Debates of Sept. 17th, 2003

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Guelph—Wellington, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-446, an act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to introduce a bill which seeks to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act which I believe needs to be amended.

In my community, like many others in Canada, there is an alarming growth in the number of large scale marijuana grow operations. While law enforcement officials are putting in every effort to eliminate these operations and catch the individuals involved, they have expressed a great dismay to me that the courts do not seem to be giving these criminals adequate sentencing.

The purpose of the bill is to provide real sentences and real punishment for those convicted of growing or producing cannabis. It would provide a minimum sentence of imprisonment along with a minimum fine for first time offenders and greater punishment for repeat offenders.

I am tabling the bill because it is time to get tough on these large scale grow-ops and I believe that the bill will do just that.

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

Broadcasting Act

[Reg Alcock, Liberal, Winnipeg South, MB]

moved that Bill S-8, an act to amend the Broadcasting Act, be read the first time.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Petitions

[Leon Benoit, Canadian Alliance, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to present the latest petition in a series of petitions resulting from the violent and brutal death of Dana Fair. The petitioners call on the government to disallow bail for any accused murderers caught in the act of committing their crime and to impose only the maximum sentence available in situations like this where they are convicted.

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I am happy to table a petition on behalf of my constituents. The petitioners say that marriage is the best foundation for families and the raising of children and that the institution of marriage is between a man and a woman. The petitioners therefore ask that Parliament pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today after the vote last night to present a petition on the definition of marriage. Of course after the vote last night it will be interesting to see the result of the Liberals' response to this petition now. From 1999 until this point, of course, they agreed with everybody that it was the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others. It will be interesting to see the reply to this petition now, calling for that same thing.

[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 protect the health of our seniors and children and to save our environment by banning the disputed gas additive MMT as it creates smog and enhances global warming.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition presented on behalf of the constituents 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 and sado-masochistic activities involving children are outlawed.

[Kevin Sorenson, Canadian Alliance, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the privilege to present to this House two different petitions signed by 300 to 400 concerned constituents from my riding of Crowfoot, more specifically, individuals from places such as Stettler, Camrose, Bittern Lake, Veteran, Consort, Coronation, Three Hills, Hardisty, Brownfield, Bawlf, Meeting Creek and Edberg. These petitioners call upon the government to pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being that of the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. Obviously I agree with the sentiments expressed in these petitions and I take a great deal of pleasure in introducing them to the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have more petitions signed by Canadians concerned about the future of health care. Clearly Canadians everywhere are very concerned that this government commissioned the Romanow commission on the future of health care and then let its report sit on a shelf and gather dust, refusing to act on its many recommendations.

The petitions I have today call on the government to see the Romanow commission report as a blueprint, to start to adopt the recommendations and, for goodness' sake, to ensure that we maintain in this country a non-profit, publicly administered health care system that is available and accessible to everyone in this country regardless of where they live and how much money they make.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to present to the House a petition from 125 of my constituents, mostly from Duncan, British Columbia, who would of course be very upset with what happened in this House last night, because the government has not kept its promise to recognize the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. They ask that Parliament pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being the lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, which is simply common sense.

[Garry Breitkreuz, Canadian Alliance, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the House as I have four petitions to present. The first is in regard to ethical stem cell research. The petitioners point out that non-embryonic stem cells, which are known as adult stem cells, have shown significant progress in regard to research, without the immune rejection. Therefore, they call upon Parliament to focus its legislative support on adult stem cell research to find cures and therapies necessary to treat illnesses and diseases of Canadians.

[Garry Breitkreuz, Canadian Alliance, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I have is on amending section 318 of the Criminal Code in regard to freedom of religion and freedom of expression. The petitioners point out that it is Parliament's duty to protect the full extent of freedom of expression, thought and conscience. Therefore, they ask that Parliament take all measures necessary to protect the rights of Canadians to freely share their religious and moral beliefs without fear of prosecution, and they point out that the vote that we are having tonight on Bill C-250 is a very significant vote in that respect.

[Garry Breitkreuz, Canadian Alliance, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition is in regard to the defence of marriage. The petitioners point out that it is the duty of Parliament to ensure that marriage, as it always has been known and legally affirmed in Canada, be preserved and protected. They petition Parliament to use all possible legislative administrative measures, including invoking section 33 of the charter if necessary, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage.

The fourth petition is very similar to the third. The only difference is that it calls upon Parliament to hold a renewed debate on the definition of marriage, to reaffirm it as it did in 1999 and to take all necessary steps to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Guelph—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present several petitions today.

I have signatures of over several hundred Canadians opposed to the decriminalization of marijuana. They ask for better education, prevention, enforcement and treatment programs, and they ask for stronger penalties.

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Guelph—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I also have signatures of 85 Canadians calling for the designation of a national day of prayer.

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Guelph—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I also have signatures of 25 Canadians supporting and asking Parliament to uphold the traditional definition of marriage.

[Chuck Cadman, Canadian Alliance, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, it is my pleasure to present a petition from a number of my constituents requesting that Parliament take all measures to halt the passage of Bill C-250.

[Betty Hinton, Canadian Alliance, Kamloops, Thompson And Highland Valleys, BC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I have petitions signed by constituents from my riding of Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys.

The petitioners are asking Parliament to ensure that Canadians have an updated food and drug act that is consistent with Canadians' inherent rights of informed freedom of choice and access to non-drug medicinal products of their own choosing, as protected by sections 1, 2, 7 and 15 of the charter of rights. This petition is in support of Bill C-420.

[Dale Johnston, Canadian Alliance, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions. I will try to be brief.

The first one is from constituents who are mostly in the Rimbey and Bluffton area. They call upon Parliament to protect children by taking all necessary steps to ensure that materials which glorify pedophilia or sado-masochistic activities are prevented.

[Dale Johnston, Canadian Alliance, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I also have a petition signed by some 150 constituents calling on Parliament to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being a lifelong union of one man and one woman. Those petitioners are mostly from the Wetaskiwin area.

[Dale Johnston, Canadian Alliance, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I also have a petition that calls upon Parliament to give its support to private member's Motion No. 83, which is the study on whether or not therapeutic abortions are medically necessary.

[Dale Johnston, Canadian Alliance, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the fourth petition calls upon Parliament not to pass Bill C-250 into law.

[Jay Hill, Canadian Alliance, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I have six petitions to present, but I am only going to present one of them out of consideration for all my other colleagues on both sides of the House. I will save the others for another day.

The petition I am presenting today is from constituents from the city of Prince George and the towns of Mackenzie and Chetwynd in my riding, and also from Aurora, Ontario. These Canadians are concerned that divorce can have a detrimental affect on children and they note that equal shared parenting roles for both spouses after divorce would obviously be in the best interests of the child or children.

Therefore, they call upon Parliament to pass legislation to incorporate into the Divorce Act an equal shared parenting role for both parents following separation and guaranteed access to grandparents and siblings as dictated by the best interests of the child.

[Deborah Grey, Canadian Alliance, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of petitions today in accordance with Standing Order 36. We know that the same sex marriage issue just continues to go along in our country. These petitioners are very concerned about it. They think traditional marriage is the best foundation for families and the raising of children, the institution of marriage being between a man and a woman. The petitioners certainly feel this is being challenged. These petitioners from Edmonton, Alberta, are very concerned and humbly pray that Parliament would continue to believe in traditional marriage.

[Deborah Grey, Canadian Alliance, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is signed by hundreds of people from my constituency and the city of Edmonton. The petitioners are concerned about religious freedom and the addition of sexual orientation to Criminal Code sections 318 and 319, hate propaganda. The petitioners are concerned. They want to make sure that individuals are able to exercise their religious freedom as protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and to express their moral and religious doctrines regarding homosexuality without fear of criminal prosecution.

These petitioners wish to be heard. They are petitioning Parliament and they are probably not convinced that a little amendment to this legislation is really going to help them out.