Debates of April 7th, 2003

Points of Order

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. There was confusion as to the meaning of the motion. Would the government House leader be so kind as to explain it to us, so that we can see to what it corresponds?

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 40 petitions.

School Computer Access Protection Act

[Carol Skelton, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-426, an act to provide for the establishment and implementation of a national program to prevent school computers being used to make contacts or access material that is potentially harmful to students.

Mr. Speaker, I just wish to introduce this to help all students across Canada, including my own grandchildren, and to protect them. It is time we ensure that every computer in this country in the school system has some controls on it.

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

Petitions

[Cheryl Gallant, Canadian Alliance, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Ontario and the rest of Canada, our petitioners are requesting that Parliament recognize that the Canadian Emergency Preparedness College is essential to training Canadians for emergency situations, that the facility should stay in Arnprior and that the government should upgrade the facilities to provide the necessary training to Canadians.

[Reed Elley, Canadian Alliance, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition on behalf of a number of constituents in and around Nanaimo, British Columbia who are concerned about Bill C-415 and the fact that this would add sexual orientation to the current list of identifiable groups in the hate propaganda sections of the Criminal Code of Canada, that this would in effect have the capacity to silence those who have moral disapproval of a certain sexual practice and that it should not be judged to be promoting hatred toward that person.

The petitioners ask that Bill C-415 be halted.

[Roy H. Bailey, Canadian Alliance, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House a petition with the names and addresses of people from across Saskatchewan. The petitioners are concerned and ask the government not to pass Bill C-250 and enact it into law.

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to Standing Order 36, I would like to present literally thousands of signatures on petitions throughout the country of Canadians who want the repeal of the government's security tax, not just to cut it down but repeal it, recognizing that it has the potential to create a serious problem for the industry, which we now know it has done, and to recognize that no Canadian traveller should pay for security on their own but that it should be something that the country does as a whole.

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

As well, Mr. Speaker, I have a petition on behalf of citizens in my riding recognizing the support for the Romanow commission and asking that the government follow through on recommendations from the commission.

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition from Canadians throughout the country, and a good number of them from Ontario, recognizing that they obviously do not have a fair bit of representation in Ontario, which is something I hope they will change in the future. The petitioners recognize that the government's 84 hours of work for transport truck drivers is not acceptable and they ask the government to revisit that.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition for over 150 Yukoners who feel that because of the casualties of war, the humanitarian disaster it would create after and the destabilization of the region, that Canada should refuse to send any troops to Iraq and should pursue instead a policy of diplomacy, peacekeeping, human rights monitoring and disarmament.

[Robert Lanctôt, Bloc, Châteauguay, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased again to present a petition about section 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act concerning rural route mail couriers.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to repeal section 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act in order to grant these workers collective bargaining rights.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions today. The first one concerns child pornography.

The petitioners, who include a large number of Canadians, including from my own riding of Mississauga South, would like to draw to the attention of the House that the creation and use of child pornography is condemned by the majority of Canadians and that the courts have not applied the child pornography laws in a way which makes it clear that the exploitation of children will always be met with swift punishment.

The petitioners therefore 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.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition concerns the definition of marriage.

The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that the majority of Canadians believe that the fundamental matters of social policy should be decided by elected members of Parliament and not the unelected judiciary, and that the majority of Canadians support the current legal definition of marriage.

Therefore the petitioners petition Parliament to use all possible legislative and administrative measures, including the invocation of section 33 of the charter, the notwithstanding clause, if necessary, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition has to do with stem cells. It is quite appropriate on a day when we are debating Bill C-13.

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 and provides the cures and therapies necessary to deal with the illnesses and diseases of Canadians.

However they also 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 pursue legislative initiatives which support adult stem cell research to find the cures and therapies necessary for the illnesses and diseases of Canadians.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 160 and 165.

Question No. 160

[Joe Clark, Progressive Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Since 1993, on what dates and on what subjects did the Prime Minister and all other ministers receive briefings on their blind trusts?

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

The dates and subjects of briefings of the Prime Minister and all other ministers since 1993 regarding their blind trusts are considered personal information under the Privacy Act. As such it cannot be divulged. General information about measures taken by public office holders to comply with the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders can be found in the “Public Registry” at the ethics counsellor’s web site. Precise information about the personal financial situation of public office holders is not placed in the public domain. The Prime Minister’s and all other ministers’ compliance arrangements with the Conflict of Interest Code is a matter of public record as is the disclosure of whether or not they have used a blind trust as a means of divestment of publicly traded securities.

Question No. 165

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

With regard to the cost of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada: ( a ) how many research studies were contracted and what was the cost of each study; ( b ) how much was spent on travel by the Commissioner, by other staff and what was the total expenditure on all travel; ( c ) what was the Commissioner’s salary and what were the total costs of salaries and benefits for other staff; ( d ) what was the total cost: (i) for advertising; (ii) for public relations contracting; (iii) for printing; (iv) for mailing or distributing of the reports of the Commission; and ( e ) what was the total of costs incurred by the Commissioner?

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

The commission started its activities in April 2001 and issued its final report in November 2002. The activities of the commission formally ended on December 31, 2002 and the expenditures provided by the Privy Council Office in response to the question were incurred over this 21 month period.

a) There were 72 research studies contracted. Each study with its associated cost is shown in Appendix 2.

b) The total spent on travel and accommodation for the commissioner was $153,759. The total spent on travel and accommodation for commission staff was $1,173,324.

c) the commissioner's salary rate is within the range $600--$750, per diem.

Total salaries for full and part time staff were $2,999,569. Salaries for part time staff were $31,688 and salaries for full time staff were $2,967,881.

The cost of employee benefit plans is calculated at 20% of total salaries in accordance with Treasury Board instructions with possible year-end adjustments for the current year still to be determined.

d) i) Advertising costs were not tracked separately and any advertising costs incured are included int the cost of public relations.

ii) The total spent on public relations was $3,247,679. This cost includes professional communication services, writing services, public relation services and media monitoring and media relations.

In addition to the above, a total of $1,152,911 was spent on professional servicces for the planning and providing of conference and workshop services.

iii) The total cost for printing was $239,403.

iv) The total cost for miling was $55,328. The cost for distribution of the reports of the commission is not available.

e) The total cost of the commission to date is $14,281,572 but there still remain further year-end adjustments.

APPENDIX 2

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, if question No. 161 could be made an order for return, the return would be tabled immediately.

[The Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Return tabled.)

Question No. 161

[Gerry Ritz, Canadian Alliance, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

With respect to government real estate holdings over the past six years (1997 to 2003): ( a ) what was the total square footage owned by the goverment; ( b ) specifying the names of the buildings, real estate agents involved, commissions paid to the said agents, puchase prices or lease prices, and names and addresses of the vendors, what new buildings were acquired or leased; and ( c ) in cases where financing was required, what companies provided the financing, what were the amounts and what interest rates were charged?

(Return tabled.)

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

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

[The Speaker]

Is it agreed?