House of Commons Hansard #38 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was agreed.
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is showing just how confusing the whole issue is, because it is obvious—as everyone knows—that on October 30, 1995, separatists did not account for 49% of the Quebec population.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice. Last month Robbie Peterson, a young law student in Fredericton, New Brunswick, was brutally attacked on a downtown street simply because he is gay. Similar bashings occur across this land.
When will the minister finally bring forward her long overdue omnibus bill on equality for gays and lesbians? Will she assure the House that the bill will amend the criminal code to outlaw propaganda which promotes violence and hatred based on sexual orientation?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, I had the opportunity to discuss the issue of hate propagated against gays and lesbians with my provincial and territorial colleagues last week.
Let me say that the Attorney General of British Columbia, Ujjal Dosanjh, has brought this issue to my attention. The provinces, the territories and the federal government are working together. We will be the making necessary changes to the criminal code in the coming months.
Gerald Keddy Progressive Conservative South Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is again for the Minister of Natural Resources. Would the minister kindly explain the reason for the need of a mediator regarding the Nova Scotia—Newfoundland boundary when in 1982 under the Canada-Nova Scotia agreement on offshore oil and gas resource management and revenue sharing such a boundary was defined?
Is the minister saying that he has no faith in the principals of the day who signed the agreement: the then Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and his minister of energy who was none other than Jean Chrétien?
Natural ResourcesOral Question Period
The Speaker
I always ask members not to use each other's names in the House of Commons. That will terminate question period for today.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, following the Prime Minister's announcement to introduce a bill denying the fundamental rights of Quebecers, I am asking for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will enlighten the House.
The document is a very thorough newspaper article published on October 20, which shows the real intentions of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs concerning Quebec's future.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Does the hon. member have leave of the House to table the document?
Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC
Mr. Speaker, following the Prime Minister's announcement to introduce a bill denying the fundamental rights of Quebecers, I am asking for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will enlighten the House.
The document is a partnership agreement between the Parti Quebecois, the Bloc Quebecois and Action démocratique du Québec. This agreement—
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Does the House give unanimous consent for the hon. member to table the document?
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, further to the Prime Minister's announcement that he wants to introduce a bill denying Quebecers their fundamental rights, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will clarify matters for the House. It is an article from today's La Presse outlining criticism of the bill by Quebec's labour unions.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Is there unanimous consent of the House for the hon. member to table the document?
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
There will be a few more points of order concerning tabling of documents, but I think the results are similar. Perhaps members will try once again.
The hon. member for Jonquière.
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, further to the Prime Minister's announcement that he wants to introduce a bill denying Quebecers their fundamental rights, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will clarify matters for the House.
It is—
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Is there unanimous consent of the House for the hon. member to table the document?
John Nunziata Independent York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, at about 11.30 today the bells calling in the members for a vote started to ring. It was indicated on the parliamentary channel that the vote would take place 30 minutes from the moment the bells started ringing.
Within a matter of minutes both the opposition whip and the government whip were approaching the Chair and the vote commenced. I would submit that breaches the parliamentary privileges of members of parliament who were not present in the House at the time.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. That particular problem was dealt with earlier in the day. A decision was made and it rests there.
René Canuel Bloc Matapédia—Matane, QC
Mr. Speaker, further to the Prime Minister's announcement that he wants to introduce a bill denying Quebecers their fundamental rights, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will clarify matters for the House.
It is an article from the December 11, 1999, issue of Le Journal de Montréal , in which Pierre—