their franchise in the election of local Band Council representatives?

[Ron Irwin, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Subsection 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867 establishes the authority of Parliament to make laws regarding Indians and lands reserved for Indians.

The Indian Act provides that the election for the chief and council of a band can be held under one of two authorities. One, the Indian Act and the Indian Band Election Regulations: If the chief and council are elected under the Indian Act and the regulations, all voters must be both band members and ordinarily resident on the particular reserve (section 77(1)).

Two, the custom of the individual band: If the chief and council are elected/selected according to the custom of the band, the qualifications for the voters are set by the band, and the band has the sole authority to do this.

Question No. 151-

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

In light of the recent derailment of tanker cars carrying sulphuric acid which spilled into Lake Masketsi and the Tawachiche River, does Transport Canada intend to undertake an investigation to identify and correct factors which could lead to future derailments of tanker cars carrying toxic substances?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

The Transportation Safety Board, TSB, an independent agency which operates under its own act of Parliament and reports to Parliament through the President of the Privy Council, is conducting an investigation of the circumstances of the accident. The TSB will issue a public report once its investigation is completed. Any recommendations made by the TSB will be acted upon by Transport Canada should any factors be identified which could lead to further derailments and subsequent leakage of tank cars carrying toxic substances.

In the interim, Transport Canada's transport of dangerous goods directorate is reviewing the design standards of the particular tank cars involved in the derailment to assess the possibility of enhancing their safety performance.

Questions Passed As Orders For Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe there would be unanimous consent to support an order for return of question 131.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Did the parliamentary secretary ask that earlier this day?

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

No, Mr. Speaker, I asked earlier this week and unanimous consent was refused.

Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 131 could be made an order for return, that return would be tabled immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Under the circumstances, does the House give unanimous consent for the request?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 131-