Debates of Dec. 10th, 1997

Income Tax Amendments Act, 1997

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, for the Minister of Finance]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-28, an act to amend the Income Tax Act, the Income Tax Application Rules, the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Canada Pension Plan, the Children's Special Allowances Act, the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the Cultural Property Export and Import Act, the Customs Act, the Customs Tariff, the Employment Insurance Act, the Excise Tax Act, the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, the Income Tax Conventions Interpretation Act, the Old Age Security Act, the Tax Court of Canada Act, the Tax Rebate Discounting Act, the Unemployment Insurance Act, the Western Grain Transition Payments Act and certain Acts related to the Income Tax Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Credit Card Interest Limitation Act

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-301, an act to provide for the limitation of interest rates in relation to credit cards issued by financial institutions, companies engaged in retail trade and petroleum companies.

—Mr. Speaker, it will be remembered that about a year ago, during the 35th Parliament, many members in this House had called upon the banks and large department stores to be reasonable with the interest rates they charge to people holding their credit cards.

We all know that this initiative by private members yielded results and that credit cards with reduced rates were made available. However, over 90% of credit card holders are still burden with excessive interest rates.

As members, we must continue our initiatives, and I invite all members in this House—the Bloc Quebecois members are already behind me on this—to take action in order to bring the banks to be reasonable with consumers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Fishers' Bill Of Rights

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-302, an act to establish the rights of fishers including the right to be involved in the process of fisheries stock assessment, fish conservation, setting of fishing quotas, fishing licensing and the public right to fish and establish the right of fishers to be informed of decisions affecting fishing as a livelihood in advance and the right to compensation if other rights are abrogated unfairly.

Mr. Speaker it is a pleasure to introduce this bill. It will be seconded by the member for West Nova.

This is an act which will be commonly referred to as a fishermen's bill of rights or to be more politically correct, a fisher's bill of rights. It is an act to establish the rights of fishers including the right to be involved in the process of fisheries stock assessment, fish conservation, setting of fishing quotas, fishing licensing and the public right to fish and establish the right of fishers to be informed of decisions affecting fishing as a livelihood in advance and the right to compensation if other rights are abrogated unfairly.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Committees Of The House

[Marlene Catterall, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if with the House's consent, I move that the 17th Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, tabled earlier this day in the House, be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Does the hon. member have unanimous consent to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

On division.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I declare the motion carried, on division.

(Motion agreed to)

Petitions

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a pleasure to stand pursuant to Standing Order 36 to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Vavenby, Clearwater, Birch Island, Avola, Blue River, Barriere, Little Fort, Heffley Creek and Louis Creek in the great province of British Columbia.

The petitioners point out that the majority of Canadians are law-abiding citizens. They say that the majority of Canadians respect the sanctity of human life. They say that the majority of Canadians believe that physicians in Canada should be working to save lives and not to end them.

The petitioners are calling upon Parliament to ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no change in the law which would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide, or active or passive euthanasia.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

This is another petition, Mr. Speaker. The petitioners reside throughout British Columbia. There is a very long preamble but they basically suggest that the tax system is messed up and urge the Government of Canada through Parliament to undertake a fair tax review to ensure that the tax system is both fair and equitable.

[Susan Whelan, Liberal, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table these petitions before me signed by over 40,000 Canadians, including many from my riding of Essex and the city of Windsor.

These petitioners are concerned that due to the Ontario court of appeal ruling, incidents of topless women are occurring in our public parks, schools and streets. They ask that the Criminal Code of Canada be reviewed and amended to correct and clarify the sections pertaining to public nudity so as to restrict or abolish the exposure of female breasts in public.

The Coalition Against Toplessness is a national organization based in Windsor. It has co-ordinated over 800 groups from coast to coast and individuals from across Canada in an effort to reverse the decision which allows toplessness in public places. The petitioners would like this decision reversed as quickly as possible.

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition, which concerns the train stations in Lévis and Charny and which has been signed by 551 people.

This petition reads as follows “We would like VIA Rail to continue to use the Lévis intermodal train station and also the Montmagny subdivision trunk line between Harlaka and Saint-Romuald for the operation of the Chaleur and Ocean trains”.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure today to present a petition signed by 1,106 people from Toronto and surrounding area.

The individuals who are Korean Canadians do not want the Canadian government to support Japan in its effort to gain a seat on the UN Security Council and feel that it should be morally disqualified for such a position.

Therefore, the petitioners request that Japan should make an official apology about the grave violation of international human rights and pay official government compensation to the victims who were sent to the war zone as sex slaves.

[Sophia Leung, Liberal, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from British Columbians. They ask that Parliament support the immediate initiation and a conclusion by the year 2000 of an international convention which will set out a binding timetable for the abolition of all nuclear weapons. This petition has been signed by over 47 citizens.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, it is my pleasure to present a petition on behalf of my constituents as well as residents living in Prince Albert, Spruce Home and the communities of Old Perlican, Sibleys Cove and Red Head Cove.

The petitioners are concerned about the trend of corporate taxes declining and individual taxes increasing in respect of the federal share. They are also very concerned about the harmonized sales tax proposals of the Liberal government.

They are asking Parliament not to proceed with the Liberal HST scheme or any other plan to further reduce the remaining corporate taxes at the expense of the middle class working individuals and families. They are also asking the government to undertake a fairer tax reform so that personal consumers do not suffer even more financial insecurity and unfair costs at this time.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Paul Devillers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, today, we will be answering Question No. 30. .[Text]

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

What was the amount of federal spending on procurement of goods and services for each of the years from fiscal year 1980-81 to fiscal 1996-97, and what was the amount and the proportion of such expenditures in each of those years on single source or non-competitive contracts?

[Ovid Jackson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to President of Treasury Board]

In March 1990, the Treasury Board approved a decision to institute a reporting requirement for contracts issued by department and agencies. The Treasury Board has no data prior to that year. In 1995 the Treasury Board approved a change in reporting from a fiscal year basis to a calendar year. The latest report available is the 1995 contracting report. The following is a breakdown of the value of the federal government's commitments to contracts for goods, services and construction:

FY 1991-92—$8.9 billion FY 1992-93—$9.8 billion FY 1993-94—$9.1 billion FY 1994-95—$8.6 billion CY 1995—$9.4 billion

The amount and proportion of such expenditures in each of these years on non-competitve contracts was:

FY 1991-92—$3.5 billion or 39% non-competitive FY 1992-93—$4.6 billion or 46% non-competitive FY 1993-94—$3.3 billion or 36% non-competitive FY 1994-95—$3 billion or 34% non-competitive CY 1995—$2.5 billion or 35% non-competitive

[Paul Devillers, Liberal, Simcoe North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I suggest that all the other questions be allowed to stand.

[Gilles Bernier, Progressive Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House because it has been a number of weeks since I placed two questions concerning helicopters on the Order Paper. I would like to know when the government intends to answer them. I know the House will adjourn tomorrow. If I do not get an answer by tomorrow will the questions be brought back to Parliament after the Christmas break?

[Paul Devillers, Liberal, Simcoe North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to take that under advisement and review it with the House leadership and then respond to the hon. member.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I can advise the hon. member that his questions will remain on the Order Paper unless there is a prorogation of the House between now and when we next sit again.

Shall the questions stand, as suggested by the parliamentary secretary?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Motions For Papers

[Paul Devillers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers be allowed to stand.