Debates of March 20th, 2002

Research and Development

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has increased its spending on R and D--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order. The hon. member for Fredericton has the floor and we want to be able to hear him.

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has increased its spending on R and D in recent years to the CFI, the research chairs program and with increases in the research granting councils. However, these increases have forced Canadian universities to bear the indirect costs associated with that research, resulting in the $200 million indirect funds program announced last fall.

Could the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development provide the rationale for the use of a sliding scale in the allocation of these funds?

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fredericton for his excellent question and his excellent work on behalf of Canadian universities. Through the allocation of $200 million for indirect costs of research and the use of the sliding scale, it is clear that the government appreciates the special circumstances and concerns of large universities as well as small universities.

The government is presently undergoing the innovation consultation process and we encourage Canadians to participate.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker]

I wish to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Mrs. Suivi-Anne Siimes, Minister of Finance and Environment (Housing) from Finland.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

The House resumed from March 15 consideration of the motion.

Questions in the House of Commons

[The Speaker]

It being 3:00 p.m., pursuant to order made on Monday, March 18, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on Motion No. 20 under private members' business.

Call in the members.

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

[The Speaker]

I declare the motion lost.

I wish to inform the House that, because of the deferred recorded divisions government orders will be extended by 10 minutes.

Government Response to Petitions

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Parliamentary 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 two petitions.

Committees of the House

[Jacques Saada, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 49th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of certain committees of the House.

If the House gives its consent, I would move concurrence in the 49th report later today.

Canada Transportation Act

[Rick Casson, Canadian Alliance, Lethbridge, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill 436, an act to amend the Canada Transportation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I would like the thank the member for Athabasca for seconding this bill. The bill would amend the Canada Transportation Act to require adults travelling by air with minors under 16 years of age to produce custodial permission of the guardians before boarding the aircraft on domestic flights.

I have always had an interest in protecting children and when a concerned constituent alerted me to this security gap on domestic flights with children, I felt a private member's bill was in order. This Lethbridge mother was boarding a plane with her five year old daughter on the same day that a child went missing in Lethbridge. My constituent was not asked for identification for her daughter, despite the ongoing search for the missing child. When she insisted on showing security personnel her custody papers she was waived off.

That is when I found out that presently any adult can board a domestic flight in Canada with a child and no questions are asked regarding identification or custody. This is a serious loophole, especially in cases where a non-custodial parent is taking a child on a flight possibly clear across the country and away from his or her guardian. Also with increasing online contact between minors and adults, this gap in security could be taken advantage of.

I realize the bill will not stop child abduction, but if it can prevent one family from going through the anguish of a missing child, it is going to be worth it. I will be seeking the support of all members of the House when the bill comes up for a vote.

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

Child Predator Act

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

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-437, an act to provide that persons who commit a sexual offence involving a child serve the entire sentence imposed without early release or parole and be found to be child predators, and to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Criminal Code.

Mr. Speaker,I am pleased to introduce this bill to provide that persons who commit a sexual offence involving a child serve the entire sentence imposed without early release or parole and be found to be child predators.

It would amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to prevent any unescorted temporary absence, day parole, full parole or statutory release being granted to a person who has committed a child predator offence or who has been found to be a child predator. Thus it would ensure that the full term of the sentence would be served in custody in every case of a child predator offence.

The enactment would also allow the court to order an offender who is found to be a child predator to be held in custody for an indeterminate period if the offence is a second or subsequent child predator offence and in the case of any subsequent release, avoidance of contact with children, electronic surveillance and monthly reporting to police.

In conclusion, it is a shame that this type of proposal to protect our children should have to come from an opposition member and not the justice minister. It is just another illustration of the desperate need to change the government so we can get the kind of criminal justice reform we need to protect our children.

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

Royal Assent Act

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

moved that Bill S-34, an act respecting royal assent to bills passed by the Houses of Parliament, be read the first time.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Payment Clearing and Settlement Act

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, for the Minister of Finance]

moved that Bill S-40, an act to amend the Payment Clearing and Settlement Act, be read the first time.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Committees of the House

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, following discussions among the parties I believe you would find unanimous consent in the House for the following motion. I move:

That, in relation to its study on the Canadian Broadcasting system, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage be authorized to travel to St. John's, Charlottetown, Moncton, Halifax and Montreal from April 28 to May 3, 2002, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

(Motion agreed to)

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you were to seek it, you would find unanimous consent for the following motion:

That the Special Committee on Non-Medical Use of Drugs be authorized to travel to and hold hearings in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Sunday, April 14 to Thursday, April 18, 2002 in relation to its mandate and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.

[Ken Epp, Canadian Alliance, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a matter of clarification. It could be that the motion was read too fast for the interpreters, but in the English there was no mention of Prince Edward Island as in my printed copy and I just want to confirm that it was included.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Yes, Mr. Speaker, it was included in the English version and in the French as well.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. member have unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

[Jacques Saada, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 49th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.