House of Commons Hansard #160 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was organized.

Topics

Parliament Of Canada ActPrivate Members' Business

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Parliament Of Canada ActPrivate Members' Business

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Bob Kilger Liberal Stormont—Dundas, ON

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if we might suspend the sitting of the House until 12 noon.

Parliament Of Canada ActPrivate Members' Business

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is there unanimous agreement to suspend the sitting until 12 noon?

Parliament Of Canada ActPrivate Members' Business

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 11.52 a.m.)

The House resumed at 12.02 p.m.

The House proceeded to the consideration of Bill C-93, an act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 18, 1997 as reported (without amendment) from the committee.

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

April 21st, 1997 / 11:50 a.m.

Saint-Henri—Westmount Québec

Liberal

Lucienne Robillard Liberalfor the Minister of Finance

moved that the bill be concurred in and read the second time.

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

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

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

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

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

Budget Implementation Act, 1997Government Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

A recorded division on the motion stands deferred until the completion of Government Orders today.

The House resumed from April 18 consideration of the motion that Bill C-95, an act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal organizations) and to amend other acts in consequence, be read the second time and referred to committee of the whole.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is the House ready for the question?

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Question.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

11:50 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

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

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

11:50 a.m.

Some hon. members

On division.

(Motion agreed to, bill read the second time and the House went into committee thereon, Mr. Kilgour in the chair.)

On Clause 1

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

11:50 a.m.

Reform

Jack Ramsay Reform Crowfoot, AB

Mr. Chairman, it is very important through this committee of the whole and through the questions we have prepared for the minister that we determine the constitutionality and the enforceability of this bill and whether this clause and the allied clause which it creates, that is criminal organization and criminal organization offence, are enforceable and not hollow pieces of legislation. I have some concerns about the wording of this section and perhaps the minister can respond.

The first clause refers to a criminal organization which means any group, association or body. But group, association or other body is not defined in the bill and I do not believe it is defined elsewhere in the Criminal Code. Could the minister please tell the committee what he meant by the terms group, association or other body in the bill? What did he mean when he placed these terms in the bill?

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

12:10 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Chairman, we intended the dictionary definition of group, association or other body. We did not think it was necessary to define those terms. We intend them to have their ordinary meaning. We also added "whether formally or informally organized" so we would not need membership cards or a written constitution for a group or organization to meet this definition.

We are aware from our dealings with the police and others that organized crime takes many forms in Canada. It is sometimes in the nature of what we refer to as biker gangs. Sometimes it is far less visible, white collar crime or business crime. The conclusion to which we came based on the mischief we are aiming at through this legislation is that the words group, association or other body

are sufficient to capture organized crime in the many forms in which it appears as long as the balance of the definition was satisfied as well.