Debates of Sept. 24th, 1998

Agriculture

[Dick Proctor, NDP, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of agriculture will be aware that the U.S. Congress appears almost certain to introduce a significant farm aid program this fall amounting to several billion dollars.

The American government is responding to some of the lowest commodity prices in memory by promising help to its farmers.

Disastrously low prices exist on our side of the 49th parallel as well. Would the minister of agriculture please inform the House today what disaster relief assistance is being planned by his department for Canadian farmers?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the disaster relief program and the farm safety net program for Canadian farmers are already in place and have been in place, therefore we do not have to consider and will not consider ad hoc programs that the Americans are now considering.

As a matter of fact, they are looking at our system and want to know how they can copy it. We have our crop insurance. We have our net income stabilization account, for example. In that account alone Canadian farmers have $2.5 billion that they can draw on in the unfortunate situations like we have this year of low commodity prices around the world.

Montreal Convention Centre

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during nine months of discussions with the federal government regarding the planned expansion of the Montreal Convention Centre, never once did the secretary of state for regional development mention the infrastructure program as a means of funding.

Why does the secretary of state for regional development suddenly trot this out, unless he feels he cannot deliver the goods and convince the Minister of Industry?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)]

Mr. Speaker, the plan to expand the Montreal Convention Centre goes back at least as far as 1996 and was even designated as a priority by the Government of Quebec at the Montreal socio-economic summit. The Government of Canada was not present at that summit, it will be recalled, having been excluded by the Government of Quebec.

If the Government of Quebec had given priority to Montreal following that decision, we would have used the infrastructure program. Unfortunately, unlike the Canadian government, it does not give priority to Montreal.

Despite the lack of a vehicle, we are continuing to—

[The Speaker]

I am sorry, but the hon. member for Compton—Standstead now has the floor.

Apec Summit

[David Price, Progressive Conservative, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. In order to enter Canada, Suharto's soldiers first had to obtain the minister's permission. They had her blessing.

Will the minister continue to state in the House that there was no abuse of power, when it was she who, under the Prime Minister's authority, gave known criminals a licence to kill on Canadian soil? What is the truth?

[The Speaker]

I think we are starting to reach a little bit much in our questions. I would like to give you as much room as I can but I think we are getting to the end.

If there is an answer from the solicitor general, we will hear it.

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I can only repeat that the security arrangements around APEC were the responsibility of the RCMP. Canadians have a system at play right now to get to the truth of these incidents.

I wish hon. members would let us get to the truth through the instrument that was designed by this House out of respect for this House.

Business Of The House

[Randy White, Reform, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, given the state of our dollar and the economic conditions of our country, Canadians would like to know the nature of the business of the House next week and also for the remainder of this week from the government House leader.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding any preamble thereof, I am pleased to respond to the question asked by my colleague the opposition House leader.

This afternoon, we are going to look at Bill S-16, a 1998 act to implement various tax conventions. Tomorrow, we will open debate on Bill C-35 on imports and, time permitting, Bill C-51, an act to amend the Criminal Code.

Tomorrow, however, by prior agreement, we will hear only from the government and from the official opposition critic regarding Bill C-51. All these bills are at the second reading stage.

On Monday we shall consider second reading of the Small Business Loans Act amendment introduced yesterday. I believe this bill bears number C-53.

On Tuesday we shall resume third reading debate on Bill C-3 respecting DNA which unfortunately is subject to a hoist motion right now. This will be followed, time permitting, by Bill C-42, the tobacco legislation.

On Wednesday we would hope to complete Bill C-51 and any of the aforementioned measures not previously completed.

On Thursday we would hope to begin consideration of Bill C-43 respecting the revenue agency.

Order In Council Appointments

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary 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 made recently by the government.

Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 110(1) these are deemed referred to the appropriate standing committees, a list of which is attached.

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 seven petitions.

Observance Of Two Minutes Of Silence On Remembrance Day Act

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-434, an act to promote the observance of two minutes of silence on Remembrance Day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise, seconded by the hon. member for Edmonton East, to move first reading of an act to promote the observance of two minutes of silence on Remembrance Day. This is a variation of an earlier bill I introduced in this parliament which was substantially to the same effect.

The bill calls upon all Canadians to observe a more fulsome commemoration of the traditional two minutes of silence on Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, a tradition which was once thoroughly held and kept throughout Canada and the rest of the British Commonwealth. Unfortunately in recent years it has been on the wane.

The bill has been modelled upon a similar private members' bill introduced and passed in the Ontario provincial legislature, and indeed one in the British Westminster parliament. It is supported by the Royal Canadian Legion and many other veterans organizations.

I hope that this bill will be drawn and that we will have an opportunity as we approach Remembrance Day this November to debate this important subject.

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

Bank Of Canada Act

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-435, an Act to amend the Bank of Canada Act (withdrawal of the thousand dollar note).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased introduce, with the support of my hon. colleague for Rosemont, Bill C-435, an Act to amend the Bank of Canada Act (withdrawal of the thousand dollar note).

The purpose of this bill is to provide Canada's police forces with a more effective weapon against money laundering and organized crime. It is a measure that has long been called for by Canadian, Quebec and Montreal police forces.

Canada is one of the few countries to have such a high denomination in its currency. After the bill becomes law, the thousand dollar notes will be legal tender for another three months. People will therefore be able to exchange them at their local caisse populaire or bank for those three months.

After that, they will have to deal with the Bank of Canada here in Ottawa to change their thousand dollar notes. After six months, thousand dollar notes will no longer be legal tender in Canada, in keeping with the wishes of a number of the country's police forces.

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

Petitions

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition that is signed by many of my constituents calling on this House to support the immediate initiation and conclusion by the year 2000 of an international convention which would set out a binding timetable for the abolition of all nuclear weapons all over the world.

[Chuck Cadman, Reform, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present two petitions today.

The first is a petition signed by approximately 200 citizens requesting parliament to amend the Young Offenders Act by lowering the age limit, by providing for the automatic transfer of violent offenders to adult court and by providing for the publication of names of violent offenders.

[Chuck Cadman, Reform, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition signed by approximately 800 citizens requesting parliament to amend the Criminal Code to raise the age of consent for sexual activity between a young person and an adult from 14 years to 16 years.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

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

The first one calls upon the government to re-evaluate its policy with respect to undocumented convention refugees in the Canada class and to consider the implementation of a recommendation to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration which reads that the waiting period before which a recognized refugee may become considered a convention refugee would be reduced from five years to three years.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I wish to present on behalf of constituents reads “We the undersigned draw attention to the fact that the”—

[The Deputy Speaker]

I am sorry. The hon. member I am sure knows that he cannot read a petition. He is invited to give a summary of the petition in his presentation but I would urge him to comply with the rules and not read the petition.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is the first time I have done this so I was not aware of that frankly.

This petition calls for the national highway system to be upgraded and updated in the interests of job creation and our transportation industry and so on.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the third and last petition I would like to present is with regard to the abolition of nuclear weapons. The many people who have signed this petition are calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, I believe much like what another hon. member just presented, by the year 2000 and the creation of an international convention which will set out a binding timetable for the eradication of nuclear weapons.

[Randy White, Reform, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to table in the House today both dealing with the same issue.

The petitioners ask that parliament enact Bill C-225, and act to amend the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act and the Interpretation Act, so as to define in statute that a marriage can only be entered into between a single male and a single female.

[Paul Forseth, Reform, New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today from the constituents of New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby.

In the first petition the petitioners believe that stricter gun control laws are not a solution to crime. Therefore they call upon parliament to repeal Bill C-68 and redirect hundreds of millions of dollars to programs that will actually improve public safety.

[Paul Forseth, Reform, New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petition 102 petitioners believe that it is the duty of parliament to ensure that marriage as it has always been known and understood in Canada be preserved and protected. They pray that parliament will enact Bill C-225 to define in statute that a marriage can only be entered into between a single male and a single female.