House of Commons Hansard #164 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was telemarketing.
Sue Barnes LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, a report from the Canadian branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association concerning the 46th parliamentary seminar which took place March 4 to 15, 1997, in Westminster, United Kingdom.
Vic Althouse NDP Mackenzie, SK
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-439, an act respecting the measurement of economic activity by criteria that reflect resource consumption and environmental stress.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is an attempt to provide for the establishment of a genuine progress indicator which would reflect the cost of all natural resources consumed and the environmental debt incurred during the process of production, to give a more realistic measure of real progress.
It would also require that whenever a change in the gross domestic product is cited in official documents, the genuine progress indicator or change therein must also be cited.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Ronald J. Duhamel Liberal St. Boniface, MB
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-440, an act to vacate the conviction of Louis Riel.
Mr. Speaker, this bill, entitled an act to vacate the conviction of Louis Riel, has two purposes.
First, this bill would vacate the conviction of Louis Riel. Second, it would recognize Mr. Riel as a father of Confederation, a point that I have made in the House of Commons in addressing a government motion of 1992.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Len Hopkins Liberal Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-441, an act respecting the territorial integrity of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this enactment is to affirm Canada's sovereign indivisibility and to preserve its territorial integrity.
The Constitution of Canada formed a federal state that is one and indivisible because this best serves the interests of all Canadians. It would secure the reputation that Canada now enjoys in the world community as a nation in which two founding cultures and other diverse elements have already demonstrated an ability to live and work together for the common good within a strong and united federation, Canada.
It is based on the fact that there is no provision in the Constitution for the withdrawal from the federation of a province or territory, that the federation may not be deprived of any part of the territory of Canada except with its consent by due process of constitutional amendment, and that no province or territory may unilaterally withdraw from the federation.
No province or territory shall either unilaterally or in conjunction with any other province or territory attempt to or declare its intention to secede from the federation and form a separate state. Canada is constitutionally sovereign and indivisible and extends fairness to all cultures in all parts of this nation.
No province or territory shall initiate, authorize, sponsor or permit a referendum to be held on any question purporting to seek a mandate for the withdrawal or indeed the intent of withdrawing of that province or territory from the federation without the federation's consent.
I present this for the consideration of the House.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-442, an act to amend the National Capital Act.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present this bill to the House. Our government was elected and has continued to pursue a policy of open consultative government.
The National Capital Commission established under the National Capital Act has as its purpose to develop a capital that is a source of pride and a force of unity for all Canadians. In the process of doing that, it interacts very strongly with local governments and has, in its decisions, a very strong impact on the local community.
This bill calls for amendments to the National Capital Act to require, under certain circumstances and with certain limitations, that the National Capital Commission hold its meetings in public and consult with the public in making its decisions.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-443, an act to amend the Criminal Code (definition of child).
Mr. Speaker, this will be part of a series of bills that I have introduced. The purpose of it is to make this legislation in conformity with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This will ensure that a family is responsible for a child until the age of 18.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-444, an act to amend the Canadian Bill of Rights (right to housing).
Canadian Bill Of RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
This proposed bill does not have the requisite amount of notice and therefore it will require unanimous consent for the hon. member to proceed with it.
Is there unanimous consent?
Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, this bill will amend the bill of rights to ensure it includes the right of an individual to proper housing at a reasonable cost and free from unreasonable barriers.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Canadian Bill Of RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
The next bill also requires the unanimous consent of the House because of lack of notice. Is there unanimous consent?
Canadian Bill Of RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
There is another bill in the same situation. Is there unanimous consent?
Canadian Bill Of RightsRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
There is one last bill by the member for Ottawa Centre in the same situation. Is there unanimous consent?
Bob Kilger Liberal Stormont—Dundas, ON
Mr. Speaker, there have been some discussions among the parties for the following motion. I move:
During this session of Parliament, whenever the House stands adjourned, if a bill or bills are awaiting royal assent, the Speaker may, at the request of the government, give notice that the House shall meet at a specified time for the purposes of royal assent. The House shall meet at the specified time for those purposes only; and immediately thereafter the Speaker shall adjourn the House to the time to which it had formerly been adjourned. In the event of the Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Chairman of Committees or the Assistant Deputy Chairman of Committees shall act in the Speaker's stead for all purposes of this order.
(Motion agreed to.)
Len Hopkins Liberal Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition here from petitioners from Palmer Rapids, Barry's Bay, Round Lake Centre, Combermere and Killaloe, Ontario.
They are asking that we request the federal government to immediately rescind section 55.2(4) of the Patent Act, thus freeing up millions of dollars in savings.
John Richardson Liberal Perth—Wellington—Waterloo, ON
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents I present a petition which requests that the House of Commons enact legislation to amend existing legislation defining a marriage as the voluntary union for life of one woman and one man to each other, to the exclusion of all others.
Ian McClelland Reform Edmonton Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting three petitions.
The first is from a group of 75 petitioners from the Edmonton area asking the federal government to remove taxation on the GST and in doing so fulfil a pre-election promise of the Prime Minister.
Ian McClelland Reform Edmonton Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, the other two petitions of over 600 signatories from primarily in the Edmonton area ask that the Parliament of Canada ensure that those who would murder their spouse and then claim provocation as a defence be denied the right to use provocation as a defence in the case of family violence and family murder.
This is of significance to the whole country but is of particular importance to the Edmonton area as a result of a particularly egregious situation there.
Dave Chatters Reform Athabasca, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present today.
The first is from residents of my riding of Athabasca. The petitioners ask Parliament to reconsider and repeal the provocation defence in the Criminal Code. My constituents do not feel that any provocation is sufficient provocation to take another person's life.
Dave Chatters Reform Athabasca, AB
The other two petitions, Mr. Speaker, I present on behalf of my colleague and seat mate from Yorkton-Melville.
The petitioners urge Parliament to remove the GST from books, including the Bible, magazines and newspapers.
Dave Chatters Reform Athabasca, AB
The other petition, Mr. Speaker, is signed by Canadians who are concerned that the government has used the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to create legislation, programs and bureaucracy which undermine the fundamental rights and freedoms of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.
Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, this is a petition that has been signed by over 2,000 residents who are calling on the House of Commons to ask the government not to proceed with the site for radioactive disposal at Chalk River.
Most of these residents are in or around Renfrew county. They are asking that this petition be presented on their behalf.