House of Commons Hansard #37 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, in the last year over $2.5 in RRAP funding has been approved to help set up projects for the homeless in the hon. member's area of Ottawa.
This week I announced that over $674,000 in financial assistance will be allocated to Ottawa's Shepherds of Good Hope. This fund will help create 47 units and repair the existing shelters for the homeless. We will continue to do more.
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I am tabling a draft bill entitled an act to give effect to the requirement of clarity as set out in the opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada in the Quebec secession reference.
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 response to four petitions.
Maurizio Bevilacqua Liberal Vaughan—King—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Finance, entitled “Budget 2000 New Era—New Plan”. It is the result of continuing conversations with thousands of Canadians, a national dialogue that has helped us understand our fellow citizens' values and priorities and how the federal budge should reflect them.
Canadians want an agenda that will see them enjoy more opportunity, a higher standard of living and an even better quality life in the new century.
In order to achieve all this, we need a clear vision for the future. “Budget 2000 New Era—New Plan” provides the road map to achieve that vision. The plan fosters sound financial management, promotes economic growth and a better quality of life by reducing taxes.
I would like to thank all the members of the committee and member of staff for their excellent work.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, we are announcing a dissenting opinion by the Bloc Quebecois with respect to the report by the Standing Committee on Finance, since it fails to respect the desire of the people of Quebec and Canada for a reform of the employment insurance plan to make it more accessible.
It makes no mention of an increase in social transfers to the provinces to finance health care spending, among other things. It once again imposes a considerable financial burden on middle income earners, without correcting the huge inequity caused by the absence of full indexation.
Finally, this report makes no mention of what should be one of our most important priorities here. Poverty and homelessness have been growing problems in Canada since this government began making decisions, in 1994.
Gurmant Grewal Reform Surrey Central, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on the Scrutiny of Regulations. If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the first report later this day.
Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-19, an act respecting genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and to implement the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and to make consequential amendments to other acts.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Lorne Nystrom NDP Qu'Appelle, SK
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-398, an act to provide compensation to First Nations veterans on a comparable basis to that given to other war veterans.
Mr. Speaker, this private member's bill attempts to right a wrong because of discrimination against first nations veterans who returned home after the first world war, the second world war and the Korean war by doing four things: first, providing compensation to them; second, setting up a scholarship fund in honour of these veterans who returned home from war; third, constructing a war memorial at or near Parliament Hill; and fourth, a public apology from the Prime Minister of the country on behalf of the people of Canada for the way they were treated, similar to the apologies made to other groups in the past.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-399, an act respecting conscientious objection to the use of taxes for military purposes.
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting this private member's bill known as the conscientious objection act. The purpose of the bill is to permit individuals, who object on conscientious grounds to paying taxes that might be used for military purposes, to direct that an amount equivalent to a prescribed percentage of the income tax they pay in a year be diverted to a special account established by this bill.
The bill would not constrain in any way the ability of the government to spend tax dollars as it sees fit.
In introducing this bill today on International Human Rights Day, I pay special tribute to Conscience Canada, in particular to Kris Manfield, to the Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, the Mennonite Central Committee and the Conference of Mennonites and also Nos Impôts pour la paix.
I urge the Minister of Finance to meet with these groups and I urge all members of parliament to support this important legislation.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Gurmant Grewal Reform Surrey Central, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-400, an act to provide defined contribution pensions for the Public Service, the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to be managed and invested by a private sector manager, and to amend the Income Tax Act and certain other acts in consequence thereof.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce my private member's bill, an act to provide defined contribution pensions for the Public Service, the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to be managed and invested by a private sector manager. I thank the hon. member for Elk Island for seconding the motion.
The bill will provide a new scheme to commence on January 1, 2001. It will be funded by the employees' contributions at the same rate as before and the employee may elect to contribute more. To this, may be added any amount appropriated by parliament. The funds will be held in a pension account for each employee. The account will be managed by an approved private sector fund manager selected by a committee representing the employees.
On retirement, the employee may take a prescribed part of the account as a lump sum and the balance generates an annuity for the employee. This will place these pension funds on sound financial footings.
I present the bill for the consideration of the House.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Gurmant Grewal Reform Surrey Central, BC
Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.
Federal Public Service Pension ActRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
Does the hon. member have permission to put the motion?
Federal Public Service Pension ActRoutine Proceedings
Some hon. members
No.
Keith Martin Reform Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have three motions today. I would like to thank the member for Surrey Central for seconding them and Louise Hayes for helping me with these motions.
The first motion calls on the government to develop and work on the UN registry for conventional arms and the EU code of conduct to include both conventional and small arms to promote transparency in order to curtail both the elicit arms trafficking and the selling of weapons to known human rights abusers, and that the five members of the permanent Security Council be the first to sign.
The second motion calls on the government to—
Federal Public Service Pension ActRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
Excuse me, please, but because we did not have a notice of the motions, they would not be receivable today. I am sure at the next sitting of the House when we go through Routine Proceedings the motions would be acceptable at that time.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present petitions signed by hundreds of residents of my constituency of Burnaby—Douglas who express concern about the failure of leadership by the federal government on the issue of leaky condominiums.
They call upon parliament to provide a significant contribution toward homeowners affected by the residential construction crisis, to ensure that the cost of all qualified repairs are deductible from income retroactively and in the future, to repeal and refund all GST on qualified repairs, and finally, to permit RRSP funds to be used to undertake qualified repairs without penalty and to permit previously withdrawn RRSP funds used to pay repairs special assessments to be income tax rebated.
Chuck Cadman Reform Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I wish to present the second instalment of a petition from Mrs. Nancy Caldwell of Middleton, Nova Scotia. It contains a further 6,200 signatures calling on parliament to enact legislation providing for tougher penalties to be meted out against those who commit sexual assault against our children.
Peter Goldring Reform Edmonton East, AB
Mr. Speaker, today I take great pride in presenting a petition put forth by 1,780 concerned Canadians, mostly from the province of Quebec.
The petitioners ask our 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 our government to enact only legislation that affirms the equality of each and every individual under the laws of Canada.
Jean-Guy Chrétien Bloc Frontenac—Mégantic, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a petition, shepherded by Blaise Rivard of Black Lake, requesting the month of November be devoted to increasing awareness about the problem of incontinence. The petitioners ask the government to invest generously in research and home care for people dealing with incontinence.
I join with them in their request.
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.