Debates of March 12th, 1996

Privilege

[The Speaker]

I declare the motion carried.

Government Response To Petitions

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to ten petitions presented during the first session.

Committees Of The House

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and associate membership of various committees. If the House gives its consent I intend to move concurrence in the sixth report later this day.

Criminal Code

[John Nunziata, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-234, an act to amend the Criminal Code.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Kamloops for seconding the reintroduction of this bill.

This is the identical bill I introduced on March 17, 1994. Pursuant to special order of the House passed on March 4, I am requesting this bill be reinstated to the position it was in prior to or at prorogation. It was being considered by the justice committee. The effect of this reintroduction will be that the justice committee will once again be seized with this bill.

This bill would repeal section 745 of the code, which allows convicted killers to apply to have their parole ineligibility reduced.

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

[The Deputy Speaker]

The Chair is satisfied that the bill is in the same form as Bill C-226 at the time of prorogation of the first session of the 35th Parliament.

Consequently, pursuant to order passed on Monday, March 4, 1996, the bill is deemed to have been read the second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-234, an act to amend the Criminal Code (genital mutilation of female persons).

Mr. Speaker, this bill is in the same form as Bill C-277 was at the time of prorogation of the first session of the 35th Parliament.

This bill seeks to prohibit any direct or indirect involvement in the practice of genital mutilation of female persons. It makes it a criminal act liable to a maximum imprisonment term of five years. The object is to make sure that there is no doubt in anyone's mind, whether relatives, friends, doctors, community stakeholders, lawyers or judges, that genital mutilation is absolutely not justifiable and that, on the contrary, such practice must be severely punished so as to deter anybody from trying to circumvent the law.

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

[The Deputy Speaker]

The Chair is satisfied that the bill is in the same form as Bill C-277 was at the time of prorogation of the first session of the 35th Parliament.

Consequently, pursuant to order passed on Monday, March 4, 1996, the bill is deemed to have been read the second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.

Committees Of The House

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I move that the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House earlier this day be concurred in.

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

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Since the report is unavailable, I wonder if it could be read before it is concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker]

The Table will read the report.

[The Clerk]

The committee recommends, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, the following change in the membership of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage: Mr. O'Brien for Mr. Bertrand.

The committee also recommends, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, that the following members be added to the list of associate members of standing committees: Canadian Heritage-Mr. Bertrand; Human Resources Development-Ms. Minna; Government Operations-Mr. Bélanger.

The committee further recommends that the name of the following member be deleted from the list of associate members of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Persons with Disabilities: Mr. Bélanger.

A copy of the relevant minutes and proceedings, Issue No. 1, which includes this report, is tabled.

Respectfully submitted,

Paul Zed, Chairman.

(Motion agreed to.)

Petitions

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present two petitions. The first one contains 33 signatures from my constituents.

The petitioners call on Parliament to enact legislation against serious personal injury crimes being committed by high risk offenders by permitting the use of post-sentence definition orders and specifically passing Bill C-240.

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is 15 pages long, signed by people in my constituency. The petitioners are requesting that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline in the next federal budget.

[Jean Augustine, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to present hundreds of petitions from the Voice of Women.

Whereas the organization, Voice of Women, since 1960 has expressed its opposition to war and violence and has worked for a world free of fear, a world in which people's basic needs are met and in which peace, justice and safe environment are attainable goals, the petitioners humbly pray and call on Parliament to discontinue all nuclear and military trade agreements and replace employment and defence projects with work which will adequately respond to civilian needs.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I present two petitions which have been circulating across Canada.

The first petition is from Sarnia, Ontario. The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which has not been recognized for its value to society.

The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to pursue initiatives to eliminate tax discrimination against families that decide to provide care in the home to preschool children, to the chronically ill, the disabled and the aged.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, comes from Penticton, B.C. The petitioners bring to the attention of the House that consumption of alcoholic beverages may cause health problems or impair one's ability, and specifically that fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol related birth defects are 100 per cent preventable by avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to enact legislation to require health warning labels to be placed on the containers of alcoholic beverages to caution expectant mothers and others of the risk associated with alcohol consumption.

[Tony Ianno, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from a number of my constituents which asks Parliament to act quickly to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

[Vic Althouse, NDP, Mackenzie, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions.

The first petition is from the professional teaching staff of schools in my riding at Wadena, Kelvington, Porcupine Plain, Weekes, Hudson Bay, Archerwill and Naicam. The petitioners ask the Government of Canada to toughen the Young Offenders Act as quickly as possible with a view to making young offenders responsible for their actions, making names of young offenders public and increasing the severity of consequences for repeat offenders.

[Vic Althouse, NDP, Mackenzie, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from people in northeastern Saskatchewan. The petitioners call on Parliament to include forage and alfalfa producers in any compensation payment arising from the elimination of the Western Grain Transportation Act.

[Vic Althouse, NDP, Mackenzie, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition is from seniors in the towns of Invermay, Rama and Hazel Dell, Saskatchewan. The petitioners call on Parliament to maintain and enhance the public pension system, which is their right and heritage as senior citizens.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions.

The first is from the parents of students attending St. Ann's in the city of Kamloops. The petitioners indicate that women and children are becoming increasingly fearful of walking in their streets and neighbourhoods. They believe many violent and sex offenders are being paroled prematurely or are being released without proper treatment and rehabilitation.

They believe 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.

Therefore the petitioners call on the Minister of Justice to take whatever steps necessary to amend Canada's Criminal Code and parole system to ensure safety and peace in Canadian neighbourhoods.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on Parliament to amend the Income Tax Act to exclude child support payments from the taxable income of custodial parents.

Obviously the government has listened because it has done that. The petition was prepared prior to the last budget.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to present a petition on behalf of a number of constituents in Kamloops.

The petitioners indicate that changes to HRDC funding focuses on services for UI recipients only. They believe this will effectively eliminate most employment programs for immigrants, new Canadians and visible minorities experiencing barriers to the job market. Therefore they are asking Parliament to continue funding programs with proven success rates, particularly for non-UI recipients.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in the final petition the undersigned electors of Kamloops draw to the attention of the House that one of the core values of Canadian society is the strong belief in equality; that equality for all Canadians includes freedom from hatred, harassment and discrimination.

Therefore the petitioners call on Parliament to enact legislation to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination against persons based on their sexual orientation.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.