Debates of Feb. 5th, 2003

Petitions

[Rob Anders, Canadian Alliance, Calgary West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present some petitions with regard to the issue of Tibet. March 10 marks the 44th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising in occupied Tibet where hundreds of thousands of Tibetans were slaughtered by the People's Liberation Army of China.

I am calling attention to the lack of religious freedom in Tibet and the recent execution of Tibetans who are not given fair trials shows that nothing has changed.

Amnesty International, the United States, Germany and others have come out strongly condemning the recent executions. Canada has been relatively silent.

I would also like to stress that 2,200 Buddhist monasteries were destroyed with the Chinese occupation of Tibet.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition signed by 500 citizens of Canada regarding the Steven Truscott situation. As we know, Mr. Truscott was convicted in 1959, at the age of 14, and was sentenced to hang by the neck until dead.

The petitioners call upon the hon. Fred Kaufman to re-examine as quickly as possible the facts surrounding the case as new evidence has come forward. The people supporting Mr. Truscott are looking for redress in this case and to clear Mr. Truscott's name.

The petitioners also call upon the government and the Minister of Justice to do what they can to ensure that this case is re-examined and that justice be restored to Mr. Truscott.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions dealing with child pornography which have been signed by over 4,000 Canadians from all across the nation.

The petitioners call upon the government to protect our children by taking all the necessary steps to ensure that all materials which promote or glorify pedophilia or sado-masochistic activities involving children are outlawed immediately. They have major concerns about the bill that is before the House.

They also state that the courts have not applied the current child pornography law in a way which it makes it clear that such exploitation of children will always be met with swift punishment.

I table these in the House of Commons and appeal to all of our people in the House of Commons to look after the children first.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition deals with the employment insurance fund.

The petitioners call upon the government to request that Parliament take that extra surplus and put it into medicare and the Canadian armed forces.

[Judi Longfield, Liberal, Whitby—Ajax, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from rural route mail couriers who assert that they earn less than the minimum wage and have working conditions that are reminiscent of another era, and that they have not been allowed to bargain collectively to improve their wages and conditions like others.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to repeal section 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour—Petitcodiac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by residents of Markham, Ontario, who are very concerned about the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh, particularly the latest series of violent attacks on Hindus.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to undertake a review of foreign aid that the government provides to Bangladesh.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I wish to present a petition on behalf of the constituents of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex who call upon Parliament to ask the Minister of Justice to undertake a thorough re-examination of the Truscott case within a reasonable time period, and to ensure that justice is restored to Mr. Truscott.

[Roger Gallaway, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions to present, the first reinforcing what my colleagues have said, particularly the member for Guelph—Wellington.

The petitioners calls on the justice minister to re-examine the Steven Truscott case within a reasonable time period with the hope that justice is restored.

[Roger Gallaway, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls upon Parliament to focus its legislative support on stem cell research to find the cures and therapies to treat diseases, such as Parkinson's disease.

[Roger Gallaway, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition calls upon Parliament to assume full federal responsibility for a lawsuit involving the Mohawk Institute in southwestern Ontario against the Anglican Diocese of Huron.

[Roger Gallaway, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the fourth petition calls upon Parliament to enact fair family law legislation which incorporates a presumption of equal shared parenting.

[Roger Gallaway, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the last petition calls upon Parliament to strengthen and tighten laws against pornography involving children.

[Rex Barnes, Progressive Conservative, Gander—Grand Falls, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions to present to the House today, containing approximately 170 names, in support of having Steven Truscott's case reviewed.

The petitioners are calling upon Parliament to ask the Minister of Justice to undertake a thorough investigation of his case and within a reasonable time period to ensure that justice is served and restored to this gentleman.

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of many constituents and petitioners who have submitted their names on paper supporting the petitions that we have been hearing about this afternoon.

The petitioners are calling upon Parliament to ask the Minister of Justice, who has now appointed Mr. Kaufman, to review the case of Mr. Truscott. This terrible miscarriage of justice occurred within my riding boundaries.

I stand with the petitioners in support of this issue this afternoon and I, on their behalf, submit these names to Parliament today.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on the subject matter of stem cell research. The petition has been signed by a number of Canadians, including from my own riding of Mississauga South.

The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that Canadians do support ethical stem cell research which has already shown encouraging potential to provide cures and therapies for the illnesses and diseases of Canadians.

They also point out that non-embryonic stem cells, which are 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 focus its legislative support on adult stem cell research to find the cures and therapies for the illnesses and diseases of Canadians.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 85 could be an order for return, the return would be tabled immediately.

[The Speaker]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 85

[John Williams, Canadian Alliance, St. Albert, AB]

For the following categories of items purchased either by Public Works and Government Services Canada for departments, agencies and Crown corporations, or by the individual department, agency or Crown corporation in fiscal years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, namely, (1) teapots, (2) televisions, (3) briefcases, (4) umbrellas, (5) sewing machines, (6) microwaves, (7) flatware, (8) clothes hangers, (9) wine glasses, (10) cameras, both regular and digital, (11) golf balls, (12) golf tees, (13) beverages, alcoholic, (14) jams, jellies and preserves, (15) land mines, (16) games, toys and wheeled goods, (17) phonograph records, (18) perfumes, toilet preparations and powders: ( a ) by department, agency or Crown corporation, how many in each category were purchased; and ( b ) what was the total cost spent by either Public Works and Government Services Canada or another department, agency or Crown corporation on each category?

(Return tabled.)

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Motions for Papers

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

Mr. Speaker, I would ask you to be so kind as to call Motion No. 14.

Motion No. P-14

That an Order of this House do issue for copies of the “diving policy” for the dive team at the Coast Guard’s Sea Island Base in place on August 13, 2002 at the time of the tragic loss of life on the fishing vessel, the Cap Rouge II, identified in the statement of October 1, 2002 by the Commissioner of the Coast Guard, entitled “Cap Rouge II Lessons Learned”.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the motion is acceptable to the government and the papers are tabled immediately.

(Motion agreed to)

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

Mr. Speaker, I would ask you to be so kind as to call Notice of Motion for the Production of Papers No. P-24 in the name of the hon. member for Athabasca.

Motion No. P-24

That an Order of the House do issue for copies of all documentation, including reports, minutes of meeting, notes, e-mails, advertising, memos and correspondence since January 2002 within the National Energy board that relates to the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol that sets out the benefits, how the targets are to be reached and its cost to the Board.