Debates of June 7th, 1999

Petitions

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today signed by people who are desperately concerned about the impact of the sanctions against Iraq.

They point out in their petition that four million people, or one-fifth of the population, are currently starving to death in Iraq, and that there have been 650,000 Iraqi children who have died as a result of embargo related causes. This is from a UNICEF report.

The petitioners call on parliament to use all possible diplomatic pressures to urge the UN to end the sanctions against Iraq based on humanitarian compassion and the need to keep children alive.

[Sophia Leung, Liberal, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to present a petition voicing the concerns of a group of British Columbians.

The petitioners are asking parliament to follow through with action concerning nuclear disarmament.

Canada is a member of the non-proliferation treaty and has made pro-disarmament statements in the past.

The petition calls for Canada to support those steps toward disarmament with action.

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present the following petition which comes from my riding of Nanaimo—Alberni.

The undersigned believe that citizens of B.C. deserve a referendum on the Nisga'a treaty and request that parliament reject the Nisga'a treaty on constitutional grounds.

[Gordon Earle, NDP, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to present one petition.

The petition concerns mandatory labelling and thorough testing of all genetically engineered foods. It is signed by a number of constituents right across the country.

The petitioners are calling on parliament to legislate clear labelling of all genetically engineered foods and their byproducts available in Canada; and furthermore, to ensure that these products are banned from the market until they have been rigorously tested to prove their safety when consumed by humans.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and indeed a privilege to present a number of petitions pursuant to Standing Order 36.

The first petition points out a whole number of concerns that the petitioners have about the security of their pension system. They are asking the national government to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that the CPP remains a viable pension system.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petition, the petitioners are very concerned that the federal government is appropriating the pension funds belonging to the 670,000 current and future retirees from federal departments, crown corporations, agencies, the military and the RCMP.

The petitioners are asking parliament to take some kind of action. It is a little late to take action, because the action has already been taken, but nevertheless, that is their petition and their position.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on another topic, the petitioners throughout western Canada are concerned about the issue of child pornography, recognizing that child pornography hurts children and thus could never be justified, and that the possession of child pornography perpetuates the production of child pornography.

Therefore, the petitioners are calling on parliament to recognize the fact that Canadians reject the legalization of possession of child pornography and ask the government to intervene in this matter to establish and strengthen laws relating to the possession of child pornography to ensure that it will never be legalized.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on a final topic, the petitioners are dreadfully concerned about the federal government's decision to offload the development of social housing onto provincial governments, particularly when we look at the pathetic efforts that most provincial governments have taken, with the exception of Quebec and British Columbia.

The petitioners are concerned that this will have a major impact on native housing throughout the country. They are asking parliament to smarten up and take some action.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from citizens of the Peterborough area concerned about the bombing in Yugoslavia. They believe that it violates international law and undermines the United Nations.

The petitioners call on parliament to advocate that the Government of Canada withdraw its political and military support for the bombing in Yugoslavia, and ask for the bombing to be stopped immediately; and, that the government use its influence with the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to establish a process of genuine negotiations intended to seek a fair and balanced solution to the crisis in Kosovo.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would ask that you seek unanimous consent to return to Tabling of Documents.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent to revert to Tabling of Documents?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I asked for this because I understand I inadvertently said that we were tabling the responses to seven petitions. It should in fact have been no less than 20.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I was wondering if I could have unanimous consent to revert to question period.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, Question No. 238 will be answered today. .[Text]

Question No. 238—

[Rob Anders, Reform, Calgary West, AB]

How many full time equivalent positions is ACOA directly and indirectly responsible for creating during each of the following fiscal years: 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998?

[Fred Mifflin, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)]

The following table outlines the number of direct and indirect jobs that ACOA, along with its provincial and private sector partners, has helped to create and maintain during the fiscal years 1995, 1996 and 1997 as reported in the agency's five year report to parliament, 1993-1998, as well as for fiscal 1998.

Year—1995-96—1996-97—1997-98—1998-99 Direct Jobs—7,000—7,500—10,000—9,700 Indirect Jobs—2,800—3,000—4,000—3,900 Total Jobs—9,800—10,500—14,000—13,600

Please note that total jobs figures represent the total number of jobs created and jobs maintained. All jobs are calculated in full time, long term equivalent.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

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

[The Deputy Speaker]

Shall the remaining questions stand?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

The House resumed consideration of the motion, and of the amendment.

Supply

[The Deputy Speaker]

When the debate was interrupted, the hon. member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough had the floor. He has five minutes remaining for his remarks.