House of Commons Hansard #49 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was debt.
Board Of Internal EconomyRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
I have the honour to inform the House that the following member has been appointed member of the board of internal economy for the purposes and under the provisions of an act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act, Chapter 32, Statutes of Canada, 1997: the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.
Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the annual report on Canadian military exports for the year 1996.
It is important to point out that in the interests of providing more meaningful information and greater transparency we have considerably expanded the amount of information about the nature of the goods exported.
I think members of Parliament will find now that it is a much more complete examination of the military exports of Canada.
Walt Lastewka LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Canadian Tourism Commission's annual report for 1996-97 entitled “Industry Led, Market Driven”.
Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to seven petitions.
Carolyn Parrish Liberal Mississauga Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the second report of the Canadian-NATO Parliamentary Association which represented Canada at the 43rd annual session of the North Atlantic Assembly of NATO Parliamentarians held in Bucharest, Romania October 9 to 13, 1997.
Bryon Wilfert Liberal Oak Ridges, ON
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the eighth annual meeting between the Canada-Japan interparliamentary group and the Japan-Canada parliamentarians friendship league.
The meeting and visit took place between November 8 and 16, 1997. The Canadian delegation was honoured to receive the largest number of Diet members to have ever attended bilateral talks.
Japan is undergoing changes to its economy, institution and society which will be felt worldwide. We must not neglect the fact that Japan is our second largest trading partner next to the United States. Meetings and visits such as these allow parliamentarians from both countries to keep abreast of such developments.
I wish to thank my colleagues on the delegation for the exceptional bilateral talks and a very productive visit. I would also like to note the professionalism and dedication of our Canadian embassy officials.
John Williams Reform St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the third report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
It deals with Human Resources Development Canada, “A Critical Transition Toward Result Based Management”, including the committee's recommendations to improve the same.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee is asking the government to table a comprehensive response to the report.
Mr. Speaker, I also have the honour to present the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
It deals with Transport Canada, the commercialization of the air navigation system and the problems that the committee investigated regarding the privatization of NavCan and its recommendations thereon.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee is asking the government to table a comprehensive response to the report.
Reg Alcock Liberal Winnipeg South, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, a report entitled “Ensuring Access—Assistance for Post-Secondary Students”.
Guy St-Julien Liberal Abitibi, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
The committee has considered Bill C-6, an Act to provide for an integrated system of land and water management in the Mackenzie Valley, to establish certain boards for that purpose and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, and has agreed to report it with amendments.
In closing, it is an honour for me to express my thanks to all those witnesses who came here to Ottawa, as well as all those who travelled to Yellowknife or Inuvik to take part in the videoconferences. I also wish to thank all the committee members for their work, as well as our excellent clerk, Ms. Fisher, our researchers and the support team.
Bob Speller Liberal Haldimand—Norfolk—Brant, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House today the report of the Subcommittee on International Trade, Trade Disputes and Investment entitled “A Study of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment”.
The government, knowing how important this agreement is to Canadians, asked our committee to hold hearings and to bring Canadians from across the country to Ottawa to hear their points of view on the MAI.
Our committee endeavoured to do this. A number of experts and spokespersons of national organizations came before the committee and let the committee know their views on this very important international agreement.
Our committee was informed about the advantages and the disadvantages of an MAI. We were presented with a wide range of views, as members can imagine, on these.
I hope all Canadians will read this report and learn of the issues involved in the MAI. We have provided a number of recommendations for our government to take into consideration for when negotiations begin again in January. I have great confidence that they will listen to the views of the subcommittee on international trade.
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-303, an act to amend the Expropriation Act (disposal of expropriated lands).
Mr. Speaker, this bill essentially is quite simple. It would have, for effect, that whenever the crown has acquired land through expropriation and it then proceeds to resell this land, this act, if enacted, would demand that the crown give to the original owner a right of first refusal to match the best offer received by the crown. This is common practice in many provinces.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
An Act For The Recognition And Protection Of Human Rights And Fundamental FreedomsRoutine Proceedings
Reform
Garry Breitkreuz Reform Yorkton—Melville, SK
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-304, an act to amend an act for the recognition and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and to amend the Constitution Act, 1867.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Lethbridge for seconding my bill which would guarantee everyone's right to the enjoyment of property in all federal law.
I would like to thank my independent legislative counsel for her hard work, dedication and expert legal advice in drafting such an important piece of legislation for consideration in this House.
My property rights bill amends the Canadian bill of rights and adds two new sections to the Constitution Act of 1867, thereby strengthening property rights in federal law.
If passed, my bill would specifically guarantee that every person has, first, the right to the enjoyment of their property; second, the right not to be deprived of their property unless they are given a fair hearing, paid fair, timely and impartially fixed compensation; third, the right to appeal to the courts if their property rights have been infringed upon or denied, and every person's property rights would be guaranteed in every law in Canada, unless it is expressly declared that the act shall operate notwithstanding the Canadian bill of rights and adoption of a declaration of notwithstanding would require the votes of at least two-thirds of the members of the House of Commons.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise to seek unanimous consent to introduce the following motion:
That, in the opinion of this House, the government should renew its commitment to draft a victims bill of rights and initiate consultations with the provinces in areas of provincial concern aimed at arriving at a national standard for a victims bill of rights.
Victims Bill Of RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
Is there unanimous consent to present this motion?
Victims Bill Of RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
There is not unanimous consent.
Jean Augustine Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am asking for unanimous consent for a motion. I move:
That, in the opinion of this House, the government should consider the request of the Famous Five Foundation to honour the memory of Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards, known as the Famous Five, by allowing a statue commemorating them to be placed on Parliament Hill.
Famous FiveRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?
John Nunziata Independent York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order.
While the motion presented by the hon. member would appear to have considerable merit, it seems to me that the motion is deserving of some debate and discussion in the House.
Famous FiveRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
That does not sound like a point of order to me. The motion may be one which is deserving of debate in the House and, if so, there are avenues where the hon. member could move the motion. However, there is not unanimous consent at this time to put the motion and accordingly there is no possibility at this stage for debate.
Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the motion can only be debated if it is put. In fact, the member has declined to give consent for the motion to be put, so it cannot—
Famous FiveRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
The member is stating what I think I just stated. There is no consent to put the motion, therefore, there can be no debate.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, following consultation on all sides of the House, I would seek the unanimous consent of the House to put the following motion with the support of members of the Liberal Party, the Reform Party, the Bloc Quebecois and the Conservative Party. I move:
That, in the opinion of this House, the government should renew its commitment to British pensioners living in Canada and vigorously pursue an agreement with the Government of the United Kingdom to provide them with pensions fully indexed to the cost of living.