House of Commons Hansard #39 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was cpp.
John Williams Reform St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, I think the minister wants us to defend their tokenism as they appoint people to the Senate while thousands of people are going without and are absolutely destitute across this country. We will never support any appointment to the other House, no matter who it is. For this minister to ask that I think is out of order.
The minister is out of touch with her own department when she said yesterday that the Alexander First Nation in my constituency was a model of good management—
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see that the Reform Party has finally come to understand the reality facing aboriginal people in Canada. As I recall, in the last Parliament the former member for Capilano—Howe Sound indicated that aboriginal people in Canada were living like those on a South Seas island.
Lynn Myers Liberal Waterloo—Wellington, ON
Mr. Speaker, a recently released international survey shows that more than 40% of adult Canadians or seven million people do not have the literacy skills needed to function effectively at home or at work.
My question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development. What exactly is the federal government doing to improve the literacy of Canadians?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, my department actually supported the development of the report to better understand literacy issues in this country. The report also recognized that Canadians have the skills needed to succeed in the advanced economy but not enough.
We are doing very well. We have the strongest literacy skills in the world. However, we need to do more. In the last budget, funding to the National Literacy Secretariat was increased to $29 million to better promote literacy. I must commend our good friend, Senator Joyce Fairbairn, who does extraordinary work in promoting literacy in this country. I thank her very much.
Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
Opponents of the seal hunt seem to be fuelling the controversy by stepping up the campaign of false and biased information about how the seal hunt is conducted in eastern Quebec and the Maritimes.
Since the minister tells us that the seal hunt is well regulated and is conducted without cruelty, can he also tell the House how many hunters were charged with operating without licences?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, I do not have the exact number of charges right now, but I can obtain it for the hon. member. I would add that the seal hunt is very important to the economy of the maritime provinces and also to the province of Quebec, especially the Magdalen Islands.
Islanders and others in these areas need accurate information from the media, particularly the media in Ontario and in the major cities in Quebec. There is really a campaign based on misinformation—
Seal HuntOral Question Period
The Speaker
That will bring to a conclusion question period.
I have three points of order and I will take them in this order: I will start with the weekly Thursday question, followed by the whip of the Bloc Quebecois and followed by the leader of the Conservative Party.
Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader the regular Thursday question. I would like to know the business for the remainder of this week and the business for next week.
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I wish to make the following business statement. We will continue this afternoon with report stage of Bill C-2 respecting the Canada pension plan. Tomorrow we will—
Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am sorry the hon. member is heckling his own House leader. Perhaps we could get his attention. I know this is a wild rose day.
Tomorrow we will consider report stage and third reading of Bill C-10, the tax treaty legislation. This will be followed by report stage of Bill C-5, the co-operatives bill.
On Monday and Tuesday we hope to conclude the remaining stages of Bill C-2. On Monday we will have either report stage or third reading of Bill C-2, with the conclusion on Tuesday as the case may be depending on the stage reached this afternoon.
On Wednesday we hope to complete Bill C-5 followed by report stage of Bill C-9, the ports bill.
There are ongoing discussions among House leaders every now and then to further develop the agenda, particularly as we near the Christmas recess. I thank my colleagues, the other House leaders, for their usual co-operation.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC
Mr. Speaker, you will agree with me that the language used in the House should be conducive to maintaining an atmosphere of calm and respect for all members of the House.
During oral question period, when the Leader of the Bloc Quebecois was putting a question to the Prime Minister, the member for Bourassa used offensive and disgusting language that is not even worthy of being repeated in the House.
I ask you to request that he apologize and withdraw his remarks.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
My dear colleague, I myself did not hear the remarks. If the hon. member wishes to add anything, fine, otherwise we will let matters lie.
Jean Charest Progressive Conservative Sherbrooke, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the National Assembly of Quebec unanimously passed a resolution put forward by the MNA for Saint-François, Monique Gagnon-Tremblay.
The resolution read as follows:
That the National Assembly demand that the Federal Government not amend Federal Statute C-91, which refers to the pharmaceutical industry, in such a way that would weaken the said Statute and its rules, and this, in compliance with the international agreements reached with our commercial partners regarding the protection of intellectual property, and ascertain that Québec's pharmaceutical industry remain strong and competitive.
Following consultations with the other parties, I request the unanimous consent of the House to table this resolution here, in the House of Commons.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. member has asked for unanimous consent to move a motion. Does he have unanimous consent to put the motion?
Jim Pankiw Reform Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday during debate in the House I made a comment to which the hon. member for Lac-Saint-Louis took exception. He raised a point of order with the Speaker and indicated that the word was listed in Beauchesne's as unparliamentary.
Although the Speaker ruled to simply continue debate, out of respect for the House and the member for Lac-Saint-Louis I would like to withdraw the remark I made last Thursday.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
I thank the hon. member for his withdrawal.
Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I believe you would find unanimous consent for the following motion:
That the Standing Committee on Finance be permitted to make its report pursuant to Standing Order 83(1) on December 1, 1997.
Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
Does the hon. parliamentary secretary have unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?
Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion.