House of Commons Hansard #125 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-27.

Topics

Business of the HouseOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

Is it agreed?

Business of the HouseOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

Willowdale Ontario

Liberal

Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)

moved that a ways and means motion to introduce an act respecting the taxation of spirits, wine and tobacco and to implement increases in tobacco taxes and changes to the treatment of ships' stores, laid upon the table on Tuesday, December 4, be concurred in.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

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

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

Call in the members. Is it agreed that the members are in?

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Ways and MeansGovernment Orders

3:15 p.m.

The Speaker

I declare the motion carried.

PrivilegeGovernment Orders

3:15 p.m.

The Speaker

I am now ready to rule on the question of privilege raised by the hon. member for Port Moody--Coquitlam--Port Coquitlam on Thursday, November 22, regarding Bill C-42, an act to amend certain acts of Canada, and to enact measures for implementing the biological and toxin weapons convention in order to enhance public safety, introduced earlier that day.

First, I would like to thank the hon. member for raising this matter as well as the hon. government House leader for his contribution.

In his submission, the hon. member for Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam alleges that the contents of Bill C-42 were leaked to the media before it was introduced at first reading in the House. As proof, he mentioned two newspaper articles, which appeared on Thursday, November 22, 2001, the first in the Globe and Mail and the second in the National Post .

I have examined the articles in question and can find no clear evidence that a leak actually occurred. The articles make reference to a number of sources, all unnamed, and include both speculations about the bill as well as assertions about its contents. Nowhere is any source, governmental or non-governmental, quoted with respect to the confidential contents of the bill.

On reading the text of these articles it is not possible for the Chair to distinguish between information, if any, that was directly communicated to the authors and material that is merely speculation or inference on the part of the authors for there seems to be no lack of ancillary material on which to base such speculations.

The hon. government House leader, for instance, noted that the very title of the bill, namely an act to amend certain acts of Canada, and to enact measures for implementing the biological and toxin weapons convention in order to enhance public safety, provides an important clue.

Intrepid journalists ready to invest the time to research the text of the biological and toxin weapons convention itself, not to mention the ongoing work of the international conference now reviewing its provisions, can expect to reap tangible benefits since Bill C-42 is the enabling legislation for Canada's ratification of that convention.

The mere fact that those speculations or inferences accord with the contents of the bill does not by itself constitute a prima facie breach of privilege.

Under these circumstances it is by no means evident to the Chair, based on the evidence submitted by the hon. member, that any actual disclosure of Bill C-42 has taken place prior to its introduction in the House. In the absence of such evidence, the Chair can find no basis for a question of privilege. I thank all hon. members for their attention to this matter.

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Halifax West Nova Scotia

Liberal

Geoff Regan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the 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.

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Brian Tobin Liberalfor the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-46, an act to amend the Criminal Code (alcohol ignition interlock device programs)

(Motion deemed adopted)

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Willowdale Ontario

Liberal

Jim Peterson Liberalfor the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

moved that the bill be read the first time and printed.

(Motion agreed to, bill read the first time and printed)

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

December 5th, 2001 / 3:20 p.m.

Liberal

John Maloney Liberal Erie—Lincoln, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34 I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report from the Canadian branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association concerning the 13th seminar of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association which was held in Tasmania from October 15 to October 21, 2001.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Parkdale—High Park Ontario

Liberal

Sarmite Bulte LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34 I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report from the Canadian branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association concerning the 24th Canadian regional seminar of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association which was held in Regina, Saskatchewan from October 18 to October 21, 2001.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Parrish Liberal Mississauga Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34 I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association which represented Canada at the joint meeting of the Defence and Security Political Science and Technology Committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Kiev, Ukraine from November 7 to November 9, 2001.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

Andy Scott Liberal Fredericton, NB

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Pursuant to its order of reference of Wednesday, September 26, the committee has considered Bill C-15B, an act to amend the Criminal Code (cruelty to animals and firearms) and the Firearms Act and has agreed to report it with amendment. I thank members of the committee and staff for great work in very short order.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Standing Committee on Transport and Government Operations I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the eighth report of the committee.

Pursuant to its order of reference of Friday, November 20, the committee has considered Bill C-44, an act to amend the Aeronautics Act and reports the bill with amendment.

As well, pursuant to its order of reference of Friday, November 20, the committee has considered Bill C-43, an act to amend certain acts and instruments and to repeal the Fisheries Prices Support Act and reports the bill, in both official languages, with amendment.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

Susan Whelan Liberal Essex, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology on Bill C-23, an act to amend the Competition Act and the Competition Tribunal Act. The committee reports the bill with amendment.

I thank all witnesses, committee members, researchers and everyone for their hard work and co-operation throughout the proceedings with respect to the bill.

Business of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalMinister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, now that the committees have reported. There has been consultation among House leaders and I believe you would find unanimous consent to the following order to offer convenience to hon. members. I move:

That notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice, the report stages of Bill C-15B and Bill C-44 may be taken up on or after Thursday, December 6.

In other words, the bills that were just reported could be taken up tomorrow.