House of Commons Hansard #6 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was jobs.
Paul Zed LiberalParliamentary 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 11 petitions presented during the first session.
Paul Zed LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the second report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership and associate membership of various committees. If the House gives its consent I intend to move concurrence in the second report later this day.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-222, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning on alcoholic beverage containers).
Mr. Speaker, this bill is in the same form as Bill C-337 at prorogation of the last session. I request that it be reinstated, pursuant to the special order of March 4.
I want to thank the House and particularly the Prime Minister for extending to private members the privilege of bringing the business of private members through the House to show that all members can contribute to the building of Canada.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Food And Drugs ActRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
The Chair is satisfied that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-337 was at the time of prorogation of the first session of the 35th Parliament.
Accordingly, pursuant to order made Monday, March 4, 1996 the bill is deemed to have been read the second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Health.
Paul Zed LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move:
That the second report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.
(Motion agreed to.)
Ronald J. Duhamel Liberal St. Boniface, MB
Mr. Speaker, while this petition has already been processed through the normal channels, I want to bring it before the public today.
The petitioners point out that over 25 million Canadians have access to supplemental dental and health coverage. They point out that any taxation on this type of coverage would have an adverse effect on the overall health of Canadians.
They point out that the focus right now is on the prevention of disease and family affordability. They want us to keep what we have because they think it is really quite good. They believe that we have the best oral health in the world.
Janko Peric Liberal Cambridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present to the House two petitions from concerned residents of my riding of Cambridge and surrounding areas.
The first petition, with over 600 names, opposes section 745 of the Criminal Code.
Janko Peric Liberal Cambridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is sent from Cambridge Right to Life, appealing to the House to protect the rights of unborn children.
Rose-Marie Ur Liberal Lambton—Middlesex, ON
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition signed by constituents of Lambton-Middlesex and outlying areas. It is duly certified by the clerk of petitions pursuant to Standing Order 36.
In view of the fact that Canadians are paying approximately 52 per cent of the cost of a litre of gasoline in the form of government taxes, that the tax increase by 1.5 cents per litre in the last budget and that over the past 10 years the excise tax on gasoline has risen by 556 per cent, the petitioners request that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline in the next federal budget.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions today pursuant to Standing Order 36. I wish to present a petition which has been circulating across Canada. This petition comes from Delta, B.C.
The petitioners would like to 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 our society. They also state that the Income Tax Act discriminates against families that make the choice to provide care in the home to preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.
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 for preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition also has been circulating across Canada. This one comes from St. Catharines, Ontario.
The petitioners would like to 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 all alcoholic beverages to caution expectant mothers and others of the risk associated with alcoholic consumption.
Anna Terrana Liberal Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the pleasure to present a petition on behalf of 175 signatories from the riding of my colleague, the hon. member for Victoria, urging Parliament not to increase the federal excise tax on gasoline in the next federal budget.
Roseanne Skoke Liberal Central Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, on behalf of petitioners who call on Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation, I present this petition to this honourable House.
Gilbert Fillion Bloc Chicoutimi, QC
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the pleasure of presenting a petition concerning the closing of the La Baie employment centre.
"Whereas a considerable portion of the population to be served by the Canada Human Resources Centre is located at a distance of over 50 kilometres from the planned point of service;
Whereas it is essential for resources to remain in the community so as to have a proper grasp its specific dynamics and to be in a position to make informed judgments and decisions;
I hereby request-and I support this petition-that the minister take the specific characteristics of the riding of Chicoutimi into consideration and consult local decision makers before reaching a definitive decision".
Pierrette Venne Bloc Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am today presenting a petition on behalf of the people of my riding, who are requesting that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline in the next federal budget, because we are paying approximately 52 per cent of the cost of a litre of gasoline in the form of government taxes, because the excise tax was raised 1.5 per cent in the last budget and because, over the past ten years, the excise tax on gasoline has risen by 566 per cent.
Jack Frazer Reform Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, it is my duty and honour to present a
petition duly certified by the clerk of petitions on behalf of 673 constituents of Saanich-Gulf Islands and surrounding area.
The petitioners' prayers call on Parliament to enact legislation to reform the justice system and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act addressing the following principles:
A just and safe society. That the safety and protection of the public precedes over the protection and identity and statutory release of dangerous criminals and pedophiles of any age. The rights and protection of the victims precedes over the rights of the criminals. To simplify and speed up legal procedures to eliminate stall tactics in the defence of criminals. Eliminate the drunk or drug defence. The incarceration and prosecution of dangerous criminals to precede over victimless offenders.
When a young offender commits an indictable crime of violence, a serious crime, he or she be tried automatically in regular court without lengthy hearings and appeals which take years in juvenile court.
Finally, that justice reform can be achieved with no erosion of civil liberty of law-abiding citizens. A person's freedom and rights stop where another's start.
Jack Frazer Reform Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition duly certified by the clerk of petitions which I would like to present on behalf of 62 constituents of Saanich-Gulf Islands and surrounding area.
The petitioners request that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline and strongly consider reallocating its current revenues to rehabilitate Canada's crumbling national highways.
Richard Bélisle Bloc La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I wish to present today a petition signed by a group of constituents in my riding of La Prairie and the city of Laval. They are opposed to an increase in the federal excise tax on gasoline, for the following reasons:
"In view of the fact that the availability of sources of affordable fuel is a natural advantage to Canadians in reducing the high cost of shipping between source and market;
In view of the fact that Canadians are paying approximately 52 per cent of the cost of a litre of gasoline in the form of government taxes;
In view of the fact that there was a tax increase of 1.5 litres in the last budget;
In view of the fact that a parliamentary committee has recommended an additional excise tax increase in the next federal budget; and
In view of the fact that over the past 10 years the excise tax on gasoline has rise by 556 per cent" as the member for Saint-Hubert has pointed out;
The petitioners therefore request that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline in the next federal budget.
Lee Morrison Reform Swift Current—Maple Creek—Assiniboia, SK
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, it is my duty and honour to present a petition duly approved by the clerk of petitions. It is signed by 77 of my constituents mostly resident in the districts of Richmond and Fox Valley. The petitioners express their support of the Canadian Wheat Board and request that Parliament continue to give the wheat board monopoly powers in marketing wheat and barley for export.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I wish to present two petitions today.
The first petition requests that the Government of Canada not amend the human rights act to include the phrase sexual orientation. The petitioners fear that such an inclusion would indicate societal approval of homosexual behaviour. The petitioners believe that the government should not legitimize this behaviour against the clear wishes of the majority.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition concerns the age of consent laws. The petitioners ask that Parliament set the age of consent at 18 years to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
Bill Gilmour Reform Comox—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present petitions from constituents on Vancouver Island.
The petitioners request that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline and that the government strongly consider reallocating current revenues to rehabilitate Canada's crumbling national highways network. There have been a number of petitions on this subject and I hope the government is listening.
Werner Schmidt Reform Okanagan Centre, BC
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I would like to present a petition on behalf of 500 of my constituents.
The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation that will ensure the preservation of medicare through adequate funding and
compliance with the five principles of medicare: accessible, comprehensive, universal, portable, and publicly administered.
Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley East, BC
Mr. Speaker, we know the government is always listening. We are not sure if it is acting, but we know it is listening.
I have a petition today from 813 people, most of them from my riding of Fraser Valley East, a few from Vancouver and even one from Goose Bay, Happy Valley in Newfoundland.
The petitioners call upon Parliament to ensure the equality of all provinces by refusing to designate one province a distinct society as such a designation confers special status or powers not enjoyed by all the provinces.
Paul Zed LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
I ask, Mr. Speaker, that all questions be allowed to stand.