Debates of March 27th, 2001

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 one petition.

Aboriginal Affairs

[John Finlay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the agreement with respect to the Kanesatake governance of the interim land base.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Carolyn Parrish, Liberal, Mississauga Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the second report of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association which represented Canada at a joint meeting of the defence and security committee, the economic committee and the political committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Brussels and Paris from February 7 to February 21, 2001.

Statutory Program Evaluation Act

[John Williams, Canadian Alliance, St. Albert, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-308, an act to provide for evaluations of statutory programs.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the bill which would bring some regularity and conformity to the way we evaluate programs to ensure Canadians get value for the $170 billion the government spends every year.

The bill asks that each program be evaluated based on what is the public policy a program is designed to achieve; is it achieving what it is trying to achieve; and is it doing it efficiently or can it achieve the same results in a better way.

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

Final Offer Arbitration In Respect Of West Coast Ports Operations Act

[Dale Johnston, Canadian Alliance, Wetaskiwin, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-309, an act to provide for the settlement of labour disputes affecting west coast ports by final offer arbitration.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this bill which would prevent work stoppages at west coast ports. Stoppages at west coast ports have cost Canada billions of dollars over the years in lost sales and exports of grain, not to mention the impact they have had on the farming economy, on the unions and on employers.

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

[The Speaker]

Motions. Presenting petitions.

[Jim Pankiw, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Motion No. 3 on the order paper respecting the first report—

[An hon. member]

This is petitions.

[The Speaker]

I was unaware the member was moving his motion. We will get to it.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Had you not called petitions

[The Speaker]

I mentioned that we were at motions, but the hon. member did not rise.

I received no notice that the hon. member would propose his motion, except that he told me yesterday that if he could not propose it then, he would do it today. It was not on my list. I really should have recognized him, because he gave notice to the Chair yesterday.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

He did not rise.

[The Speaker]

Maybe not fast enough.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, you should proceed to petitions.

[The Speaker]

Very well, let us proceed to petitions.

[Jim Pankiw, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, as you indicated, I did mention to you that I would be introducing this today and when you called motions I did stand. If you neglected to look my way I think that was an oversight on your part, but I should still be allowed to introduce the motion.

[The Speaker]

The Chair is not trying to be difficult. I did call motions. I admit it went quickly. I did not see any hon. members stand when I called motions.

The logical thing is to go back to motions if the House will agree.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Speaker]

There is no agreement so the Chair's hands are somewhat tied. I regret that is the way it is being done, but there is nothing I can do.

Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to introduce a petition signed by the great people of Toronto, and thousands more will be coming, regarding prohibition of the release of genetically modified aquatic organisms into the natural environment.

The petitioners pray to parliament to prohibit the release and to commence a full and open public consultation and review process to determine the ecological, social and financial consequences associated with the development and use of transgenic aquatic organisms.

Questions On The Order Paper

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

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

[The Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

The House proceeded to the consideration of Bill C-8, an act to establish the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and to amend certain acts in relation to financial institutions, as reported (with amendment) from the committee.