Debates of Sept. 23rd, 1996

Committees Of The House

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

I hear Liberal members laughing on the other side. Instead of laughing and making silly comments that have no basis-because they did not even read the report of the Liberal majority and our dissenting opinion-they should do their homework, which is to protect the interests of their constituents, not those of millionaires who gravitate around the Prime Minister's office or the Department of Finance, perhaps in the hope of getting, at some point, a job of deputy minister, minister, chair of a committee, assistant or Secretary of State within this government.

Such is the political system of the Liberals. This is what motivates them. It is not to do their homework and to protect the interests of their constituents. If this were the case, they would not give their support; they would not laugh when we discuss one of the worst financial scandals, one that is fuelled by the government.

If the Liberals truly want to protect the interests of their constituents, they should oppose their government and the establishment, because the establishment is doing things that go completely against the interests of Canadians.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Is the House ready for the question?

[Some hon. members]

Question.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

The question is on the amendment. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

All those in favour of the amendment will please say yea.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

All those opposed will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

In my opinion the nays have it.

And more than five members having risen:

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

[The Deputy Speaker]

The division stands deferred until Tuesday, September 24 at 5.30 p.m.

Petitions

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present. The first petition is signed mostly by residents of my constituency of Scarborough West.

The petition brings to mind the brutal murder of Louie Ambas in a store in my riding and calls on Parliament to amend the Young Offenders Act to provide that young offenders charged with murder be automatically tried in adult court and, if convicted, that they be sentenced as adults and that their identities should then not be hidden from the public.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on Parliament to ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no changes in the law which would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition contains some 767 signatures from across Canada. It

points out that Canada has absolutely no law to prevent criminals from profiting from their crimes by telling the stories of their crimes.

The petitioners therefore pray that Parliament enact Bill C-205, introduced by myself, at the earliest opportunity to provide in Canadian law that no criminal profits from committing a crime.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise, pursuant to Standing Order 36, to present a lengthy petition on behalf of the Borrowers' Action Society from Edmonton, Alberta.

Its members point out that since 1880 Parliament has passed at least six laws banning the charging of loan interest in advance, yet the practice continues. They point out that by compounding or collecting interest before it is due, lenders charge far greater rates of interest than they disclose to borrowers. They also have a whole set of other concerns.

The petitioners call on Parliament to conduct a full inquiry into the relationship between lending institutions and the judiciary and to enact legislation restricting the appointment of judges with ties to credit granting institutions.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present, the first from Ottawa, Ontario.

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.

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

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition comes from Sarnia, Ontario.

The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that the 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.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition comes from my riding of Mississauga South and concerns impaired convictions.

The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that victims of the crime of impaired driving must be given the highest priority, as reflected by their impact statements prior to the sentencing of anyone convicted of impaired driving, and in cases of impaired driving causing death or injury, sentencing must reflect the severity of that crime.

The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to proceed immediately with amendments to the Criminal Code that will ensure that the sentence given to anyone convicted o driving while impaired or causing injury or death while impaired reflects both the severity of the crime and Canada's zero tolerance toward this crime.

Questions On The Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, Question No. 35 will be answered today.

Question No. 35-

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley East, BC]

On June 13, 1995, how many Members of Parliament were in Washington, D.C., what were their names and/or constituencies, in what official capacity did they serve, what official functions did each MP attend on behalf of the government or Parliament of Canada, what was each MP's agenda during their stay in Washington, where did each MP stay while in Washington, what was the total cost of the trip for all the MPs, when and how did they travel there and when and how did they return?

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

The Government of Canada did not meet the cost of any trip to Washington, D.C. at the time referred to in this question. Further inquiries concerning this matter may be addressed to the Clerk of the House of Commons.

[Paul Zed, Liberal, Fundy Royal, NB]

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

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Is that agreed?