Debates of Feb. 19th, 2003

Canada-U.S. Border

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, one of the problems we have had since September 11 is that the U.S. Congress has acted with great haste to deal with security threats and sometimes the legislation has unintended consequences. The hon. member has just explained one of those unintended consequences. We have worked with the department of transportation in the United States and we are close to resolving the issue.

[Val Meredith, Canadian Alliance, South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, American legislators and media figures are calling for even tighter controls at the Canada-U.S. border, suggesting that 100,000 American troops be posted there. Every time the Americans unilaterally increase border security, it adversely affects Canadian exports to the United States, which account for a third of our economy.

When is the government going to protect Canadian jobs that are at risk when they are dependent upon exports to the United States?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should acknowledge the fact that after September 11 the Prime Minister established a security committee of cabinet, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, which has tried to resolve all of these bilateral security issues, particularly in the transportation sphere. I think we have been very successful.

The United States, once the case is taken to it, accepts our logic. I believe that many of these problems are being dealt with and will continue to be dealt with in a very efficient way.

The Budget

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, municipal infrastructure needs an investment of at least $1 billion this year. However, for the next fiscal year, plans are to invest only $100 million of the $300 million available for municipal infrastructure, one-tenth of what is needed.

Does the Minister of Finance realize that, with all the money at his disposal, he has missed a great opportunity to fix the problem, while his all-over-the-map approach has succeeded only in making everyone unhappy?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, in the budget, we signalled our intention to continue to support the construction of strategic infrastructure over the next 10 years, with an additional $3 billion investment, which is in addition to the $5 billion that had already been made available, some of which remains to be spent.

Given the choice of investing in highways or children living in poverty, I am going to choose children living in poverty.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker]

I would draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Jeff Lantz, Attorney General and Minister of Tourism for Prince Edward Island.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Points of Order

[John Reynolds, Canadian Alliance, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order to ask the government House leader if he could indicate to the House whether the stalemate regarding private members' business being votable has finally come to a conclusion?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to confirm to the House, through the question of the hon. House leader for the official opposition, that we have arrived, I am very pleased to say, at a satisfactory conclusion which, hopefully, will be ratified tomorrow morning by the modernization committee and tabled at 10 a.m. in the House of Commons.

I want to thank the House leader for the official opposition, all other House leaders and all members of the modernization committee, including the chair of course, for their tremendous support, along with all those who contributed toward the process.

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

Mr. Speaker, during question period today you ruled out of order a question from the member for Kings—Hants. I know it was very noisy in the House but I was wondering if you perhaps could look at the blues because I believe that the main part of that question was in order. I would certainly appreciate your ruling on that matter.

[The Speaker]

I would be pleased to look at the blues and get back to the hon. member in due course.

Order in Council Appointments

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a number of order in council appointments made recently by the government.

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 four petitions.

Committees of the House

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 21st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs concerning the list of associate members of standing committees. I intend to move for concurrence in this report later this day.

Bill C-225

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

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I think if you were to seek it you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That Bill C-225, an act respecting Terry Fox Day, stand in the name of the member for Hamilton Mountain.

[The Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent for the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Committees of the House

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 21st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to)

Petitions

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of a number of Canadians, including from my own riding of Mississauga South, on the matter of stem cells.

The petitioners acknowledge, as I do, that life begins at conception and they would like to point out that Canadians do support ethical stem cell research which has already shown encouraging potential to provide the cures and therapies for the illnesses and diseases of Canadians.

They also want to point out that non-embryonic stem cells, also known as adult stem cells, have shown significant research progress without the immune rejection or ethical problems associated with embryonic stem cells.

The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to support legislative efforts which will pursue adult stem cell research to find the cures and therapies necessary for Canadians.

[Norman E. Doyle, Progressive Conservative, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from a number of people in the St. John's area who are making the point that non-embryonic stem cells, known as adult stem cells, have shown significant research progress and do not have the immune rejection problems or ethical problems associated with embryonic stem cells. They are calling upon Parliament to focus support on adult stem cell research to find cures and therapies necessary to treat the illnesses and diseases of suffering Canadians.

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I wish to present a petition on behalf of constituents living in the riding of Lambton--Kent--Middlesex who call upon Parliament to protect children by taking all necessary steps to ensure that all materials which promote or glorify pedophilia or sado-masochistic activities involving children our outlawed.

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I would also like to present the following petition on behalf of the constituents of Lambton--Kent--Middlesex who call upon Parliament to oppose Bill C-250 and not allow it in any form to be presented into federal law.

[Gerald Keddy, Progressive Conservative, South Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a petition on behalf of constituents of South Shore regarding rural route mail couriers. We all realize that section 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act prohibits rural route mail couriers from having collective bargaining rights. It would seem to me and to all parliamentarians that this is just simply wrong. It is my pleasure to present this petition on behalf of mail couriers.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I am pleased to present the following petition in its correct form and content regarding child pornography.

Several constituents from both my riding and other places appeal to the House and petition Parliament to protect our children by taking all necessary steps to ensure that all materials which promote or glorify pedophilia and sado-masochistic activities involving children are outlawed.

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present another petition related to military action in Afghanistan. I am pleased to present it to the House.