House of Commons Hansard #4 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was trade.

Topics

Order In Council AppointmentsRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Peterborough Ontario

Liberal

Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a number of order in council appointments which were made by the government.

Canada Elections ActRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Peterborough Ontario

Liberal

Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with section 3(32) of the Canada Elections Act, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of a form prescribed by the Chief Electoral Officer, pursuant to subsection 46(1) of the act.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ActRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Willowdale Ontario

Liberal

Jim Peterson Liberalfor the Minister of Finance

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-2, an act to establish the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and to amend the Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts.

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

Dna Identification ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Fredericton New Brunswick

Liberal

Andy Scott LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-3, an act respecting DNA identification and to make consequential amendments to the Criminal Code and other acts.

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

Dna Identification ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Andy Scott Liberal Fredericton, NB

Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that it is the government's intention to propose that this bill be referred to committee before second reading, pursuant to Standing Order 73(1).

Canadian Wheat Board ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley Liberalfor the Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-4, an act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts.

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

Canada Cooperatives ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-5, an act respecting co-operatives.

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

Parliament Of Canada ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Eugène Bellemare Liberal Carleton—Gloucester, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-201, an act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (oath or solemn affirmation).

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to introduce a bill to amend the Parliament of Canada Act concerning the solemn affirmation.

Presently members of Parliament swear allegiance exclusively to the Queen. I now present a private member's bill that would require the newly elected MPs when they are elected to swear allegiance to Canada and the Constitution as well as swearing allegiance to the Queen.

I would like to thank all those members who read my proposed amendment, as I did, at the swearing-in ceremony.

Parliament Of Canada ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I am sorry but I did not see the hon. member for Abitibi second the motion when I read it.

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

Canada Health ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Pierrefonds—Dollard Québec

Liberal

Bernard Patry LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-202, an act to amend the Canada Health Act (nutrition services).

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to introduce a bill to amend the Canada Health Act concerning nutrition services.

The purpose of this bill is to include the terms “nutrition services” in the definition of “insured health services” within the present Canada Health Act.

Nutrition is an essential component of an individual's health. We know that Canadian dieticians are the only health professionals with the proper training and skills to assess a person's nutritional health. Moreover, the Canadian government recognizes them as a key resource in drawing up health policies such as Canada's Food Guide, which provides guidelines for a healthy diet.

I therefore believe that it is important, both for the public and for the professional association of dieticians, that they be officially recognized and integrated into the Canada Health Act.

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

Agreement On Internal Trade Implementation ActRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Reform

Leon Benoit Reform Lakeland, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-203, an act to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to introduce my private member's bill, an act to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act.

The agreement on internal trade, which was signed nearly three years ago, was a start. However, it has not been completed. The main obstacle to completion has been the term consensus which was used by the negotiating committee comprising of cabinet, representatives from the federal, provincial and territorial governments.

This committee has interpreted consensus to mean unanimity. Therefore, any one government, regardless of the population it represents, can impede the progress of the agreement and of the Canadian economic union. This is what has happened many times.

My bill will allow the federal government to use its constitutional responsibility under sections 91 and 121 of the Canadian Constitution to complete sections of the agreement on internal trade.

It is important to note that this action will only be taken in situations where a co-operative agreement between the provinces has been sought and has not been reached. This proposed approval formula will require the agreement of at least two-thirds of the provinces that have at least 50 percent of the Canadian population. This provision will facilitate the removal of internal trade barriers and present growth opportunities to Canadian businesses which previously have been restricted by these interprovincial trade barriers.

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

Cultural Grants Acknowledgement ActRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Reform

Jim Abbott Reform Kootenay—Columbia, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-204, an act to require that in the advertising and at the opening of a cultural project supported by public money a public acknowledgement of the grant be made.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals speak quite frequently of protecting Canada's culture which is a very noble cause I am sure. They speak of it in terms of motherhood and apple pie.

The difficulty is that many times Canadians are appalled at the choices they make or the people who they assign to make the choices of the projects. Furthermore, there seems to be a lack of accountability of those dollars.

The purpose of this bill is to raise awareness of Canadians to the choices that the appointees of the Liberals are making. Second, it will give some acknowledgement to the long suffering taxpayer.

On the positive, it is my contention in this bill that when the decision-makers are aware that their choices are going to be made public they will be making more responsible choices.

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

User Fee ActRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Reform

Monte Solberg Reform Medicine Hat, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-205, an act to provide for parliamentary scrutiny and approval of user fees set by federal authority and to require public disclosure of the amount collected as user fees.

Mr. Speaker, this is a bill to provide for parliamentary scrutiny and approval of user fees set by federal authority and to require public disclosure of the amount collected as user fees.

In the 1993 auditor general's report the AG said: “We are concerned that Parliament cannot readily scrutinize the user fees established by contracts and other non-regulatory means. There does not exist a government wide summary of the fees being charged, the revenues raised and the authorities under which they are established”.

The design of this bill is to ensure that there is scrutiny and that we get a handle on the fact that revenues from user fees have doubled in the last 10 years under Liberal and Tory governments, something that should concern all Canadians.

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

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Reform

Philip Mayfield Reform Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today in the House of Commons to present a petition signed by members of my constituency who are residents of several communities, Williams Lake, Horsefly, McLeese Lake, Tatla Lake and Lac La Hache.

My constituents call on Parliament to urge the governor general to appoint a duly elected person to the forthcoming vacant British Columbia seat in the Senate of Canada.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Reform

Darrel Stinson Reform Okanagan—Shuswap, BC

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition from leasees of Indian Point subdivision on Adams Lake in my riding.

Most of these people are senior citizens who retired to homes on land they are leasing from the Adams Lake Indian Band. They are listing many grievances against the crown, including having to surrender their homes without compensation when their current lease ends in the year 2010.

The petitioners pray that the House of Commons will urge the federal government to compensate them. I strongly urge this government to grant their request.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Liberal

Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present a petition signed by 396 people from the riding of Bruce—Grey and area.

Prompted by the events in Cambridge, Ontario the petitioners wish to draw to the attention of the Parliament the issue of nudity in public places. They call on Parliament to clarify and reinforce the relevant sections of the Criminal Code that prohibit indecent exposure and nudity in public places.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Liberal

Eugène Bellemare Liberal Carleton—Gloucester, ON

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition signed by 25 constituents in Carleton—Gloucester.

The undersigned call upon Parliament not to proceed with an increase in the federal tax on gas.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Liberal

Eugène Bellemare Liberal Carleton—Gloucester, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition. Pursuant to Standing Order 36, allow me to present to the House a petition signed by 25 petitioners of Carleton—Gloucester.

The petitioners ask that Parliament amend the Criminal Code to ensure that the sentence given to anyone convicted of causing death while driving impaired carries a minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of fourteen years.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Reform

Lee Morrison Reform Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to table today. The first one is from a group of residents of my riding of Cypress Hills—Grasslands who are petitioning Parliament to ensure that section 43 of Canada's criminal code is retained in its present form so that parents will still have their existing right to discipline their children in a reasonable manner as they see fit.

I have two petitions to present which are identical in form and content also from residents of my riding.

They wish to draw the attention of the House to the fact that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, even though not officially ratified by all provinces, has ramifications that if the convention is fully ratified and implemented in Canada, bureaucrats and the courts will be legally required to determine what is the best interests of the child, not the parents; that by ratifying the convention Canada—

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Order. The rules say the hon. member cannot read the petition. He may only summarize the petition in his remarks. I would invite him to stick to the rules in this regard and give us a summary of the petition rather than read the entire petition to the House.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Reform

Lee Morrison Reform Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK

They request that Parliament support Motion No. 300 which states that in the opinion of the House the government should authorized a proclamation to be issued by the governor general amending section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to recognize the fundamental rights of individuals to pursue family life free from undue interference by the state and to recognize the fundamental rights and responsibility of parents to direct the upbringing of their children and urge the legislative assemblies of other provinces to do likewise.

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Peterborough Ontario

Liberal

Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

I ask, Mr. Speaker, that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is that agreed?

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Request For Emergency DebateRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I am in receipt of a notice of motion under Standing Order 52 from the hon. member for Winnipeg—Transcona.