House of Commons Hansard #52 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chapter.

Topics

Prayers

National Child BenefitRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Laval West Québec

Liberal

Raymonde Folco LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Human Resources Development, I have the pleasure to submit two copies, in both official languages, of the report entitled “National Child Benefit Progress Report 2000”.

TradeRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

London—Fanshawe Ontario

Liberal

Pat O'Brien LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Minister for International Trade, I am pleased to table in the House today under Standing Order 32(2), in both official languages, the second annual report of Canada's state of trade.

The report details Canada's outstanding success in international trade and investment and it gives the evidence that international trade is indeed the engine of the Canadian economy at this time.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

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

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to two petitions.

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, there are two motions that I would like to seek consent of the House to have adopted.

There has been consultation among all political parties and they have agreed to the following. I move:

That, on Tuesday, May 1, at the ordinary time of daily adjournment, there shall be no proceedings pursuant to Standing Order 38, but the House shall continue to sit and shall resolve itself into a committee of the whole to consider a motion “That the committee take note of proposals to modernize the Standing Orders”, provided that, during consideration thereof, (1) the Chair of the committee shall not receive any quorum call or any motion except a motion “That the committee do now rise”; (2) That the Speaker may act as Chair of the committee; (3) two members may divide one twenty minute speaking time period; (4) when no member rises to speak, or four hours after the committee commences consideration, whichever is earlier, the committee shall rise; and (5) when the committee rises the House shall immediately adjourn to the next sitting day.

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is there unanimous consent to adopt the motion?

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, there is agreement among the leaders of all the parties in the House on the following motion. I move:

That Bill C-16, an act respecting the registration of charities and security information and to amend the Income Tax Act, be withdrawn from the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

Is there unanimous consent?

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

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

Business Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Bernard Patry Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, two reports by the Canadian section of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie and the accompanying financial report.

The first report is on the meeting of the Commission de la coopération et du développement, held at Val d'Aoste, Italy from March 15 to 17, 2001.

The second is on the meeting of the Commission des affaires parlementaires, held from March 26 to 28 in Luxembourg.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Health.

Pursuant to order of reference of February 27, the committee has considered Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 under health in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2002 and reports the same.

Canada Labour CodeRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Bloc

Monique Guay Bloc Laurentides, QC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-340, an act to amend the Canada Labour Code.

Mr. Speaker, I am doubly pleased to introduce on International Workers Day a bill to amend the Canada Labour Code to enable a pregnant or nursing mother to avail herself of provincial occupational health and safety legislation.

I hope this bill will receive particular attention, and that we will pass it quickly.

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

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Paul MacKlin Liberal Northumberland, ON

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to present a duly certified petition to the House today. The petitioners are from three high schools in the Cobourg area who showed their interest in the recent trade agreement negotiations. The high schools are St. Mary's, CDCI West and CDCI East.

The more than 600 petitioners are concerned about the manner in which the agreement is being negotiated. They call upon parliament to consult Canadians before entering into that agreement so the environmental, social and cultural consequences can be considered.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON

Madam Speaker, I have another petition from citizens of the Peterborough area who would like VIA Rail commuter service re-established between Peterborough and Toronto.

The petitioners point out the environmental benefits of this, for example, the reduction in greenhouse emissions. They also point out the reduction in accidents and costs on the highways and the way in which such a commuter service would improve Peterborough as a business, educational and tourist centre.

The petitioners call upon parliament to re-establish VIA Rail service between Toronto and Peterborough as soon as is humanly possible. The petition has support in five federal ridings.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON

Madam Speaker, my second petition concerns the bioartificial kidney, a research project which at present is being conducted in the United States. It is supported by Canadians from coast to coast to coast as an alternative to kidney dialysis and kidney transplant for treatment of those with end stage kidney disease.

This petition is now into the tens of thousands of signatures. It was developed by Ken Sharp in my riding and has already resulted in a meeting to be held very soon between leading researchers in the United States and researchers in Canada on the topic of the bioartificial kidney.

My third petition also concerns kidney research and is from citizens of the Peterborough area.

The petitioners call upon parliament to encourage the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to explicitly include kidney research as one of the institutes in its system and to be called the institute of kidney and urinary tract diseases.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK

Madam Speaker, I am presenting a petition from farmers in the southwest part of Saskatchewan who are concerned about changes made by Health Canada after 1992 regarding strychnine, which is used to control the Richardson's ground squirrel. They allege that the amount of strychnine allocated now by volume is at a level that is not having much effect.

The petitioners call upon parliament to amend the relevant regulation so as to permit the sale of concentrated liquid strychnine to registered farmers until such time as an effective alternative can be found.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

NDP

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

Madam Speaker, it gives me pleasure to rise in the House to present a petition on behalf of the good people of Bras d'Or—Cape Breton who are very concerned about the decision of Marine Atlantic possibly moving its entire operations to Newfoundland.

The petitioners pray that parliament ensure Marine Atlantic at least maintains equality between Newfoundland and Cape Breton.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

NDP

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

Madam Speaker, my second petition is on behalf of the great people of Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, in my particular riding, who believe that the Senate is unconstitutional.

The petitioners believe it is a waste of $50 million a year and they pray that parliament will take measures to abolish the Senate.

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

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

Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 20 and 23. .[Text]

Question No. 20—

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Bloc

Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC

Could the government provide: ( a ) the amount in the transitional jobs fund that was not utilized in the fiscal year 2000-01 and was redirected on June 22, 2000, toward the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec; and ( b ) a list of all amounts paid out in grants since June 22, 2000, by the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec through the Canada jobs fund, indicating the date each such grant was made?

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

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

I am informed as follows: (a) The transitional jobs fund, TJF, ended March 31, 1999. Therefore no funds from TJF were redirected toward the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec for fiscal year 2000-01.

TJF was replaced by the Canada jobs fund, CJF, which came into effect on April 1, 1999. On June 22, 2000, the Government of Canada announced that CJF would be closed down and that, in order to more strategically and effectively meet the unique needs of those regions where unemployment remained high, the CJF funds would be transferred to the regional development agencies. This would include the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Western Economic Diversification Canada, the federal economic development initiative in northern Ontario, the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec and the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

The Government of Canada also advised that all project proposals received in HRDC offices on or before June 22, 2000, would be assessed and all existing financial commitments would be met.

No funds were transferred to the regional economic development agencies in fiscal year 2000-01. At the time of the announcement of the close down of CJF, there were close to 500 CJF proposals under review at either the local, regional or national level. From June 22, 2000, to the present, just over 130 CJF projects have been approved, including 52 from Quebec.

(b) The moneys allocated to the CJF have not yet been transferred from HRDC to the various regional economic development agencies.

A portion of these funds will be transferred to Canada economic development at the beginning of the 2001-02 fiscal year.

These additional funds will be channelled into Canada economic development's regular programs. These will provide additional means to enhance our ability to develop the potential of Quebec's regions and its enterprises.

Question No. 23—

Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:15 a.m.

Liberal

Charles Caccia Liberal Davenport, ON

What were the total estimated tax expenditures incurred by the government under mining provisions of the Income Tax Act for: ( a ) the Suncor Energy Inc. $2.8 billion project millenium oil sands development project; and ( b ) the Shell Canada $3.5 billion Athabasca oil sands project?