Debates of Dec. 4th, 1998

Prisons

[Jacques Saada, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the inmate in question was transferred because he threatened other inmates. He was therefore moved from a minimum to a maximum security institution.

There are only three inmates in Canada who are not allowed to speak to the media, two of them being Mr. Olson and Mr. Bernardo. Would the opposition want them to be able to speak to the media?

The Environment

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for the second time since 1996, the auditor general concludes in a report that the federal government still does not have a complete picture of the various environmental hazards posed by the 5,000 contaminated federal sites.

What is the Minister of the Environment waiting for to adopt a comprehensive environmental policy to remedy this serious problem?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, this government has a very comprehensive environmental policy that takes into account the concerns of the hon. member. Certainly I will draw her particular concerns to the minister's attention when she returns to the House on Monday.

Poverty

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister crows about the government's care of the poor but the UN committee knows the real story and has slammed the government for an unconscionable level of poverty and homelessness and for the living conditions of aboriginal people. It also slams Canada for its evasiveness. Rather than boasting about what is really a terrible record, is the Deputy Prime Minister proud of the fact that Canada will be the first wealthy nation to violate this important international covenant?

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the government appreciates the research work of the United Nations and we are anxious to read the details of this latest report. But I must point out to the House that the figures on which this report was based were collected prior to 1995.

We have always been very concerned about poverty and that is why we have committed $1.7 billion by 2000 to the national child benefit.

We believe the real solution to poverty is finding people paid work. That is why we are very proud that 1.5 million new jobs have been created since 1993 and especially proud that last month alone 103,000 new jobs were created.

Young Offenders

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last spring, the Minister of Justice announced that her government would be introducing a new young offenders bill.

Winter is now at our door, but the minister has not delivered on her promise. Canadians from coast to coast are sick and tired of waiting.

When will the minister act on her promise to introduce the legislation this country so badly needs?

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I will answer in French, seeing that the question was put to me in French.

We did respond in the House to the report of the Standing Committee on Justice, and the minister will be introducing a new young offenders bill during the next session, whenever it opens.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot I know is a servant of the House. We may have our differences but I know the hon. member respects parliamentary traditions. When I asked the hon. member to withdraw the remark he did so forthwith.

I moved directly to the member for Halifax because in my opinion, and this is the right of the Chair, it was the right thing to do to maintain order in the House. It meant that the hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot lost his supplementary question. That is just the way it is.

The fact is we will not allow the House to descend into something of which we are not proud.

Points Of Order

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in response to a question I asked, the Minister of Natural Resources referred to an agreement that was signed between Canada and the United States and read from that agreement. I would ask that the agreement be now tabled in the House.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

If a minister or a parliamentary secretary reads verbatim from a specific report, that is the custom.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, I will be obtaining later today the formal text as signed. I was referring to the notes but they include the specific language that I referred to. I would be happy to present the formal document as soon as it is available, which I presume will be in the next hour.

[Darrel Stinson, Reform, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like some clarification. I was under the assumption, as were many people, that the minister was quoting from the document.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

That has already been dealt with.

Government Response To Petitions

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 13 petitions.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, which took part in a meeting of the Council of Europe held in Strasbourg, from September 21 to 25, 1998.

Committees Of The House

[John Bryden, Liberal, Wentworth—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Pursuant to its order of reference of Tuesday, December 1, 1998, the committee has considered Bill C-49, an act providing for the ratification and the bringing into effect of the framework agreement on first nation land management, and has agreed to report it with one amendment.

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Vaughan—King—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eleventh report of the Standing Committee on Finance on prebudget consultation.

Nunavut Waters And Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-62, an act respecting the water resources of Nunavut and the Nunavut surface rights tribunal and to make consequential amendments to other acts.

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

[Bob Kilger, Liberal, Stormont—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been discussions with representatives of all the parties. I seek unanimous consent that the following bills, moved by me and seconded by the hon. member for Argenteuil—Papineau, be deemed adopted at all stages without debate or amendment: Bill C-445 in my name, an act to change the name of the electoral district of Stormont—Dundas, and standing in the list of items outside the order of precedence; a bill in the name of Mr. Stoffer, Sackville—Eastern Shore, an act to change the name of the electoral district of Sackville—Eastern Shore, and standing on the order paper under the heading introduction of private members' bills, item No. 20; a bill in the name of Mr. Dumas, an act to change the name of the electoral district of Argenteuil—Papineau, which has not been on the order paper.

[Ken Epp, Reform, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have to admit it may be a breakdown in our party but I am not aware of this and I would have to decline that unanimous consent until we know something. It can be done again later if it is on the fair and square.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

I had not asked for unanimous consent. With the consent of the House we will come back to this in a few minutes.

Petitions

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition that expresses concern about refugees being left in limbo after they have been declared convention refugees.

The petition signed by 280 Canadians calls on the government to ensure that refugees are not forced to wait more than two years for landed status.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition from 161 people. Basically they are requesting the government follow the recommendations of the Krever report and to compensate those people who contacted hepatitis C outside the timeframe of 1986 to 1990.

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today on behalf of several members of the Olds community in my riding of Wild Rose.

The petitioners pray that parliament enact legislation such as Bill C-225 in order to define in statute that a marriage can only be entered into by a single male and single female.

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by many constituents in Ontario who are asking that parliament amend the Divorce Act to include a provision as supported in Bill C-340 regarding the right of grandparents to have access to or custody of the children.