Debates of Oct. 18th, 1999

Petitions

[Werner Schmidt, Reform, Kelowna, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petition the petitioners ask parliament to consider very carefully the removal of section 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act.

[Jerry Pickard, Liberal, Kent—Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition in which several of my constituents are calling upon parliament to uphold the present wording of the Constitution and to preserve the truth that Canada was and is founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.

Several people have commented on this in my riding. They are very concerned that everyone take heed of that point. I certainly endorse the petition strongly.

[Rick Casson, Reform, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there seems to a rush on petitions today.

Pursuant to Standing Order 36 I am pleased to present a petition which comes from concerned citizens in my riding of Lethbridge. It contains 35 signatures.

The petitioners call upon parliament to support the immediate initiation and conclusion by 2000 of an international convention which will set out a binding timetable for the abolition of all nuclear weapons.

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to present a petition signed by concerned citizens from my riding of Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale. Clowns and santas in particular need to be controlled through mandatory background checks since there is currently an automatic assumption by the public that clowns and santas, who often entertain in homes, are safe strangers. Therefore, the petitioners call upon parliament to encourage mandatory background checks for clowns and santas throughout Canada.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by 682 people, many of them students, from central Alberta. These constituents are requesting that the Canadian government confront China directly on the human rights abuses taking place in Tibet. They are extremely concerned about the issue of China-Tibet relations and ask the Parliament of Canada to pressure China to address this issue.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table a petition that was presented to me by my constituents in Kitchener Centre. The petitioners request that parliament halt the plans of Treasury Board to appropriate the surpluses in the public service, the military and the RCMP pension plans. They also ask that the Treasury Board end all actions that undermine the confidence and morale of the public service, armed forces and RCMP personnel.

This petition has been certified and I am pleased to present it today.

[Roy H. Bailey, Reform, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am extremely pleased that hundreds more petitioners are talking about cruelty to children that is in the form of pornography. The petitioners pray that parliament take all necessary measures to ensure that possession of child pornography remains a very serious criminal offence. I am proud that these petitioners may not be the last of hundreds and hundreds of signatures that are coming in from my constituents on this issue.

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present a petition that has been certified correct as to form and content. Petitioners from the Grand Bend, Port Franks and Thedford areas have signed the petition.

The petition states that the use of the additive MMT in Canadian gasoline presents an environmental problem that affects every man, woman and child in Canada. The petitioners call upon parliament to set by the end of this coming year national clean fuel standards for gasoline with zero MMT and low sulphur content.

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. The first petition has been signed by 97 Canadians from the Hay River area. They request parliament to grant the concerned aboriginal fishermen, the Deh Cho, a licence to export fish and fish products and to establish their own national and international markets.

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by 39 people in my riding. It calls on the government to pass legislation that would provide for a deduction of up to $7,000 in expenses related to the adoption of children.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During the time allotted for the presentation of private members' bills, a second item listed by the member for Wild Rose was inadvertently missed.

I ask for unanimous consent to revert to introduction of private members' bills to allow him to present his private member's bill.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent to revert to the introduction of private members' bills?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Criminal Code

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-243, an act to amend the Criminal Code (dangerous offender).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring forward this private member's bill which will amend the Criminal Code regarding dangerous offenders where an inmate may be declared a dangerous offender at any time during his incarceration.

In the past 10 years a report has been sent out by the solicitor general's office indicating that there has been a total of 2,292 new victims of violent crime at the hands of violent offenders who were released from prison either mandatorily or on probation. This enactment would prevent the release of such people as Mr. Auger who managed to murder Melanie Carpenter a few years ago. It would prevent what is going on this very day in Edmonton where an effort is being made to warn society of another dangerous sex perpetrator who is being released in that city. Releasing these kinds of individuals does not protect Canadian society. This bill would prevent further problems in the future.

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

Blood Samples Act

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-244, an act to provide for the taking of samples of blood for the benefit of persons administering and enforcing the law and good Samaritans and to amend the Criminal Code.

Mr. Speaker, last year there was a very unfortunate incident in my riding. A young man apprehended a thief who was shoplifting from a store and unfortunately quite a bit of the perpetrator's blood spilled on him. There is no legal way to force that thief to give a blood sample for disease testing. For several months afterward the young man and his family went through the emotional anguish of extensive drug prevention therapy just in case there was HIV present. It was also a very expensive and a very trying time for the entire family and especially for the young man.

This bill will eliminate the terrible emotional anguish for good Samaritans who find themselves in similar circumstances in the future. The rights of police officers, health professionals and good Samaritans who try to protect life and stop crime must take precedence over the rights of the perpetrators of any wrongdoing.

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

Questions On The Order Paper

[Gar Knutson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister]

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

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Request For Emergency Debate

[The Deputy Speaker]

I have received a request from the hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve for an emergency debate, pursuant to Standing Order 52.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 52 of the House of Commons, I am asking this house to hold an emergency debate on government compensation for victims of hepatitis C who were infected by blood transfusion in Canada before 1986 and after 1990.

The government has always refused to allow parliamentarians to discuss this issue. Worse still, the Minister of Health has refused to meet representatives of hepatitis C victims, in spite of repeated requests to that effect.

Yet, the Krever commission clearly established that it is in the interest of all Canadians and Quebecers that the blood supply and distribution systems be as transparent as possible.

Members will agree that this need for transparency requires the federal parliament, which is responsible for regulating blood and its constituents, to deal with all relevant issues. In that regard, there can be no doubt that responsibility for compensating hepatitis C victims who were infected before 1986 and after 1990 rests squarely with the government.

The Krever commission also asked the government to set up a no fault compensation plan. I attach a copy of that recommendation to the letter I sent to you.

For all these reasons, I believe it is imperative that we parliamentarians be allowed to debate this critical public health issue.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Notwithstanding the case made by the hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, I feel that, at this point in time, his request does not meet the criteria governing emergency debates.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Without questioning your decision, I would just like you to tell me something. I believe that if we were to consult Beauchesne's, we would find cases quite similar to this one, in which the government rejected a decision made by a royal commision of inquiry.

I believe there are precedents where parliamentarians were allowed to discuss such issues. I would appreciate an explanation. Why, given the case I made, does the chair feel that my request must be turned down?

I would like to know the basis of your ruling, with which I will fully comply, but which seems ill-founded at this point.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I am sorry the member does not agree with the Chair's ruling, but it is not customary to explain why a request for an emergency debate is being denied.

I wish to remind the member that today we are having the debate on the address in reply to the Speech from the Throne, which will continue later this week. It is a general debate. We will also have, as the member well knows, seven allotted days between now and December, and his party will be free to raise this issue during one of those opposition days. I am sure the member can convince his colleagues to have such a debate on one of those days.

The House resumed consideration of the motion for an address to Her Excellency the Governor General in reply to her speech at the opening of the session, of the amendment and of the amendment to the amendment.

Speech From The Throne

[Jerry Pickard, Liberal, Kent—Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the opportunity to speak to the throne speech.

As we stand before a new century there is a growing sense of optimism, confidence and pride in the country. Canada is one of the greatest success stories of the 20th century. We began as a small colony with little industry and no real place in global affairs.

Canada is the place to be in the 21st century. We look with pride on the achievements as an independent and prosperous nation with a dynamic economy, a strong and democratic society, and a sense of community, a nation with unrivalled quality of life.

Canada is starting the next century or the new millennium with the honour of being the first ranked country of the United States for the sixth year in a row. The Liberal government intends to ensure that Canada remains the best country in the world in which to live.

When we took office six years ago we put forward a comprehensive and balanced plan. We have stuck to that plan and it has worked. Canada is on the right track. The nation's finances have been restored. Key programs have been modernized. We are enjoying the longest economic expansion since the 1960s, and the unemployment rate has dropped from 11.4% to 7.5%. It is almost 4% lower than when we took office a short time ago.

With our balanced approach we will continue to strengthen Canada by recommitting ourselves to economic policies that will allow us to keep the national debt on a permanent downward track, reduce taxes for Canadians and make strategic investments in the top priorities of Canadians. A strong and dynamic economy is a cornerstone of our quality of life, providing the means to build a more equitable society, a healthier population and stronger communities.

Tax relief and improved tax fairness are essential to improving the standard of living and quality of life of Canadians. Reduced taxes mean that Canadians have more money available to spend, which helps create a great number of new jobs and economic growth which benefit us all.

In the last two budgets taxes have been cut by $16.5 billion over three years, cuts that will benefit every Canadian and take 600,000 low income Canadians off the tax rolls.

We will further reduce taxes to increase the after tax incomes of Canadians. Canadians will be pleased to know that the government is committed to laying out a multi-year plan for tax reductions in the next budget. However, the government remains committed to never letting the nation's finances get out of control again. We have brought down back to back balanced budgets for the first time since 1951-52 and we have put the debt to GDP ratio on a permanent downward track. Our administration will keep the debt to GDP ratio down as it goes.

According to statistics every billion dollars in exports supports as many as 11,000 Canadian new jobs. Our growth in exports goes a long way to explain why 1.7 million new jobs have been created in Canada since October 1993. As an outward looking country with a trade oriented economy we intend to step up trade promotion in key sectors and to launch an investment team Canada strategy to promote investment in Canada. We will continue to create opportunities for Canadians to access foreign markets and to promote Canada as the ideal place in which to invest.

We will increase our support for life-long learning to continue building the most highly skilled workforce in the world that is part of the Canadian advantage in a knowledge based economy. The government has committed itself to put in place the knowledge information, cultural and physical infrastructure needed for the 21st century.

Another major focus of our government has been the seven million children in Canada. The strength of our society will depend on the investments we make today as a nation for the families and children of tomorrow. The federal government will continue to work with provinces, territories and other partners to provide the necessary support.

The centrepiece of our progress to date is the national child benefit, the most innovative new national social program in a generation. Thanks to the NCB an additional $1.7 billion annually is going to low income families with children. The federal contribution will increase to $2 billion annually by July 2000, bringing the total federal assistance for families with children to almost $7 billion a year. The federal government will make a third significant investment in a national child benefit by the year 2002.

We are also proud of the new national children's agenda. We are developing with the provinces and territories a comprehensive strategy to improve the well-being of Canada's children with a special focus on the problems of low income families. As part of this agenda we will work with the provinces and territories to reach an agreement by December 2000 on further joint initiatives to support early childhood development. The federal government will also put more dollars into the hands of families with children through further tax relief. Families will also benefit from initiatives that include lengthening and making more flexible the employment insurance benefit for maternity and parental leave.

In terms of Canada's youth our goal is to give the youth generation of Canada, no matter where they live, a shot at personal success in the knowledge economy, a job with the future that pays well and an opportunity at becoming the best and the brightest there are. We are committed to helping young Canadians get the skills and opportunities they need to succeed in the 21st century.

For example, we have announced the Canadian opportunities strategy, the Canada millennium scholarship fund, the Canada educational savings grant, the youth employment strategy, tax relief on interest payments on student loans, and have helped to connect every public school and library in Canada to the Internet. We plan to draw on the expertise as well as the talents of young Canadians to create new Internet access sites in communities across Canada.

Furthermore, we intend to provide thousands of Canadians with the opportunity to participate in Canadian exchange and international internship programs and to volunteer in community and national environmental projects.

Our sense of community and commitment to working together has helped Canadians seize opportunities and rise to challenges. Strong communities depend upon the participation of all members. The government will strengthen its partnerships with communities and volunteer organizations that serve and sustain them.

We will work with all partners to help communities meet the needs of their members. In particular we will work to eliminate barriers to the mobility of citizens within Canada so Canadians are not denied government services or access to work or education because of the province of their origin. We will enter into the new national accord with the voluntary sector that will lay the key foundation for an active partnership with voluntary organizations.

We will work to ensure persons with disabilities are fully included and we will help new Canadians adapt to life in Canada. We will also work to ensure that our communities remain safe.

Feeling safe and secure in our homes and communities is essential to out quality of life and contributes to Canada's comparative advantage. Our government has taken important strides to support this Canadian priority. While the national crime rate fell to a 20 year low in 1998, every crime committed is one too many. That is why the Liberal government will remain vigilant, taking further community based crime prevention measures, to ensure that our communities are safe and healthy places in which to live.