Debates of Sept. 25th, 1996

Petitions

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have two petitions from constituents within my riding and I believe there are some from outside of my riding.

The first petition has to do with citizens who are profoundly concerned about the inadequacies in the sentencing practices concerning individuals convicted of impaired driving charges.

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

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Madam Speaker, the second group of petitioners have signed a petition concerning a Canadian law that does not prohibit convicted criminals from profiting financially by writing books, setting up 1-900 numbers, producing videos, et cetera.

They therefore pray and call upon Parliament to enact Bill C-205, introduced by the hon. member for Scarborough West, at the earliest opportunity so as to provide in Canadian law that no criminal profits from committing a crime.

[Daphne Jennings, Reform, Mission—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I rise on behalf of my constituents in Mission-Coquitlam to present a petition. It asks that the government conduct a full public 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.

[George S. Rideout, Liberal, Moncton, NB]

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to present two petitions on the same subject. The petitioners pray and call upon Parliament to support Bill C-205, which would prohibit criminals from profiting financially from their crimes by writing books, setting up videos or those sorts of things.

[Jan Brown, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present another petition on behalf of constituents and concerned parents across the country who support the effort to create a national pedophile registry.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making our streets and homes safer for our children and they are opposed to the current status quo in the screening of pedophiles within our communities.

The petitioners pray that a federally implemented pedophile registry be established in order to help better protect our children.

[Anna Terrana, Liberal, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have a petition from the residents of British Columbia.

They draw the attention of the House to the fact that Canadian law does not prohibit convicted criminals from profiting financially by writing books, setting up 1-900 numbers, producing videos, et cetera.

They pray and call upon Parliament to enact Bill C-205, introduced by the hon. member for Scarborough West, at the earliest opportunity so as to provide in Canadian law that no criminal profits from committing a crime.

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Madam Speaker, I have a petition which has been signed by literally thousands of Manitobans, most of them from northern communities like Churchill.

They are very concerned about the fact that the Canadian National Railway has listed the Sherridon subdivision which serves the communities of Pukatawagan and Lynn Lake as a line to be disposed of in the next three years. They are very concerned that the closure of this line may in turn lead to the closure of the copper and zinc mine in Leaf Rapids and with it the community itself, and will negatively impact the communities of The Pas and Flin Flon through declining mining, smelting and forestry activity.

They are concerned that the closure will eliminate rail passenger service to Pukatawagan forcing the First Nation to obtain all of their transportation services by air, including food and medical supplies.

They are concerned that the closure will remove $75 million to $80 million a year from the economies of Manitoba and Canada.

Therefore, they call upon Parliament to invite the Minister of Transport to use the powers available to him under section 48 of the Canada Transportation Act to enter into an agreement with CN North America for the continued operation of the Sherridon subdivision.

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have two sets of petitions. The first has about 300 signatures from people of Burlington. They request that Parliament not amend the Constitution as requested by the Government of Newfoundland and refer the problem of educational reform in that province back to the Government of Newfoundland for resolution by some other non-constitutional procedure.

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Madam Speaker, the second petition has about 50 signatures. The petitioners note that we have one Canada that is indivisible. They request that Parliament and the Prime Minister confirm immediately that Canada is indivisible, that the boundaries of Canada, its provinces, territories and territorial waters, may be modified only by a free vote of all Canadian citizens as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or through the amending formula as stipulated in the Canadian Constitution.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to present two petitions signed by well over 300 constituents.

These petitioners pray that Parliament enact Bill C-205 which was introduced by the hon. member for Scarborough West, and I support that.

The passage of this bill would ensure that under Canadian law no criminal may profit from selling the details of their crimes.

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

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present to the House today.

The first petition is signed by about 125 residents of Nanton, Alberta. It has to do with section 745 of the Criminal Code which allows convicted killers to apply for early release after serving only 15 years in prison. In fact, the success rate is close to 80 per cent. Most Canadians are appalled that the section is in the Criminal Code.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada and all members of Parliament to take immediate steps to have section 745 of the Criminal Code repealed.

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

Madam Speaker, the second petition is signed by 25 residents of metropolitan Toronto. The petitioners call upon Parliament to pass legislation which will ensure that the sentence given to anyone convicted of driving while impaired or causing injury or death while impaired reflects both the severity of the crime and zero tolerance by Canada toward the crime.

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden, SK]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present three petitions on behalf of my constituents and other people from Saskatchewan.

The first petition is addressed to the House of Commons and requests that Parliament not amend the Constitution as requested by the Government of Newfoundland and that it refer the problem of educational reform in that province back to the Government of Newfoundland for resolution by some other non-constitutional procedures.

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden, SK]

Madam Speaker, the second petition I am presenting on behalf of many constituents, people from Delta and Richmond, B.C. and various parts of the country, but mostly from British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

The petition concerns the wartime merchant navy which was the fourth arm of the armed services. These veterans are not now entitled to receive the war veterans allowance and they request that the House of Commons pass legislation which will enable them to receive pensions and pensionable benefits. They also ask to have post World War II university education, housing and land grant benefits, small business financial aid and veterans health care benefits.

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden, SK]

Madam Speaker, the third petition which I wish to table today on behalf of many constituents and people from Saskatchewan pertains to gas pricing.

The petitioners are very concerned about the unfair and unjustified gas price hikes and the multinational oil companies which control oil pricing in Canada. They ask that Parliament urge the Government of Canada to establish an energy pricing review commission to keep gasoline prices and the prices of other energy products in check.

Committees Of The House

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

Madam Speaker, I believe if you were to seek it there would be unanimous consent for a previous concurrence motion.

I move that the 28th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs with respect to committee membership, presented earlier this day, be now concurred in.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Earlier I denied unanimous consent for this matter to proceed.

My question to you, first, is whether this motion is debatable at this point. If not, I would like to rise on another point of order.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

Right now the Chair is seeking the unanimous consent of the House.

Is there unanimous consent?

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

No.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

There is not unanimous consent.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If the hon. member would like to know the reason I am not giving unanimous consent to this matter, it has to do with the whole question of parliamentary reform, committee assignments, the manner in which members of Parliament are appointed to committees and the manner in which members of Parliament are appointed-

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

That is a point of debate.

Questions On The Order Paper

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

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

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais)]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.