Debates of Dec. 15th, 1999

Defence Exports

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

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

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is this another document or not?

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Québec wishes to table a document. You will not let her do so because you say it is part of the other series of documents. However, the document entitled Regard sur la pauvreté is not—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The Chair has brought down a ruling on this point and the decision is that each member will have the opportunity to ask to table one document. It makes no difference to me that the point of order is on a different subject, as the subject is not important. It is the tabling of documents that is involved, and we have finished that now.

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

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I wish to thank you for your patience, but I would like a directive.

I believe it is very important that you indicate to us from the chair, in a clear and unambiguous manner, the extent of your attachment to freedom of expression and explain to us why the hon. member for Brome—Missisquoi has been refused the tabling of documents. Do you find this acceptable in proper democratic debate?

[The Deputy Speaker]

This is not a point of order. The hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve is really debating with the Chair.

All hon. members have had a chance to present a document today. We are not on debate. We are on points of order.

When are moving slowly on to the debate and the hon. member for Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, like all the other members, will have plenty of opportunity to speak.

Government Response To Petitions

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary 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.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34, I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group and the related financial report.

The delegation took part in the 10th bilateral meeting between the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group and the Japan-Canada Parliamentarian Friendship League, held from November 6 to November 13, 1999.

The delegation also traveled to the region of Hiroshima and to Shikoku Island, where it met governors of prefectures and senior officials. It visited the peace memorial park and Hiroshima's atomic bomb museum, and it met with senior officials of Mazda Motor Corporation. In all these instances, the delegation defended Canadian interests.

The delegation's tour was exceptional. Indeed, in addition to bilateral consultations, the delegation had the great honour of being welcomed by His Excellency Keiso Obuchi, the Prime Minister of Japan, by Their Excellencies Soichiro Ito, President of the House of Representatives, and—

[The Deputy Speaker]

Order, please. I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member but this is not an opportunity to read the report. It is simply the tabling of the report and I hope the hon. member will get to that.

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am therefore pleased to table the report and I thank you for your patience.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present, to the House, in both official languages, the third report of the Canada-China Legislative Association regarding the second bilateral meeting which took place in Canada from October 25 to October 31, 1999.

Committees Of The House

[Ben Serré, Liberal, Timiskaming—Cochrane, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages asking the Ontario legislature to declare Ottawa, the national capital, a bilingual city with two official languages,

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans which recommends that it be granted permission to travel from February 13 to 23, 2000 to review the Oceans Act, the aboriginal fishing strategy and the aquaculture issues.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, an interim report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities emanating from the sub-committee on children and youth at risk with proposals for the year 2000 budget concerning a children and families budget.

[John Williams, Reform, St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts relating to audit observations contained in the April 1999 report of the Auditor General of Canada entitled “National Defence and Health Canada: Non-compliance with conditions and inadequate monitoring with respect to the pre-licensing use of an anti-malarial drug”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109 of the House of Commons, the committee requests the government to table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, further to the tabling of the report on children and youth at risk by the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, I want to point out that the Bloc Quebecois tabled a dissenting report because the main report does not take into account the situation the provinces are facing due to the cuts to the Canada social transfer.

I believe one of the first things the committee should have done was to make a commitment and to really support the provinces, to respect their priorities, taking into account their disastrous financial situation after six years of social deficit.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to be sure. Have we presented the first report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development?

[The Deputy Speaker]

I believe a report was presented from the human resources development committee. The hon. member for Peterborough might consult the Table.

[Ben Serré, Liberal, Timiskaming—Cochrane, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. When I presented the report of the official languages committee I should have said “Ottawa, the capital of Canada” instead of “the national capital”.

Proceeds Of Crime (Money Laundering) Act

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, for the Minister of Finance]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-22, an act to facilitate combating the laundering of proceeds of crime, to establish the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada and to amend and repeal certain acts in consequence.

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

Nuclear Amendment Act, 1998

[Dave Chatters, Reform, Athabasca, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-403, an act to amend the Nuclear Energy Act and the Nuclear Safety and Control Act.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to reintroduce my private member's bill to essentially split responsibility for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

It is quite clear to me, and I think to most Canadians, that having both these agencies report and be responsible to the same minister puts that minister in a clear conflict. Splitting that responsibility would serve Canadians much better.

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

Employment Insurance Act

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-404, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Department of Human Resources Development Act, 1999.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present this bill which contains all the changes to the employment insurance the Bloc Quebecois is proposing so that it can again become a system allowing unemployed workers to have a decent income while they are out of a job.

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

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-405, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and another act in consequence, 1999 (Employment Insurance Account and annual premium rate setting).

Mr. Speaker, this is a bill to give back to all of those who finance the employment insurance program, employers and employees, total control over that program to stop the federal government from diverting billions of dollars of the money people contribute to ensure that they can count on a decent employment insurance program.

[The Deputy Speaker]

When shall the bill be read the second time? At the next sitting of the House?

[Some hon. members]

At the next sitting of the House.