Debates of May 28th, 1998

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

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

Committees Of The House

[Walt Lastewka, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Industry which was presented to the House yesterday was the wrong document. I seek the leave of the House to present the correct ninth report at this time.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I do not believe there is any need for leave. The hon. member is entitled to present the report and we are always glad to have the correct one.

Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation And Safety Board Act

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

moved that Bill S-2, an act to amend the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and to make a consequential amendment to another act, be read the first time.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Main Estimates

[The Deputy Speaker]

The following motion in the name of the hon. the Leader of the Opposition is deemed adopted:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4)(a), consideration of Senate Vote 1 under Parliament in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1999, by the Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Government Operations, be extended beyond May 31, 1998.

(Motion deemed adopted)

Bill C-410 And Bill C-411

[Marlene Catterall, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to introduce a motion. I move:

That the bill, an act to change the name of certain electoral districts, on notice in the name of the member for Ottawa West—Nepean, and the bill, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act, on notice in the name of the member for Gander—Grand Falls, be now deemed to have been read a first time, ordered to have been printed, read a second time, referred to a committee of the whole and reported to the House without amendment, concurred in at the report stage and read the third time and passed.

I would like to provide for the assurance of the members involved the information that the act standing in my name has been amended editorially to reflect the incorrections identified by the member for Charlotte, the member for Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, the member for Kent—Essex, the member for Bruce—Grey and the member for Charleswood—Assiniboine.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Does the hon. deputy government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Deputy Speaker]

Perhaps for the benefit of the House the member might explain briefly the purpose of the bills, since we are not hearing that on first reading.

[Marlene Catterall, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the first bill standing in the name of the member for Ottawa West—Nepean amends the names of certain ridings at the request of the members of parliament. In general it is to reflect more accurately certain community factors in terms of how the communities wish to be identified by name. That bill deals with changes to the names of 19 federal electoral districts.

The second bill standing in the name of the member for Gander—Grand Falls amends the Canada Elections Act to allow the Chief Electoral Officer to administratively handle certain minor changes to candidates' expense returns that now need to be handled through the courts.

The bill relates specifically to the fact that under the current provisions of the legislation, if a bill arrives in the hands of a member or a candidate following the election, if it was not received within the required time period in which a candidate or his or her official agent may pay the bill, the only process available now to the member to be able to pay that bill is to get a court order allowing that to happen.

This is clearly a cumbersome process currently affecting 172 members of parliament, the majority of the House of Commons, simply because somebody failed to send in a bill to their campaign in the required time period. It seems appropriate to allow the chief electoral officer to judge that this is an administrative problem that can be corrected with his approval.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I thank the hon. member for the explanation.

[Joe Comuzzi, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Nipigon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the motion just presented by the deputy House leader, we are wondering whether the 19 new electoral names will be read in this House for the first time.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I can answer the question. The bills are not normally read. First reading of the bill is announced and we have dispensed with all of that. But even if that were the case, the provisions of the bill are not normally read out.

There are copies of the bill available at the table and the hon. member certainly can avail himself of the opportunity to browse through the draft bill which has now been adopted by the House.

[Joe Comuzzi, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Nipigon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that it has been adopted by the House, but I am wondering if I am now the hon. member for Thunder Bay—Superior North.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I think the hon. member knows that bills require adoption in the other place and royal assent before they become law, so I am afraid the hon. member is stuck with Thunder Bay—Nipigon for the time being.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

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

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I must have had my écouteur out of my ear because I did not hear you call for petitions. I wonder if we could revert to petitions for just a moment so I could present these petitions to the House, if there is unanimous consent.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Do we have unanimous consent to revert to petitions?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I will try to pay closer attention in the future.

Petitions

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present today.

The first petition requests that parliament enact legislation to ensure that there is an elected Senate. I will leave it with the House for comment.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, another petition calls upon parliament to allow federal government owned housing units to be utilized as low-cost housing for the needy of the community. This arises from a situation in my riding where several hundred government owned housing units on the former CFB Chilliwack are now basically empty and people would like them to be used for low-cost housing for the needy.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the last and larger petition, containing another 400 names to be added to the several thousand names I have already presented, calls upon parliament to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to raise the age of consent for sexual activity between a young person and an adult from 14 to 16 years of age.