Debates of Oct. 20th, 1999

Employment Insurance Act

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am seeking the consent of the House to introduce a bill regarding Louis Riel. It is essentially the same bill that was referred to as Bill C-417 in the last session.

[The Speaker]

Does the House give unanimous consent for the request of the hon. member?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Louis Riel Act

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-257, an act respecting Louis Riel.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill, which is familiar to the House as it was introduced before prorogation, is to reverse the conviction of Louis Riel for high treason and to formally recognize and commemorate his role in the advancement of the Canadian Confederation and the rights and interests of the Metis people and the people of Western Canada.

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

Automotive Pollution Reduction Act

[Clifford Lincoln, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-258, an act to protect human health and the environment by reducing automotive pollution.

Mr. Speaker, this bill, which was introduced in the previous session, died on the order paper. Therefore, I reintroduce it.

The purpose of this bill is to protect human health and the environment against certain types of harmful or potentially harmful automotive fuel and to reduce automotive pollution in Canada.

The bill would enact a provision requiring that no person shall produce or import for use or sale in Canada or sell or offer for sale in Canada any gasoline that has an oxygen content less than 2.7% in weight, any diesel fuel that has an oxygen content less than 5.25% in weight, or any gasoline that contains MMT.

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

Petitions

[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, Lucan and Strathroy areas have signed the said petition.

The petition states that the use of the additive MMT in Canadian gasoline presents an environmental problem affecting every man, woman and child in Canada.

The petitioners call upon parliament to set by the end of this calendar year national clean fuel standards for gasoline with zero MMT and low sulphur content.

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by a number of people from Saskatchewan which states that the Senate of Canada is undemocratic, unelected and unaccountable, that it costs the taxpayers some $50 million per year, and that the Senate undermines the work of the elected members of parliament who sit in the House of Commons.

Therefore the petitioners are calling upon us to begin measures aimed at the abolition of the Senate. It is a good idea.

[John Duncan, Reform, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by 70 individuals from my riding of Vancouver Island North.

The petitioners are asking parliament to refrain from enacting legislation which would remove the name of God from the Canadian constitution and the charter of rights.

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present a petition signed by 73 residents of British Columbia, duly certified by the Clerk of Petitions, on the subject of nuclear weapons, asking parliament to support the initiation and conclusion by the year 2000 of an international convention setting out a binding timetable for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by 41 residents of British Columbia, duly certified by the Clerk of Petitions, calling on the Parliament of Canada to support Taiwan's membership in the World Health Organization.

[Rick Borotsik, Progressive Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today to the House under Standing Order 36. The petitions are signed by residents of Saskatchewan.

The first petition concerns the inability of the AIDA program to provide services to agriculture. It suggests that the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food should be replaced with an individual who has a better understanding of how agriculture is being affected today and how agriculture should be affected in the future.

[Rick Borotsik, Progressive Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition contains 82 pages of signatures from residents of Saskatchewan who have asked me to present their petition to the House of Commons. The petition concerns the Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board.

The petitioners say that the federal minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board has failed to meet not only with farmers, but business people and concerned citizens in his constituency, and has failed to protect the true needs of Canadian agriculture. They too wish to have the minister replaced with an individual from the government side who better understands the issues not only of agriculture, but of the Canadian Wheat Board.

I would like to file these petitions on behalf of the petitioners.

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Guelph—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to table a petition on behalf of my constituents.

The petition contains over 1,500 signatures from the residents of Guelph—Wellington and the surrounding area.

The petition calls upon the House of Commons to affirm the current wording of the charter of rights and freedoms, recognizing that Canada was founded on the supremacy of God. I support this petition.

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present on behalf of many constituents in my district of Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, as well as from communities like Yellow Grass and Lang, Saskatchewan, a petition which outlines their concerns about the undemocratic Senate, the unelected Senate, the unaccountable Senate. They are very unhappy about the fact that two senators who have been found guilty of fraud are still senators. They call upon the House of Commons to abolish the Senate.

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie—Lincoln, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the pleasure to present petitions from residents of the Niagara and Haldimand regions.

The petitioners request parliament to amend section 8(1)(h) and 8(1)(h.1) of the Income Tax Act to allow members of a tradesmen's union to deduct employment expenses if they have to work out of town in situations where the contractor is considered local.

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to present several petitions on behalf of the good people of Dewdney—Alouette and surrounding areas.

I have approximately 1,200 signatures from individuals who are asking members of parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or any other federal legislation which would provide for the exclusion of the reference to the supremacy of God in our constitution and laws, and I certainly agree.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honour and a pleasure to once again stand, pursuant to Standing Order 36, to present a petition containing thousands of names from residents of Blue River, Clear Water, Kamloops, Logan Lake, Chase, Savona, Hall Lake, Red Lake and others, who point out that the Senate of Canada is an undemocratic institution, composed of unelected members who are unaccountable to the people, that it costs somewhere in the neighbourhood of $50 million a year, and that it undermines the role of the duly elected representatives of the people of Canada.

There is a need to modernize our parliamentary institutions and these individuals are calling upon parliament to undertake measures aimed at abolishing the Senate.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour of presenting the following petition signed by hundreds of Canadians.

The petitioners call upon parliament to ask the government to maintain and enhance the public pension system which is our right and heritage.

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to present a petition today on behalf of many residents from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia who are very concerned about the Senate of Canada and the fact that they believe it is an undemocratic institution, is composed of unelected officials and is costly. In fact the constituents believe it is jeopardizing the role of MPs in the House of Commons and that it should be abolished.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to table today.

It is my pleasure to table the first petition from people of Okanagan—Shuswap asking for sweeping changes to the justice system to provide stiffer penalties for dangerous sex offenders, pedophiles and other violent offenders.

They also request measures so that violent criminals serve their full sentences and that authorities be given more power to get information they need for a conviction, including blood and saliva samples, the elimination of defence on the grounds of insanity, drunkenness or drug impairment, and that the death penalty be reinstated for first degree murder where there is no doubt of guilt.

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is also from the people of Okanagan—Shuswap asking for the rejection of Bill C-309. This is cited as equal treatment for persons cohabiting in a relationship similar to a conjugal relationship.

The petition states that the strength of any society is largely dependent upon a solid family unit headed by a father and a mother living in a heterosexual relationship.

The rejection of Bill C-309 will help protect the definition of marriage in Canada.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

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

[The Speaker]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Motions For Papers

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers be allowed to stand.