House of Commons Hansard #60 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was fees.
Paul Zed LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to two petitions.
Susan Whelan Liberal Essex—Windsor, ON
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-36, an act to amend the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax, the Excise Tax Act, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Act, the Old Age Security Act and the Canadian Shipping Act, of which most sections passed unanimously.
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-46, an act to amend the Criminal Code (production of records in sexual offence proceedings).
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Brenda Chamberlain Liberal Guelph—Wellington, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-302, an act to establish an oath of allegiance to the flag of Canada.
Madam Speaker, this legislation will adopt an official oath of allegiance to the flag of Canada. No such oath presently exists. The flag is an important symbol in our lives. We remember British fishing boats flying it in support of us. We look with pride when it is raised at the Olympics. We see it on the sleeve of our peacekeepers. It is a unifying symbol of respect and tolerance throughout Canada.
The oath can be recited at school or before meetings, wherever the flag is prominent. The bill calls on a committee to consult with Canadians regarding the wording. As this will be an oath which will be used by Canadians, it is important that they participate in its wording. Canadians are proud of their flag and what it means to us and to the world.
This legislation will give Canadians an official oath to acknowledge its importance in all of our lives.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Andy Mitchell Liberal Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-303, an act to amend the Criminal Code.
Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce my private member's bill, which is an act to amend the Criminal Code, so that it includes a statement of intent about victims' rights and provides for the application of those rights within the legislation.
The bill will provide recognition of the importance of victims' rights in criminal law. It will achieve a greater balance between the rights of the victims and the rights of the accused and those who are convicted of crime.
This bill works to protect the rights of victims and deals with restitution, the right to information and the right to be heard. We have a responsibility to the protection of victims' rights in this country. I call on all members to support this bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Kingsway, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-304, an act to amend the Criminal Code (aiding suicide).
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to introduce a bill that would amend the Criminal Code to allow people with terminal or incurable illnesses, who are often suffering terrible pain, anguish or indignity that cannot be relieved by palliative care, to seek the assistance of a physician to end their life at the time they choose.
The current legislation, which dates back to 1892, can be extremely cruel to those who are dying and to their families and loved ones.
Sue Rodriguez and Austin Bastable are two people who lived their lives and faced their deaths with great courage and dignity. They urged the Minister of Justice in their final days to introduce this legislation.
The Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice have both promised a free vote on this issue. I join with many Canadians in urging them to honour that promise.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Kingsway, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-305, an act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of children).
Madam Speaker, the purpose of the bill I am introducing today is to repeal section 43 of the Criminal Code, the section that allows corporal punishment of children by parents and teachers.
Condoning corporal punishment can lead to physical and psychological injury and even ultimately to the death of children. It contributes to violence in society and is contrary to both the charter of rights and freedoms and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Section 43 allows punishment causing bruising and contusions. It allows children to be struck with belts and other objects. It is a relic of a bygone age and has no place in a democratic society that respects and values children.
Finally, I would note that several European countries have ended the legal approval of corporal punishment with very significant, positive results. I urge the government to uphold the rights of children and repeal this harmful and discriminatory section of the Criminal Code of Canada.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Osvaldo Nunez Bloc Bourassa, QC
moved for leave to introduce Bill 306, an act respecting a national refugee awareness day.
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to table a bill establishing a national refugee awareness day on April 4 of each year. Because of my origins, this is something I hold dear. The Geneva Refugee Convention was signed in July 1951. It has been ratified by Canada.
On April 4, 1985, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down its decision in the famous Singh case saying that the charter of rights and freedoms applied to refugees as well. This day will help make Canadians more aware of the often dramatic situation of refugees.
(Motion deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Bob Speller Liberal Haldimand—Norfolk, ON
Madam Speaker, I have four petitions to present under Standing Order 36. Two of the petitions deal with Bill C-205 which was introduced by our colleague, the member for Scarborough West.
The petitioners call on the government to make sure that criminals do not profit from committing a crime.
Bob Speller Liberal Haldimand—Norfolk, ON
Madam Speaker, another petition deals with the issue of assisted suicide. The petitioners pray and call on Parliament to make assisted suicide not allowed.
Bob Speller Liberal Haldimand—Norfolk, ON
Madam Speaker, the final petition deals with the whole question of holding a national referendum on abortion. These constituents call on the Government of Canada at the next election to hold a national referendum on abortion.
Beryl Gaffney Liberal Nepean, ON
Madam Speaker, I have 50 signatures here from people of Nepean who request that Parliament oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or any other federal legislation that would provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.
Beryl Gaffney Liberal Nepean, ON
I have another petition, Madam Speaker, with 325 names from people of Harrowsmith, Verona, Portland, Hartington, Kingston and Brockville.
The petitioners request that Parliament proceed immediately with amendments to the Criminal Code that will ensure the sentence given to anyone convicted of driving while impaired or causing injury or death while impaired reflect both the severity of the crime and a zero tolerance by Canada toward this crime.
Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB
Madam Speaker, I have petitions that requests Parliament to repeal section 745. These petitions add to the 32,000 names I have presented directly to the justice minister. There are 4,274 names in this group today.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Madam Speaker, I have two petitions today.
The first comes from Russell, 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 for preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
The second petition, Madam Speaker, comes from Bloomfield, Ontario. 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 all alcoholic beverages to caution expectant mothers and others of the risks associated with alcohol consumption.
Morris Bodnar Liberal Saskatoon—Dundurn, SK
Madam Speaker, I have a petition signed by approximately 200 individuals from my constituency in Saskatoon asking that Parliament enact Bill C-205, introduced by the hon. member for Scarborough West, asking that Canadian law provide that no criminal profits from committing a crime.
Yves Rocheleau Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Madam Speaker, I wish to table a petition today signed by some 3,000 residents of Pointe-du-Lac and environs. Pointe-du-Lac is located in the federal riding of Trois-Rivières.
This petition asks Parliament to halt immediately all testing of explosives at the National Defence Proof and Experimental Test Establishment located at Nicolet-Sud in the riding of Richelieu. According to the petitioners, this testing is causing shock waves that are damaging to both property and people and therefore is harming the environment of the people in the surrounding municipalities and in Lac-Saint-Pierre.
Dick Harris Reform Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC
Madam Speaker, I have three petitions to introduce in the House today pursuant to Standing Order 36.
The first is from residents of my riding of Prince George-Bulkley Valley. They are concerned that Parliament does not include among human rights a right to behaviour that is considered morally wrong, that marriage plays a pivotal and societal role in the stability of the family, and that any legislation such as Bill C-265 which might weaken the family unit is the antithesis of a sensible social policy.
Therefore the petitioners pray that Parliament defeat Bill C-265 in order to protect marriage and the family from the possible social upheaval that might be caused by its passage into law.
Dick Harris Reform Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC
Madam Speaker, in the second petition the petitioners pray that Parliament enact Bill C-205, introduced by the hon. member for
Scarborough West, at the earliest opportunity in order to provide that in Canadian law no criminal profits from committing a crime.
Dick Harris Reform Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC
Madam Speaker, the third petition containing over 500 names comes from the Nepean area. The petitioners are very concerned with the penalties given to drunk drivers who kill.
They pray and request that Parliament proceed immediately with amendments to the Criminal Code that will ensure the sentence given to anyone convicted of driving while impaired or causing injury or death while impaired reflects the severity of the crime and zero tolerance by Canada toward this crime.
Rose-Marie Ur Liberal Lambton—Middlesex, ON
Madam Speaker, I table a petition signed by the constituents of Lambton-Middlesex, pursuant to Standing Order 36 and duly certified by the clerk of petitions.
The petitioners state that Canadians deserve a real say in how our scarce health care dollars are spent and which health care procedures they consider to be essential.
They request that Parliament support a binding national referendum to be held at the time of the next election to ask Canadians whether they are in favour of federal government funding for abortions on demand.
Anna Terrana Liberal Vancouver East, BC
Madam Speaker, the national AIDS strategy, expiring on March 31, 1998, funds and co-ordinates prevention, education, support and research in Canada.
Residents of Delta, B.C. call on Parliament to urge the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health to commit to a renewal of the funding for the national AIDS strategy at current levels.
Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup, QC
Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a further petition signed by 300 persons in my riding, who have joined with another 12,000 who already signed petitions asking that Bill C-12 be withdrawn and all powers relating to employment and manpower training be transferred back to Quebec, along with the associated budgets.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Madam Speaker, I have a petition to present today on behalf of the constituents of Simcoe Centre concerning age of consent laws. The petitioners ask that Parliament set the age of consent at 18 to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse.