Debates of Sept. 18th, 2000

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, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 50 petitions.

Order In Council Appointments

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary 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 recently made by the government.

Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 110(1) these are deemed referred to the appropriate standing committees, a list of which is attached.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[George Proud, Liberal, Hillsborough, PE]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House in both official languages, the seventh report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association which represented Canada at the spring session held in Budapest, Hungary from May 26 to 30, 2000.

A Day For Hearts: Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day Act

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-492, an act establishing a day for hearts: congenital heart defect awareness day.

Mr. Speaker, I know this is something that is very dear to your heart in the efforts you have made as Speaker in the House. This is an act establishing a day for hearts: congenital heart defect awareness day.

I have a couple of statistics which will only take a minute. It is important for Canadians to hear this. We hear so much about adult heart disease, and rightly so, but how many people are aware that heart disease or, more properly, congenital heart defects affect more than 32,000 infants in Canada. One in every 100 births in the country is affected each year.

Beginning on February 14, 2001, Valentine's Day or heart day, would be a day for hearts: congenital heart defect awareness day.

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

Employment Insurance Act

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-493, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (persons who leave employment to be caregivers to family members).

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to present the third part in my trilogy on health care reform.

This bill will recognize those caregivers, in most cases those people in what is called the sandwich generation, who look after their children and infirmed individuals, their parents.

Any individual who has looked after a mother, father, uncle, or anyone through the later stages of Alzheimer's knows exactly what this bill would do. The bill would allow people who need to take a year off work to access EI funds for up to 52 weeks in order for them to stay at home and look after their infirmed relatives. Relative is defined within the bill itself.

We do many things for the front end of a person's life, through maternity or paternity benefits, however we do not do anything at the back end of a person's life. This bill corrects that mistake.

I hope that this bill will be part of the sweeping changes throughout Ottawa and that all parliamentarians will carefully review this great piece of legislation and will support it not only to save taxpayer dollars in the health care system but to help people as well.

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

Robert Marleau

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That the House, desiring to record its deep appreciation of the distinguished and faithful service of Robert Marleau, Esquire, as Clerk of the House of Commons, designate him an Honourary Officer of the House of Commons with an entrée to the Chamber and a seat at the Table.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. member have permission to put the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Committees Of The House

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, following House leader consultations, I believe you will find consent for the following motion. I move:

That the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be modified as follows: Joe Jordan for Gar Knutson, John Reynolds for Jay Hill, David Iftody for Raymond Bonin; and that the following members be added to the list of associate members of the said committee: Garry Breitkreuz, Gar Knutson, Jay Hill and Steve Mahoney.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. member have permission to put the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Petitions

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from the people of the Peterborough riding and beyond who are concerned about homelessness.

The petitioners point out that homelessness and housing insecurity include those who are visible on the streets or staying in shelters and those who live in overcrowded, illegal, temporary or transient accommodation, and those at imminent risk of losing their housing.

Shelter is a basic human need. The federal government has the ability and responsibility to affirm a national role in this matter.

The petitioners call upon parliament to make affordable housing and ending homelessness an immediate priority by declaring that safe affordable housing shall be a fundamental human right in Canada.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition from people who are interested in the development of research into the bioartificial kidney in Canada. They point out that 18,000 Canadians suffer from end stage kidney disease and that those on kidney dialysis and those successfully transplanted recognize the importance of the bioartificial kidney approach to their problem.

The petitioners call upon parliament to work and support the bioartificial kidney which will eventually eliminate the need for both dialysis or transplantation for those suffering from end stage kidney disease.

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table in the House a petition signed by 259 people from Quebec, including from the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean area.

The petitioners are asking the Canadian government and parliament to take all necessary action so that the public and its representatives are consulted on the principle of importing plutonium, commonly known as MOX.

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table a petition which has been signed by several hundred residents of Ontario. It has been organized by the Save Medicare Committee and Russ Rak of the CAW Local 222 Retired Workers Chapter.

The petitioners urge that the federal government preserve and enforce the Canada Health Act, the foundation of medicare in every province and region of Canada, and maintain the five principles of medicare: universal coverage, accessibility, portability, comprehensive coverage, and federal funding based on non-profit administration and provision of health care.

Therefore the petitioners urge parliament to enshrine the Canada Health Act and the five fundamental principles of medicare in the Canadian constitution to guarantee national standards of quality publicly funded health care for every Canadian citizen as a right.

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by 139 residents of Vancouver Island. It relates to divorce. Taking note of the divorce rate in Canada, the petitioners call on the Parliament of Canada to take immediate steps to amend the Divorce Act, taking into consideration the recommendations made by the parliamentary Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access.

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table in this House a petition signed by over 700 people from my riding regarding the excessively high gasoline prices.

The petitioners are calling upon the government not only to adopt a resolution to thwart the world oil cartels, but more importantly to allocate adequate funding to research into alternative energy sources so that, in the near future, Canadians and Quebecers are no longer forced to use oil.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table in this House a petition signed by 400 people from central Quebec and the Eastern Townships.

Given the soaring price of gasoline at the pump and for various other reasons, the petitioners are calling upon the government to pass a resolution to thwart the world oil cartels in order to bring down overly high gasoline prices and to allocate adequate funding to research into alternative energy sources so that, in the near future, Quebecers are no longer forced to turn to oil as a main energy source.

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table in this House a petition signed by 115 people who want to be informed about the food they eat, especially with regard to genetically modified organisms.

Canadians have the right to know exactly what they eat. Genetically modified foods can be cause for concern in many respects.

Therefore, these 115 petitioners are asking the government to make labelling of genetically modified products mandatory.

Questions On The Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 85, 106, 107 and 108. .[Text]