Debates of Dec. 14th, 2001

Softwood Lumber

[Jay Hill, Canadian Alliance, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this is the last day of business for the House before we all head home for the holidays, but there is no sign that it will be a merry Christmas for the thousands of British Columbians who have lost their jobs as a result of the government's failure to resolve the softwood lumber dispute.

For months the Minister for International Trade has held out faint hope that there would be a new deal on softwood lumber by Christmas. We are now 11 days from Christmas and still there is nothing. Canadian forestry workers want to know, will there be a new deal under the tree, or will they get scrooged again?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I can say one thing and that is the opposition is very isolated in not acknowledging the progress that all provinces, co-ordinated by the Government of Canada, have been making in the last few months.

For the first time this country has not blinked. We are in a position now to have the Americans at the table putting into a written document options for guaranteeing our security of access.

We will have our federal-provincial conference on Monday morning. I am confident that we will move as a united country despite the opposition.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has a different tune every day. On October 31 he talked about a Canadian approach and not letting any individual province cut a deal. Yesterday he completely flip-flopped on that. He went soft on it by letting Gordon Campbell cut a deal with the U.S. that will be disastrous for workers and the industry in B.C.

Despite what the minister has said today, I would ask him to be very clear. What is his position? Is it defending a Canadian unified position, or is it letting Gordon Campbell sell out the forestry industry and the thousands of jobs that are at stake?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly do not share the NDP's complete contempt for the premier of British Columbia.

That man has received a mandate from British Columbians. In his mandate he has the objective to actually change some forestry management practices in that province. It is his jurisdiction.

I have the great privilege of working with that very solid man. He is working as part of the Canadian team. We also have the Quebec government and the Alberta government there. We are working as a team.

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, after years of study and hundreds of amendments, the senators, or rather the other place, have made amendments of their own along the lines of the present youth justice legislation.

Instead of amending complex and inappropriate legislation, which nobody in Quebec wants, ought the minister not to take advantage of this renewed opportunity to withdraw her youth justice legislation, in keeping with the wishes of the majority of Quebecers?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we believe our new youth justice legislation is balanced, is effective, is fair and permits the province of Quebec to continue the very good programs and activities that it has under way.

Coinage

[Ken Epp, Canadian Alliance, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, all Canadian coins have on them “D.G. Regina”, which is Latin for “by the grace of God Queen”, all coins, that is, except the 2001 dime known as the volunteer dime. Ironically, this coin was unveiled by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales.

Will the minister responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint assure Canadians that he will restore the recognition of God and the Queen on all future coinage, or is it now Liberal policy to obliterate these time honoured references?

[Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question. It gives me the opportunity to say that next year is the jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen and we will have a 50 cent coin dedicated to the Queen.

[The Speaker]

As we prepare to return to our ridings and families and friends, I just want to take this opportunity to wish all hon. members, our staffs and the staff of the House the very best for the Christmas season.

I invite all hon. members to a reception in room 216 immediately following the adjournment of House.

Committees of the House

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 42nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the selection of votable items in accordance with Standing Order 92. This report is deemed adopted on presentation.

I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 43rd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the matter of improving procedures for the consideration of private members' business, and, if the House gives its consent, I should like to move concurrence at this time.

[The Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 44th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of some committees, and I should like to move concurrence at this time.

(Motion agreed to)

Petitions

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie—Lincoln, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions to present to the House. The first deals with the concern of Canadians about the sexual exploitation of children.

It calls on parliament to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to set the age of consent at 18 years, except in a husband and wife relationship, to provide protection from exploitation and abuse.

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie—Lincoln, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on parliament to put forward a motion to cancel the backlog of unpayable debt of the most impoverished nations. It asks our leaders to call on leaders of the world to write off these debts.

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie—Lincoln, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition deals with concern over Revenue Canada having reduced the amount deductible on social security for residents who worked in the United States. It is causing a hardship for senior citizens.

They are calling on parliament to return to the former deductions as established prior to the change of December 1997.

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie—Lincoln, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the final two petitions deal with the same subject matter. They call on parliament to revoke Bill C-23 from the previous parliament which affirms the opposite sex definition of marriage in legislation and ensures marriage is recognized as a unique institution.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from the citizens of the Peterborough area who support Bill C-15B, the cruelty to animals legislation.

The petitioners have been stimulated by several highly publicized examples of animal abuse. They point out that workers such as veterinarians, humane societies and others are becoming frustrated in the daily duties they are required to perform. The petitioners believe Bill C-15B would allow much more significant consequences to apply to those who abuse or neglect animals.

These citizens call on parliament to expedite Bill C-15B. Like me, they regret that the opposition has delayed proceedings today so we will not receive it before Christmas.

[Dick Proctor, NDP, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from a number of people in Saskatchewan who are concerned that the current tax system is unfair to workers because it does not allow them to deduct for income tax purposes the cost of acquiring tools. I am referring specifically to automotive mechanics and skilled construction workers.

The petitioners are calling on parliament to address the unfairness and injustice inflicted by the current tax system and enact legislation to allow tradespeople and not just apprentice mechanics to deduct the cost of providing tools for their employment if they are required to do so by their employer.

[Deepak Obhrai, Canadian Alliance, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a petition to the House in which the petitioners say that the residents of Canada draw the attention of the House to the need for a modernized unemployment insurance package which meets the needs of today's working families, that over $35 billion in unpaid insurance benefits has been taken out of the EI program by the federal government since it started the program and that in 1999 the EI program paid more money to the Department of Finance than it did to people who were unemployed.

Therefore the petitioners call on parliament to enact legislation.

[The Speaker]

I think the hon. member knows he cannot read from a petition. He must give a brief summary.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

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

[The Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.