House of Commons Hansard #131 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was business.
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment.
Yesterday, we learned that, following Bill C-14, the government now intends to use a national strategy to meddle in the area of drinking water, a matter of provincial jurisdiction.
When will the minister honour the Constitution and acknowledge that drinking water is a natural resource and therefore a provincial matter?
Christine Stewart LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is concerned about the export of bulk fresh water. We do permit for the export of bottled drinking water. That occurs with great frequency right now.
However, the issue of the export of bulk fresh water is of concern to the federal government. It is a national issue. Individual provinces do have some authority but it is in the area of a national issue as well.
John Solomon NDP Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of agriculture.
European countries and the American government are providing substantial farm aid programs for their farmers and their farm families.
Will the minister of agriculture support early next week a debate on the looming farm crisis, the agriculture crisis in this country? Will he support such a debate?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I am engaged in that debate every day and if the hon. member, now that he has an interest in it, wishes to participate in that debate I would welcome his contribution at any time.
André Bachand Progressive Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, new allegations are pointing to the involvement of the Prime Minister and his cabinet in the Airbus affair.
A few words suffice to describe the Airbus and the APEC affairs: misuse of political power.
Is the Prime Minister aware, yes or no, of the RCMP investigation prior to November 18, 1995 and does he continue to deny having conversations with his Minister of Justice about the Airbus affair?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Mulroney's response, as expressed through his lawyer, is clear. When they signed the document—
When the minutes of settlement were signed in Mr. Mulroney's lawsuit, it says very clearly the parties accept that the RCMP on its own initiated the Airbus investigation. This was signed on behalf of Mr. Mulroney. Certainly if he was willing to have this signed, this should answer the matter.
Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
Pursuant to Standing Order 34 I have the honour to present to the House in both official languages the report of the parliamentary delegation that visited Germany from June 21 to 28, 1998.
Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 38th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership and the associate membership of some standing committees of the House.
If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 38th report later this day.
Nelson Riis NDP Kamloops, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-437, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to introduce this bill today. This bill has to do with people in Canada 16 and 17 years old who are not able to vote in national elections. At age 16 people can join the armed forces, drive vehicles, participate in party conventions to select leaders of political parties and participate in the development of policy.
In countries where the voting age is 16, I am pleased to say that the participation rate is exceedingly high. This tells us that given the opportunity, young people will participate in the political process even more than their parents.
This private members' bill is an effort to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 years for national elections.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, I move that the 38th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House earlier this day be concurred in.
(Motion agreed to)
Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have a few petitions.
The first one is signed by hundreds of people from my riding. It calls upon parliament to end the discrimination against adopted children by reinstating the adoptive parents benefit that was eliminated in 1991, thereby equalizing the benefits received by biological and adoptive parents.
Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, the second petition, again signed by hundreds of people from my riding of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, calls upon parliament to enact legislation to repeal the Young Offenders Act and replace it with an act that will provide adequate penalties to protect society and at the same time to work with the provinces to implement prevention programs such as a national head start program and address the root causes of crime.
Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have another petition again signed by hundreds of people from my riding of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca and elsewhere in British Columbia.
The petition calls upon parliament to enact legislation to implement in conjunction with the provinces a national head start program for parents and children that would concentrate on the critical childhood formative years and give children the necessary building blocks to become responsible productive adults. This national initiative would focus on preventing crime and reducing socially unacceptable behaviour in society and I concur.
PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca is an experienced member. He knows he is not to express his concurrence or otherwise in respect to petitions he presents but to give a brief summary. I know it is useful to remind hon. members of the rules once in awhile and perhaps over the summer he forgot.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions. The first has to do with our police officers and firefighters. It is signed by a number of Canadians, including some from my own riding of Mississauga South.
The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that police officers and firefighters are required to place their lives at risk on a daily basis as they discharge their duties. Often the employment benefits they have do not provide sufficient compensation to their families when one of them loses their life in the line of duty. Further, the public also mourns the loss of our police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty and they wish to support their surviving families in a tangible way in their time of need.
The petitioners therefore ask parliament to consider establishing a public safety officers compensation fund for the benefit of families of public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
The second petition, Mr. Speaker, has to do with health warning labels on the containers of alcoholic beverages.
The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that the consumption of alcoholic beverages may cause health problems. Specifically, fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol related birth defects are 100% preventable by avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Further, consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs one's ability to operate machinery or automobile equipment.
The petitioners therefore call upon parliament to require health warning labels to be placed on the containers of alcoholic products to warn expectant mothers and others of the risks associated with alcohol consumption.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, the final petition is on the issue of human rights.
The petitioners, in this year marking the 50th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, would like to draw to the attention of the House that Canada is internationally recognized as a leader in promoting human rights around the world and that human rights abuses tragically continue in many countries around the world, including Indonesia.
The petitioners therefore call upon parliament on behalf of the Government of Canada to appeal for action by leaders of countries where human rights are not being protected and to seek to bring to justice those responsible for the violation of internationally recognized universal human rights.
Brent St. Denis Liberal Algoma—Manitoulin, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from several dozen constituents of mine from Elliot Lake. They request that parliament support a motion concerning the rights of parents vis-à-vis the rights of the child and that all such matters take into consideration all members of the family.
Mauril Bélanger LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
Bob Kilger Liberal Stormont—Dundas, ON
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among all the parties and I believe you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:
That the Standing Committee on Finance be allowed to travel across Canada, from October 4 to November 10, 1998, in relation to its prebudget consultations and its consultations on the recommendations of the Task Force Report on the Future of the Canadian Financial Services Sector and that the necessary staff do accompany the committee.
If I might, I would like to add a brief explanation to the working schedule of the committee as it was understood by agreement by the whips of all parties.
The committee will table a final report in early December on the pre-budgetary consultations, at the same time as a preliminary report on its examination of what is commonly known as the MacKay report.
That examination will continue throughout February 1999, with hearings to be held here in Ottawa. A final report on the MacKay report will then be prepared for tabling in March 1999.
I thank my colleagues, the whips of all parties, for their co-operation in this matter.
Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
Does the chief government whip have the unanimous consent to propose the motion?
Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?