House of Commons Hansard #98 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was guidelines.
David Anderson LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, there is no question at the present time of answering such a question in this House because no request has been put by anyone in the airline industry for us to make that decision or to reconsider that decision.
Therefore the question is entirely hypothetical and obviously cannot be answered in this House under the rules of Beauchesne's, which I happen to have in my hands at the present time.
Jack Ramsay Reform Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have a prop on my desk but I will not use it.
Yesterday the Minister of Justice accused me and my colleagues of failing to support some of the bills that he has rammed through this House, including Bill C-68.
I have today with me 24 reasons why we could not support Bill C-68. Canadians were told repeatedly that the security of the firearms registration system could not be breached. Today I have 24 individual restricted firearms registration certificates containing the name and address of each owner together with the full description of each firearm. These were all sent to the wrong individuals in the mail.
I ask the solicitor general how this enormous breach of security could occur.
Herb Gray LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker,
my hon. friend has raised this with me for the first time right now in the House. If he would care to meet with me and provide me with the material I will do my utmost to get him a complete answer.
Jack Ramsay Reform Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, I certainly will do that. I will make sure that he gets these certificates so that the rightful owners can eventually get them.
However, it is clear that Reform members were right. The firearms registration system is not secure and serious breaches have occurred.
Will the solicitor general admit this and agree that this presents a serious problem for the Liberal's proposed registration system for rifles and shotguns?
Herb Gray LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the registration system we have at present is designed for use under the present law that is the registration law that existed prior to Bill C-68. We are busy working very vigorously to have a cost effective automated system using the best of technology which will respond to the needs of Bill C-68 and which will be based on learning from any difficulties that relate to the present system.
The present system is not the one which will be applied in order to carry out Bill C-68, which is overwhelmingly supported and desired by the great majority of Canadians.
George S. Rideout Liberal Moncton, NB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.
Canada is a world leader in forestry practices. We are all concerned about the environment and the health of our Canadian forests. Would the minister tell us what is being done in the area of certification to ensure that the Canadian forestry industry is adhering to sustainable forestry practices?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, Canada is one of the world's leading forestry nations. As such, all forestry stakeholders take their environmental responsibilities very seriously.
A recent example of this responsibility is an industry driven initiative undertaken in conjunction with the Canadian Standards Association to develop a new sustainable forest management standard.
These standards were recently approved by the Standards Council of Canada. They will subject the forestry industry to a rigorous, scientifically technical standard in relation to sustainable forestry management. They will also be subject to independent third party audits.
This is another example of how we are maintaining our position as one of the world's leading forestry nations.
Nelson Riis NDP Kamloops, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. He will know that the minister of revenue was recently in Nova Scotia pointing out that the legislation enacting the blended 15 per cent tax is not etched in stone.
She goes on to point out that the government is open to accepting a number of changes and then says that the Canadian public wants this tax.
Can the Minister of Finance point out what evidence he has to indicate that the Canadian public wants this tax? If he cannot prove that, is he open to scrapping the whole notion?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that legislation is developed and passes through this House in a particular way. He knows that my department, along with the Minister of Finance, have worked with the three Atlantic provinces to develop legislation that will harmonize the sales tax system.
As a member of the finance committee, I crossed this country and listened to Canadians who said to us: "Fix this tax. Fix it by harmonizing it. Fix it by having tax included pricing. Fix it by having one administration".
I congratulate the Atlantic provinces for having the foresight to understand that this is what will be the solution to this tax. I would suggest to the hon. member that he talk to his own province about the importance of such a solution.
Presence In GalleryOral Question Period
The Speaker
Colleagues, I would like to introduce to you a very select group.
Today we have with us in our public gallery 70 teachers from across Canada, who came here to attend the first teachers' forum on Canadian parliamentary democracy.
These men and women were selected for excellence in the teaching profession. In my view, this is the all-star team, the Team Canada of Canadian teachers. The teacher's institute has brought them to us for an intensive four days to study our parliamentary way of life. Please welcome them to our House of Commons.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise on a point of order. I will be very brief, but I am asking for clarification from the Chair on an important issue regarding the certification of a petition.
Just to give the background on this, I sent to the clerk of petitions a petition which was signed by 27 Canadians residing in my riding of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt. The clerk sent it back to me not certified. In her decision she outlined the reason as "not meeting the requirements of Standing Order 36(2)(g)", which reads:
In order to be certified, pursuant to section (1) of this Standing Order, every petition shall:
(g) contain at least twenty-five signatures together with the addresses of the signatories, from persons other than Members of Parliament.
I disagreed at the time with the clerk that the petition failed to meet this criterion. When I pursued the matter with her office I was informed by her staff that the petition was not certified because five of the signatures were in Punjabi. I was further informed that all signatures must be in either French or English.
Now, in an attempt to get further clarification of how I could table this petition, I approached-
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Is this the same petition that you approached the Table with earlier today which was subsequently approved? Could you answer that question for me?
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC
Mr. Speaker, it was. But I think the House needs to get clarification on this matter and that is why I raise it.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
I undertake to look into this matter further. I understand that the petition was approved. Therefore, that would seem to put the case to rest.
As far as the clarification goes, I will look into that matter and I will come back to the hon. member with some more information if it is necessary, either here in the House or in my chambers.
John Harvard LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I assumed you already knew about my point of order.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
My colleague, I did know about your point of order. It slipped my mind. As I was leaving I heard your voice calling me back and here I am.
John Harvard Liberal Winnipeg—St. James, MB
Mr. Speaker, as usual, my dutiful servant.
With your indulgence I wish to set the record straight with respect to my vote last night on private member's motion No. 221. I wish to be recorded in support of that motion and that Hansard and the House of Commons Journals be so corrected.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Thank you, my colleague. I assure you that will be corrected.
Ovid Jackson LiberalParliamentary Secretary to President of the Treasury Board
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to seven petitions.
Shaughnessy Cohen Liberal Windsor—St. Clair, ON
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.
Pursuant to the order of reference of Tuesday, October 1, 1996, your committee has considered Bill C-53, an act to amend the Prisons and Reformatories Act and your committee has agreed to report it without amendment.
Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West, ON
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present the 44th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the list of members and associate members of several committees.
With leave of the House, I intend to move for concurrence in this report later this day.
Madam Speaker, also I have the honour to present the 43rd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the selection of votable items in accordance with Standing Order 92. This report is deemed adopted on presentation.
Clifford Lincoln Liberal Lachine—Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-346, an act respecting federal funding of certain activities, events and facilities that are supported by tobacco companies.
Madam Speaker, I table this bill, which seeks to prevent federal funds from being used to subsidize cultural and sporting events that are supported financially or otherwise by tobacco product manufacturers, or to promote cultural and sporting equipment bearing the name of a tobacco product manufacturer or the brand of one of its products.
(Motion deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage
Madam Speaker, after consultations there is unanimous consent to move, seconded by the hon. members for Roberval, Calgary Southwest and Winnipeg Transcona a resolution as follows:
That this House unanimously support the bid by Canada to host Expo 2005 in Calgary from May to October 2005, the centennial year of Saskatchewan and Alberta.