Debates of March 27th, 1995

Petitions

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition from citizens of Trois-Pistoles who consider that voice mail technology must be rejected, and who call upon Parliament to ask the government to

abandon its projected use of voice mail with senior citizens, since they do not feel they get adequate service especially when dealing with income security matters.

[John Williams, Reform, St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I want to present a petition organized by Suzanne MacDonell, one of my constituents.

The petitioners request 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 homosexuality, including amending the Canadian Human Rights Act to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase of sexual orientation.

Not only am I pleased to present the petition but I endorse it as well.

[Clifford Lincoln, Liberal, Lachine—Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I should like to present a petition signed by 40 electors from my riding and surrounding regions.

They ask that Parliament ensure the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide will 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.

[Gordon Kirkby, Liberal, Prince Albert—Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I present a petition signed by approximately 60 people from Saskatchewan.

They request that Parliament not amend the human rights code, 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.

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from in and around the city of Winnipeg.

The petitioners request that Parliament support laws that will severely punish all violent criminals who use weapons in the commission of a crime, support new Criminal Code firearm control provisions that recognize and protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and use recreation firearms, and support legislation that will repeal and modify existing gun controls that have not improved public safety.

[Randy White, Reform, Fraser Valley West, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have several petitions to put before the House from constituents in Langley, Aldergrove and Abbotsford, British Columbia.

They first request that Parliament not pass Bill C-41 with section 718.2 as presently written and in any event not include the undefined phrase of sexual orientation as a behaviour people engage in does not warrant special consideration in Canadian law.

[Randy White, Reform, Fraser Valley West, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition requests that Parliament reduce government spending instead of increasing taxes and implement a taxpayer protection act to limit federal spending.

[Randy White, Reform, Fraser Valley West, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my third petition calls upon Parliament not to enact any further firearms control legislation, regulations or orders in council.

[Randy White, Reform, Fraser Valley West, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition to present. It calls upon Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that provide for the inclusion of the phrase of sexual orientation.

All the petitions I do so endorse.

[Ian Murray, Liberal, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

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

The petitioners are asking that Parliament not amend the human rights code, 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.

[Glen McKinnon, Liberal, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present three petitions.

The first one was signed by 26 people from Killarney, Manitoba. The attention of the House is drawn to the fact that 38 per cent of the national highway system has fallen below accepted standards and that the benefits of the proposed national highway program are numerous.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to request that the government support all measures to make the national highway system upgrading possible.

[Glen McKinnon, Liberal, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition was signed by 31 people from the Brandon-Souris area.

It calls upon Parliament to amend the Canadian Human Rights act to protect individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

[Glen McKinnon, Liberal, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition was signed by individuals from Cromer, Oak Lake, Kenton and Virden.

They call upon Parliament to ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code that prohibit assisted suicide be vigorously enforced 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.

[Ben Serré, Liberal, Timiskaming—French-River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by 40 people from my riding to present.

They pray and call upon Parliament to ensure that the present version of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no change in the law that would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

I concur with the petition.

[Ben Serré, Liberal, Timiskaming—French-River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition signed by 40 people to present.

They pray and call upon Parliament to 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.

[Ben Serré, Liberal, Timiskaming—French-River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition was signed by 112 people from my riding.

They pray and call upon Parliament not to amend the human rights code, the 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 homosexuality.

I concur with all the petitions.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the first petition I wish to present calls upon Parliament not to allow drunkenness as a defence.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I am introducing calls upon Parliament to reduce government spending instead of increasing taxes.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition speaks in favour of inclusion of sexual orientation in the Human Rights Act.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition I wish to present calls for stiffer sentences under the Young Offenders Act.

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table two petitions signed by the constituents of Lambton-Middlesex and surrounding areas that have been duly certified by the clerk of petitions pursuant to Standing Order 36.

In the first one the petitioners call upon Parliament not to impose any amendments to the Canadian human rights act or the charter of rights and freedoms that provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petition the petitioners request that the Criminal Code of Canada and other relevant acts be amended so that extreme drunkenness as a defence in any criminal case could not be used.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present three petitions on behalf of the constituents of Simcoe Centre.

The first petition is on the issue of euthanasia. The petitioners request that Parliament not sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or euthanasia.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with the issue of sexual orientation.

The 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 will lead to homosexuals receiving the same benefits and societal privileges as married people.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the third and final petition is from my riding and it is quite timely. It was collected by small businessmen from my riding, including Mr. Don Campbell, Ms. Helen Russel, Dr. John Hunter, Ms. Karin Knitter, Mr. Dan Mallory, Mr. Michael Douglas and Ms. Faye Chappell.

The petitioners request that with Canadians already overburdened with taxation due to high government spending Parliament should reduce government spending instead of increasing taxes.