House of Commons Hansard #30 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was trade.

Topics

Canadian Health NetworkOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, Health Canada has a number of partners in Quebec. We are providing reliable information to Quebecers and to all Canadians.

We have a complete network of reliable information that is available every day. The services are available in English and in French everywhere in Canada.

FisheriesOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

NDP

Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government assault on commercial lobster fishermen continues and continues and continues. First it introduced a carapace size. Nobody in the area wanted a carapace size increase. They have been V-notching the lobsters for the last two years and the lobster catches have been increasing so there is no agreement at all to the extra carapace size.

Now DFO refuses to negotiate the agreement or implement the agreement on district 34 and district 33 of the lobster fishing areas as well as the Acadia band.

My question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Instead of sending in the B team to Nova Scotia, why does he himself not go down there and negotiate these agreements and bring some money to settle these—

FisheriesOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

FisheriesOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Vancouver South—Burnaby B.C.

Liberal

Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, we do not have a B team. We are all A team on this side.

As the hon. member knows, at the Acadia first nation this was a community based agreement that was agreed to by the local community. We were supportive of that. We certainly are supportive of it now as well. We expect the parties to come together on the original agreement that was agreed upon by both parties.

Certainly I want to make it perfectly clear that on how we regulate the fisheries, the courts have confirmed once again our position and reaffirmed what the government is doing. The federal representative is out talking to all the groups.

ReferendumsOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

André Bachand Progressive Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

Has he read the 1998 supreme court decision? That is my first question.

Second, if so, could he tell the House the paragraph he is referring to when he talks of the role of the federal government?

What legal and political support is there in the supreme court decision for the federal government's power to act before the Quebec referendum process has begun?

ReferendumsOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the supreme court referred to the country's political actors. I imagine that the Prime Minister of Canada is one of this country's political actors.

TobaccoOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Karen Redman Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, recently 17 young Canadians representing all regions of our country were selected to form a youth advisory committee on tobacco issues. They met over the weekend to discuss the government's tobacco strategy as it relates to youth.

Would the Secretary of State for Children and Youth tell the House what the youth advisory committee can contribute to address the serious risk of smoking among young Canadians?

TobaccoOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

Western Arctic Northwest Territories

Liberal

Ethel Blondin-Andrew LiberalSecretary of State (Children and Youth)

Mr. Speaker, I was proud to meet and speak with these young people over the weekend. They are most impressive with their knowledge regarding tobacco reduction in general, but specifically how to deal with commitment and dedication regarding the youth, their tobacco use and their desire to educate their peers on the harm of tobacco products.

The committee reported to me that they had established a mission statement and were in the process of producing four preliminary reports concerning high risk groups, communications strategies, cessation programs and reduction of youth access to tobacco products. I look forward to accepting their work in the near future.

This initiative promotes a youth to youth approach whereby the government interacts with young people and does not just tell them what it thinks.

Treaties Ratified In 1989 And 1990Routine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Brome—Missisquoi Québec

Liberal

Denis Paradis LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I am pleased to table in the House, in both official languages, 44 treaties that came into force in 1989 and 43 treaties that came into force in 1990, a list of which is also tabled.

As was done previously, I am also providing the Library of Parliament CD-ROMs that contain electronic versions of these treaties in order to provide wide accessibility to the texts.

Order In Council AppointmentsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary 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.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary 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 responses to two petitions.

Employment Insurance ActRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Bloc

Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-387, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (elimination of the waiting period in a natural disaster).

Mr. Speaker, this bill deals with the elimination of the waiting period in a natural disaster.

I am of course referring here to the ice storm that severely hit my region as well as Granby and Saint-Hyacinthe. When people are left on their own and without a job because of a natural disaster, it is important that we ensure that they are not doubly penalized because of a waiting period. This is the purpose of this bill.

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

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among the House leaders and I believe you would find support for the following motion:

That the House, pursuant to Standing Order 119.1(1), authorize the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to televise its meetings November 30 and December 2, 1999, in accordance with the guidelines pertaining to televising committee proceedings.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Does the hon. parliamentary secretary have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present a petition from a number of Canadians in my riding of Mississauga South.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which has not been recognized for its value to our society. The petitioners also suggest that the Income Tax Act discriminates against families who provide direct parental care to preschool children. The petitioners therefore call upon parliament to examine and to pursue initiatives which would eliminate discrimination against families who choose to provide direct parental care to preschool children.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Reform

Peter Goldring Reform Edmonton East, AB

Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in presenting a petition put forth by 1,799 concerned Canadians, mostly from the province of Quebec.

The petitioners ask the government to affirm that all Canadians are equal under all circumstances and without exception in the province of Quebec and throughout Canada. They wish to remind the government only to enact legislation that affirms the equality of each and every individual under the laws of Canada.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

Susan Whelan Liberal Essex, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present several petitions signed by hundreds of constituents of Windsor West.

The petitioners call upon parliament to uphold the present wording of the constitution and the principle of recognizing the supremacy of God and the rule of law.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphan Tremblay Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House several hundreds of petitions from people asking the House to strike a committee to look into the impact of globalization.

A debate has to take place. A debate will in fact take place even if the House rejected the idea this morning, because I will set up a consultation process with the civil society, with or without the parliamentarians,. I encourage all the parliamentarians who want to participate to do so.

Members will see that people from Lac-Saint-Jean do not give up that easily.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

NDP

Nelson Riis NDP Kamloops, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to present a petition, pursuant to Standing Order 36, from a number of constituents who are once again calling for the abolition of the undemocratic Senate. I will not take the time of the House of Commons to go through all of their reasons, as there are many.

The petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to take whatever steps are necessary in the House of Commons to abolish the Senate of Canada once and for all.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Reform

John Cummins Reform Delta—South Richmond, BC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition on behalf of my constituents who request parliament to reassure Canadian families that concerns that the convention on the rights of the child undermines the role of parents are unwarranted and that concerns that the government intends to remove section 43 from the criminal code are unwarranted.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Reform

Dale Johnston Reform Wetaskiwin, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a petition, pursuant to Standing Order 36, from 45 people in my constituency.

The petitioners draw the attention of the House to the fact that they are horrified by pornography which depicts children. They pray that parliament take all the necessary steps to ensure that possession of child pornography remains a serious criminal offence and that federal police forces be directed to give priority to enforcing this law for the protection of children.

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

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