House of Commons Hansard #27 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was disabled.

Topics

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Halifax West Nova Scotia

Liberal

Geoff Regan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 100 petitions.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Oak Ridges Ontario

Liberal

Bryon Wilfert LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I am honoured to present to the House, in both official languages, the report following the 12th annual bilateral meeting of the Canada-Japan Interparliamentary Group, held in Japan from September 24 to 29, 2002.

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Canadian Alliance

Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-306, an act to amend the Criminal Code (age of consent).

Madam Speaker, the bill is once again another attempt to simply change the Criminal Code to raise the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16 years of age. There have been calls from every corner of Canada to protect our children from sexual abuse. The bill answers those calls by stating clearly that it is no longer acceptable for adults to prey on our 14 year old children.

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

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

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

Madam Speaker, I wish to present two petitions. The first is from the Inuit of Nunavik, in Povungnituk and Kangiqsualujjuaq, and is addressed to Parliament which, through one of its departments, ordered the killing of Inuit sled dogs from 1950 to 1969 in New Quebec, that is Nunavik.

The federal government did not hold public consultations with the Inuit communities in New Québec. The killing of these dogs has had a tragic social, economic and cultural impact on the Inuit in Nunavik. The traditional way of life revolving around sled dogs has in large part been eliminated as a result of the Government of Canada's policy of killing during that period.

In closing, no effort was made by the federal government to put in place corrective measures to help the Inuit of Nunavik maintain their way of life.

The second petition comes from the people of Kangirsuk, in New Quebec.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Canadian Alliance

Darrel Stinson Canadian Alliance Okanagan—Shuswap, BC

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of the people of Okanagan—Shuswap. They call upon Parliament to oppose the passing of Bill C-415 from the previous session, presently known as Bill C-250, an act to amend the Criminal Code regarding hate propaganda. My constituents feel that this bill will diminish their freedom of speech.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Janko Peric Liberal Cambridge, ON

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition with 70 signatures from my constituents in the riding of Cambridge. They wish to draw to the attention of the House that the majority of Canadians condemns the creation and use of child pornography. The petitioners call upon Parliament to take the necessary steps to outlaw all materials that promote and glorify child pornography.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Canadian Alliance

Stockwell Day Canadian Alliance Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

Madam Speaker, I am pleased and proud to present signed petitions from 217 constituents of Okanagan—Coquihalla. These petitioners call upon Parliament to protect our children by taking all necessary steps to ensure that all materials which promote or glorify pedophilia or sado-masochistic activities involving children are outlawed.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Ben Serré Liberal Timiskaming—Cochrane, ON

Madam Speaker, I have a petition signed by 2,000 constituents of Timiskaming—Cochrane who call upon Parliament to protect our children by taking all necessary steps to ensure that all materials which promote or glorify pedophilia activities involving children are outlawed.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Ben Serré Liberal Timiskaming—Cochrane, ON

Madam Speaker, I have another petition signed by 200 constituents who call upon Parliament to focus its legislative support on adult stem cell research. I would like to add that I concur with both petitions.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by more than 700 residents of Acadie—Bathurst. We have had proof, in the period 1986-2000, that decontamination of the Tracadie firing range has not been properly carried out. The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to properly decontaminate the entire areas of the Tracadie-Sheila firing range, in order to ensure it is completely safe, particularly for economic development of the region.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON

Madam Speaker, I have three petitions this morning; two of them from my riding of Bruce--Grey--Owen Sound and one from the constituency of Northumberland.

The first asks that we pass Bill C-15B concerning the protection of animals and that we use the Criminal Code to make sure that animals are protected.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON

Madam Speaker, the other two petitions, one from Northumberland and the other one from Owen Sound, have to do with child pornography. The petitions ask that we outlaw materials dealing with child pornography and pedophilia.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Canadian Alliance

Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB

Madam Speaker, I have the pleasure, along with nearly every one of my colleagues in the House, to present a petition, which now brings the total to 3,167 names from my riding of Wild Rose, to literally wipe out child pornography from the face of the earth, particularly in this country. I certainly support that.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Canadian Alliance

Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB

Madam Speaker, the second petition is signed by the people from Wild Rose in the Airdrie area who are asking the government to raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 years of age.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL

Madam Speaker, I have a petition signed by a number of residents of the St. John's West area calling upon Parliament to focus its legislative support on adult stem cell research to find cures and therapies necessary to treat the illnesses and diseases of suffering Canadians, rather than concentrating on embryonic stem cell research.

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Halifax West Nova Scotia

Liberal

Geoff Regan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, the following question will be answered today: Question No. 25.

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Canadian Alliance

Chuck Strahl Canadian Alliance Fraser Valley, BC

With regard to the grant of up to $20,000 to the Ottawa-Carleton Tenants Association to complete a project under the Homegrown Solutions Initiative announced by the Minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) on January 30, 1998: ( a ) has the Ottawa-Carleton Tenants Association completed this project; and ( b ) if not, where did the grant money go?

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Mississauga West Ontario

Liberal

Steve Mahoney LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Homegrown Solutions is a housing initiative funded through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and managed by the Canadian Housing Renewal Association. Other partners in this initiative are the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Cooperative Housing Foundation of Canada.

The intent of Homegrown Solutions was to encourage the development of innovative ideas to enable grassroots organizations and communities to find local solutions to solve their housing issues. Since 1995, four proposal calls have been held and 67 groups across Canada received grant commitments of up to $20,000 each. The last proposal call was held in 2000. No further funding rounds are planned by CMHC.

Each selected applicant received a commitment of research funding of up to $20,000 to develop the submitted affordable housing idea. Access to this funding was made through a call for proposals on self-help approaches to housing needs from community organizations and non-profit groups. Participation was open to individuals, organizations and communities, private or public, seeking affordable and practical solutions to their housing needs. Each of the grant recipients was required to document their findings in a research report.

During the 1997 request for proposals, the Ottawa-Carleton Federation of Tenants Associations was one of the successful applicants. Their proposal was to develop a pilot project to involve tenants in maintenance and repair activities in their rental building. They intended to evaluate the potential for their form of sweat equity to offset rent increases and help retain affordability.

The federation received an initial advance of one-third, $6,266.67, of their grant commitment upon contract signing, to help offset initial research and study costs. The contract stated that a second advance of $6,266.67 would be paid to the federation upon receipt of an acceptable interim report. The final advance of $6,266.67 would be paid upon receipt of an acceptable final report documenting their research findings.

The review of the Ottawa-Carleton Federation of Tenants Associations interim report found it to be less than satisfactory and they were unable to provide acceptable documentation to justify any further advances of funds. Subsequently, the Ottawa-Carleton Federation of Tenants Associations was dissolved. No further advances have been made beyond the original $6,266.67 that was paid to them upon signing of their Homegrown Solutions contract. The unexpended money remains in CMHC's budget.

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS

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

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

Is that agreed?

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Madam Speaker, discussions have taken place among all the parties and there is agreement pursuant to Standing Order 45(7) to re-defer the recorded division on Bill C-17 scheduled for today at the end of government orders to Wednesday, November 20, 2002 at 3 p.m.

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)

Is it agreed?

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No. 25Routine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Madam Speaker, I move:

That at the conclusion of the present debate on the opposition motion, all questions necessary to dispose of this motion be deemed put, a recorded division deemed requested and deferred until Wednesday, November 20, 2002, at 3 p.m.