Debates of April 5th, 1995

Presence In Gallery

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

National Defence

[Fred Mifflin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2)(i), I wish to table in both official languages two documents describing Department of National Defence policies. One is entitled "Housing for the Canadian Forces" and the other is "Canadian Forces Compensation".

Mr. Speaker, I tabled both documents at once; therefore, I will now table the second document.

Government Response To Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 40 petitions.

Canada Elections Act

[Anna Terrana, Liberal, Vancouver East, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-320, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act (registration of political parties).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a private member's bill entitled an act to amend the Canada Elections Act.

The intention of the bill is threefold. First, this bill amends the Canada Elections Act to allow registration of a political party by the Chief Electoral Officer when the party nominates candidates in at least 12 electoral districts throughout the country. This is down from a present requirement of 50 electoral districts.

Under the present act, the Chief Electoral Officer must de-register a party that does not meet the conditions set out in subsection 28(2) of the act. Formerly, it was at the discretion of the Chief Electoral Officer to de-register a party that failed to meet these conditions.

Second, the bill removes the obligation placed on the chief agent of a political party to liquidate the assets of that party when it is deleted from the registry of political parties by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.

Finally, the bill lowers the amount required for deposit with the returning officer at the same time the nomination papers are filed.

This bill has received widespread support throughout Canada. I would invite all members of this House to support this important democratic initiative.

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

Criminal Code

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-321, an act to amend the Criminal Code (juvenile prostitution outside of Canada).

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of tabling today a bill entitled: an Act to amend the Criminal Code (juvenile prostitution outside of Canada). This bill is intended to combat a criminal practice and to prohibit the use of prostitution services offered outside of Canada by persons under 18 years of age; the transportation of people to brothels outside of Canada for the purpose of having sexual relations with persons under 18 years of age; certain acts committed outside of Canada with a view to procuring the services of persons under 18 years of age. It is my dearest wish that all members of this House will support this bill.

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

On the Order: Private Members' Business

Second reading and reference of the Standing Committee on Finance of Bill C-222, an act to amend the Excise Tax Act (extremity pumps).

Excise Tax Act

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

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties. I think you would find unanimous consent that Bill C-222, standing on the Order Paper in the name of the hon. member for Nepean, an act to amend the Excise Tax Act (extremity pumps), be withdrawn and the order for second reading discharged.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

(Order discharged and bill withdrawn)

Petitions

[Raymond Lavigne, Liberal, Verdun—Saint-Paul, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition signed by 4,600 members of my riding who are petitioning the government to

proceed immediately with the clean up of the Lachine Canal. This canal is so contaminated that if a child falls in, we have to decontaminate him or her for fear of infection.

Once the canal is cleaned up, we could use it and the surrounding area for recreational purposes. Many jobs would be created both during and after the process. I would like to add that I fully support this petition.

[Jag Bhaduria, Liberal, Markham—Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am presenting a petition signed by petitioners in the Markham-Whitchurch-Stouffville area.

These petitioners call on Parliament to reduce the deficit by cutting wastage and reducing the overall expenses of every government department by at least 5 per cent.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I rise to present a petition signed by the people from the city of Fredericton, New Brunswick.

The petition states: "Whereas human life at the pre-born stage is not protected in Canadian society, the petitioners pray and request 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".

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden, SK]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I rise to present a petition signed by constituents of mine as well as from people residing in North Battleford, Aberdeen, Melville, Ituna, Herschel and other places in Saskatchewan.

This petition pertains to repealing Bill C-91, which has doubled the price of prescription drugs for Canadians and has put in jeopardy the drug plans of many governments in Canada.

This petition asks the government, which in opposition supported repealing Bill C-91, to keep its promise and to repeal Bill C-91.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, again pursuant to Standing Order 36, it is my honour to present a petition on behalf of now close to 27,000 residents of the Kamloops area who point out that they believe many violent offenders and sex offenders are being paroled prematurely and are being released without proper treatment and rehabilitation. They believe that those convicted of these types of offences should remain incarcerated until they have successfully undergone treatment and can demonstrate unequivocally that they have been completely rehabilitated.

Therefore, they are asking the House of Commons and the Government of Canada to change the Criminal Code to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that these changes take place.

[Bob Kilger, Liberal, Stormont—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I would like to present a petition signed by well over 600 constituents in my riding of Stormont-Dundas. The petitioners ask the government to enact legislation to review the Supreme Court ruling rendered September 30, 1994, and enact legislation, which I am pleased to say we have, to redress the repercussions of this ruling.

The petition pertains to the drunken defence ruling made by the Supreme Court.

[Bob Kilger, Liberal, Stormont—Dundas, ON]

I have another petition, Mr. Speaker, signed by well over 70 residents of Stormont-Dundas who call upon the government not to enact legislation to 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.

[Bob Kilger, Liberal, Stormont—Dundas, ON]

Finally, Mr. Speaker, some 400 petitioners ask the government to review and revise our laws concerning young offenders by empowering the courts to prosecute and punish the young law-breakers. The petitioners also ask that officials be allowed to release the names of young offenders and lower the age limit to allow prosecution to meet the severity of the crime.

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. 155 and 156.

Question No. 155-

[Vic Althouse, NDP, Mackenzie, SK]

For each of the last 20 years, what proportion of gross domestic product has Canada spent on: unemployment insurance programs; old age pensions; Canada pension plan; civil service pensions (including military, RCMP and parliamentary service); family allowance and/or child tax credits; health care; protection of property (police, military and prisons) and interest on debt payments?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

The question concerns the relationship over the last twenty years of the size of selected federal government expenditure programs to the size of the overall Canadian economy, as measured by Statistics Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) estimate. The following table presents Statistics Canada estimates of GDP, values for the requested federal government expenditure programs and those values expressed in a ratio to GDP for the period 1975 to 1994. The table also includes notes briefly explaining the sources and certain aspects of the estimates which might influence their interpretation.

Question No. 156-

[Vic Althouse, NDP, Mackenzie, SK]

For each of the last 20 years, what proportion of gross domestic product has Canada received in tax revenue from: individual income taxes; corporate income taxes; manufacturers' sales taxes; goods and services tax; payments for services rendered by federal agencies; contributions to Canada pension plan and contributions to civil service pension schemes (military, RCMP and parliamentary)?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

The question concerns the relationship over the last twenty years of the size of selected federal government revenues to the size of the overall Canadian economy, as measured by Statistics Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) estimate. The following table presents Statistics Canada estimates of GDP, values for the requested federal government revenues and those values expressed in a ratio to GDP for the period 1975 to 1994. The table also includes notes briefly explaining the sources and certain aspects of the estimates which might influence their interpretation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 39, I placed question

No. 91 on the Order Paper on October 4, 1994. That was 186 days ago.

Last week, on the same point of order, the hon. parliamentary secretary to the House leader said that: "The Minister of Supply and Services has been working diligently", and that he would be in a position to answer my question soon.

It is my understanding that on all Order Paper questions the government does try to meet the 45-day period. One hundred and eighty-six days is an unacceptable length of time to respond to my question.

Would the hon. member please define what he means by "soon" and advise me as to when I will receive an answer to the question I asked six months ago?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am more than happy to assist the hon. member in carrying out her duties.

The minister, as I indicated, has been working diligently on this question. I understand that the answer is being sent to the office that reports to the House through me this afternoon. I hope to be in a position to provide the hon. member with an answer tomorrow.

If not, obviously it will be after the break. I hope it is tomorrow. I am doing my very best to see that is what happens.