House of Commons Hansard #43 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was workers.

Topics

Competition ActRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Industry

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-23, an act to amend the Competition Act and the Competition Tribunal Act.

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

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-328, an act to amend the Criminal Code (theft over $100,000).

Mr. Speaker, the title of the bill is an act to amend the Criminal Code for theft over $100,000.

The purpose of the bill is to do two things. First, to allow a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment for theft over $100,000. Second, to allow the same 14 year maximum penalty for people who would bring property obtained through crime into the country.

This is long overdue. This change would encourage police officers to carry through on investigations involving white collar crime, such as embezzlement, when there are large amounts of money involved. In the United States, there is grand theft in place, which is a special charge allowing a higher penalty than other theft charges.

It is long overdue in Canada and I look forward to debating the bill in the House.

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

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-329, an act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of children).

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to rise in the House today to reintroduce the bill in this session of parliament.

This is something that I care about very much. It is a bill that seeks to repeal section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada. This section of the criminal code allows for the use of force as a means of correcting or disciplining a child.

Children are the only group in society that adults are allowed to use force against, as outlined in the current section 43 of the criminal code.

My bill would seek to uphold the rights of the child as outlined in international law and many other policies and programs of the government. It would also seek to enforce that there are adequate means of correction that need not involve physical harm or force against children.

I am very happy to introduce the bill in the House today.

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

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

Bob Speller Liberal Haldimand—Norfolk—Brant, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-330, an act to amend the Criminal Code (desecration of the Canadian Flag).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a bill to amend the criminal code regarding the desecration of the Canadian flag. I thank the member for Eglinton—Lawrence for seconding the motion.

We all know that a vast majority of Canadians are proud of the flag as a national symbol and believe that the desecration of it is an offence. The flag is a symbol of our freedom and independence. For those who fought for our country's liberty, the destruction of our flag is particularly upsetting.

Unfortunately there are some people who feel that by destroying our flag they are expressing their disagreement with government policy or the entire nation itself as a means of protest.

In this vein I put forward the bill to protect our national symbol. I am not advocating throwing people in jail over this, but I do think a fine on a sliding scale is appropriate punishment for those who wilfully destroy our most profound national symbol.

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

Ukrainian Canadian Restitution ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Inky Mark Canadian Alliance Dauphin—Swan River, MB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-331, an act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Ukrainian descent and other Europeans who were interned at the time of the first world war and to provide for public commemoration and for restitution which is to be devoted to education and the promotion of tolerance.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to introduce my bill. The bill calls for a redress of the Ukrainian internment which occurred during the first world war, when over 5,000 citizens were interned and over 80,000 were made to register like common criminals.

I thank the current Speaker who was an advocate back in the days when he first came to the House. The current Prime Minister, when he was leader of the official opposition previous to his days as Prime Minister, promised Canadians of Ukrainian descent that he would deal with the issue. To date he has not.

I ask all members for their support to bring a resolution to this issue once and for all.

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

Special Economic Measures ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Bloc

Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-332, an act to amend the Special Economic Measures Act.

Mr. Speaker, the Special Economic Measures Act is not often mentioned, but we felt that it needed to be amended when we saw first minister Axworthy and now the current Minister of Foreign Affairs involved in a conflict in Sudan, where a Canadian company is associated with serious and repeated human rights violations. In fact, Human Rights Watch indicated this year that the company was associated with the continuation and intensification of war.

However, the Special Economic Measures Act could not be implemented by the Canadian government alone and, secondly, it could not be invoked for situations where the actions of companies resulted in serious and repeated human rights violations.

By amending the act, the bill will give authority to the governor in council to take action. We hope that the government will hear this strong voice.

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

Sex Offender Registry ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Randy White Canadian Alliance Langley—Abbotsford, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-333, an act to establish and maintain a national registry of sex offenders to protect the children and communities of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the enabling legislation that would provide a guideline for the development of a national sex offender registry. The bill has a great deal of support from all opposition parties in the House, and I sincerely hope the governing party.

The real credit for the draft legislation goes to Canada's 30,000 policemen, victims of sexual crimes and our country's law-abiding citizens. The draft legislation is modelled after Christopher's bill, the Ontario sex offender legislation.

We expect the government to take the legislation in the spirit it was developed in a non-partisan manner and forward it to the House of Commons justice committee. We expect the government to honour the motion unanimously passed in the House of Commons on March 13 which read:

That the government establish a national sex offender registry by January 30, 2002.

This bill would assist in the protection of our women and children. I sincerely hope the government takes action now as we have not seen any yet, and we are growing impatient with its inaction.

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

Sex Offender Registry ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Keith Martin Canadian Alliance Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to pass Motion No. 330 which reads:

That, in the opinion of this House, the government should introduce a comprehensive plan of action to stop the international drug trade that should undertake to: (a) reduce domestic consumption through drug rehabilitation programs based upon some of the new and effective European models; (b) prevent the use of drugs in the early stages of childhood by introducing a national Headstart program that focuses on strengthening the parent-child bond; (c) pursue a hemispheric free trade agreement that reduces tariff, non-tariff barriers and the elimination of double taxation regimes; and (d) introduce amendments to the criminal code based on the model of the American Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisation Act (RICO); and that this plan should be taken to the Summit of the Americas and the Organization of American States for further action.

Sex Offender Registry ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Bélair)

Does the hon. member have unanimous consent to present the motion?

Sex Offender Registry ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Sex Offender Registry ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Liberal

Guy St-Julien Liberal Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition from workers of the Sigma mine, of the McWatters company, and signed by residents of the Vallée de l'Or and the city of Val-d'Or.

The petitioners are asking the government, through its national highways program, to intervene in the McWatters project for the Sigma-Lamaque complex on the Trans-Canada Highway, highway 117, in the municipality of Val-d'Or. The government should reinforce its presence and increase its activities in mining regions that are experiencing difficulty in adapting to the new economy.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present another petition from people in the Peterborough area who support the re-establishment of a VIA Rail link between Peterborough and Toronto.

The petition has support from as far away as Whitby, Ajax, Durham, Victoria, Haliburton and Brock where the members of parliament also support the re-establishment of this VIA Rail link.

The petitioners point out that it is of great environmental benefit, reducing global emissions that affect the atmosphere. They also point out that it will strengthen Peterborough as a tourism, commuter and educational destination.

The petitioners call upon parliament to authorize the resumption of VIA Rail service between Peterborough and Toronto.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present two petitions, both from people who are interested in research which will improve the situation of those with end stage kidney disease.

The first petition is from citizens who support research into the bioartificial kidney, a project which would replace transplantation and dialysis treatment as the only treatments now available for people with end stage kidney disease. The petitioners call upon parliament to support research into the bioartificial kidney.

The other petition is also from people who support kidney research. They call upon parliament to encourage the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to include kidney research as one of the institutes in its system, to be named the institute of kidney and urinary tract diseases.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Carol Skelton Canadian Alliance Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to put forward a petition from constituents in my riding about Richardson's ground squirrels, commonly known as gophers.

In Saskatchewan we have two very popular gophers named Gainer and Leonard that are mascots of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and are not included in this petition.

We are asking Health Canada to reintroduce the strychnine poison which was used for gopher control a few years ago. We ask Health Canada to bring it back so that damage done to property in our province is controlled for our citizens.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by hundreds of people who are asking the Canadian government to release all the documents on the free trade area of the Americas, as they are at the negotiating stage.

The petitioners are also asking that 5,000 copies of the draft agreement in French, 10,000 copies in English, 1,000 copies in Spanish and 500 copies in Portuguese be made available Canada-wide, and that four versions be posted on the Internet, with the monthly update.

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

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

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Bélair)

Is that agreed?

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Motions For PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, Notice of Motion for the Production of Papers No. P-4 in the name of the hon. member for St. John's East is acceptable to the government and the documents are tabled immediately.

That an Order of the House do issue for any studies conducted by heritage agencies of the government relating to the preservation, protection or development of Fort Townsend in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Motions For PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Bélair)

Is that agreed?

Motions For PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Motions For PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Derek Lee Liberal Scarborough—Rouge River, ON

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all other Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers be allowed to stand.

Motions For PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Bélair)

Is that agreed?

Motions For PapersRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.