Debates of June 6th, 2002

Information Commissioner

[The Speaker]

I have the honour to lay upon the Table, pursuant to section 38 of the Access to Information Act, the report of the information commissioner for the period from April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002.

This report is permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.

Bill C-5

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

Madam Speaker, I am tabling in both official languages, a document entitled “Proposed Revised Report Stage Motions at Report Stage of Bill C-5”.

It is this document that is referred to in the notices of motions standing in the name of the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

Government Response to Petitions

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Parliamentary 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 three petitions.

Canada Pension Plan

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, for the Minister of Finance]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-58, an act to amend the Canada Pension Plan and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act.

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

Drug Supply Act

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-473, an act to ensure the necessary supply of patented drugs in cases of domestic emergency or to deal with crises in countries that receive assistance from Canada.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this bill today. It is a bill that would give Canadians access to important medicines in the event of a biochemical attack and, at the same time, provide access to medication or medicine. It would also provide fair compensation to the pharmaceutical companies.

The bill would also provide that the government covers the cost of producing the drug while providing the manufacturer with a reasonable profit.

The bill would also allow for multiple producers to manufacture the drug and to ensure that the beneficial drugs be widely available to the Canadian public at a time of crisis.

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

Committees of the House

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

Madam Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 64th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented in the House yesterday, be concurred in.

The 64th report deals with the list of members and associate members for the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, and for the Standing Committee on Transport.

(Motion concurred in)

[John Harvard, Liberal, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am asking a question relative to Bill S-7. I assumed that you would be making some reference to Bill S-7. I did not think it was my duty to ask for unanimous consent for the passage of this motion. Could you give me clarification?

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)]

The hon. member was supposed to seek the consent of the House to concur in this motion under motions.

[John Harvard, Liberal, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Madam Speaker, if I may, I am more than happy to do that. I just want to say that I was given different advice, but if you want me to go ahead, I will do it right now.

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)]

We will do this one step at a time. I did go to petitions and the hon. member, under advice obviously, had assumed that it would be ask by À the Chair.

Do I have the consent of the House to go back to motions?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[John Harvard, Liberal, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Madam Speaker, I am rather stunned by these developments. May I then seek clarification from the Chair? Now that we are denied returning to motions to deal with this matter, where does this leave us? Could I have clarification on that?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Madam Speaker, we have had further conversations among House leaders and I respectfully submit that you might want to again seek that consent.

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)]

Does the House agree to return to motions?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[John Harvard, Liberal, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

I gather, Madam Speaker, that you are asking me to seek unanimous consent. I did this on Monday and I did not think it was necessary to do it again because of a notice of motion, but I am more than happy to do it.

Madam Speaker, I think if you seek it you would find there is unanimous consent of the House to adopt the following motion. I move that the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage presented on Monday, June 3, 2002, be concurred in.

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)]

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

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

Petitions

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today signed by many Canadians across this country who are concerned about the state of health care in Canada today. They call upon the government to rethink its position of funding cuts to our health care system and its complicity in the developments pertaining to private hospitals in Canada.

The petitioners call upon the government to take immediate action to save public non-profit health care and to stop two tier American style health care from coming to Canada.

[Yves Rocheleau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition by some 25 Quebecers from all regions. The signatories decry the salaries and working conditions of the rural route mail couriers, who, as you know, work under the thumb of the Canada Post Corporation.

[Gérard Asselin, Bloc, Charlevoix, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to table a petition for the member for Manicouagan, who is detained at home due to illness, for the member for Chambly, who is critic for Canada Post, and for the many signatories from the Sept-Îles--Port-Cartier area and so on.

We are tabling in the House today, pursuant to Standing Order 36, a petition bearing a number of signatures with respect to Canada Post and rural route mail couriers. These people often earn less than minimum wage, and the Canada Post Corporation Act denies them the right to collective bargaining.

The petitioners are asking parliament to repeal subsection 36(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act, which they consider unfair and discriminatory against rural workers.

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present this morning a petition signed by 50 people from across Quebec and Canada demanding a public inquiry into all these alleged scandals cropping up day after day in the press and here in the House of Commons.

People want the truth and want clarification. They are therefore calling for a public inquiry, and I am sure that the hon. member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord over there would have signed this petition himself had he been able to.

That is why I am presenting this petition.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 146, 150, 151 and 155.