House of Commons Hansard #12 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was langley.

Topics

Divorce ActRoutine Proceedings

3:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Conservative

Jay Hill Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-246, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (child adoption expenses).

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to reintroduce my private member's bill to allow parents a one-time income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for the expenses related to the adoption of a child.

This legislation received tremendous support from both sides of the House during the last Parliament. Thousands of parents, social workers and children's advocates across Canada eagerly await its reintroduction today.

In this Parliament, however, I have increased the maximum expense deduction to $10,000 to better reflect the true costs of adoption, which can spiral to $30,000 or more. I am optimistic about the passage of the bill which would modernize the federal Income Tax Act to recognize that adoptive parents make a significant contribution to all of society.

I am also seeking the unanimous consent of the House that the bill be numbered C-246 as it was known in the last Parliament.

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

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

The Speaker

Is there unanimous consent that the bill be numbered C-246 for the purposes of the order paper?

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Controlled Drugs and Substances ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Conservative

Jay Hill Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-248, an act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (trafficking in a controlled drug or substance within five hundred metres of an elementary school or a high school).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, our justice critic, the member for Provencher for seconding this bill.

This piece of private members' legislation concerns the need to prevent drug dealers from preying upon our children. The bill would impose minimum prison sentences of one year for a first offence and two years for further offences for a person convicted of trafficking in a narcotic within 500 metres of an elementary school or a high school.

We must send a forceful message that pushing drugs upon children will not be tolerated by our society and will result in mandatory imprisonment and not a slap on the wrist.

I am seeking the unanimous consent of the House that the bill be numbered C-248 as it was known in the last Parliament.

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

Controlled Drugs and Substances ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

The Speaker

Is there unanimous consent that the bill be numbered C-248 for the purposes of the order paper?

Controlled Drugs and Substances ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Witness Protection Program ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Conservative

Jay Hill Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-270, an act to amend the Witness Protection Program Act (protection of spouses whose life is in danger) and to make a consequential amendment to another Act.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce this bill that would better protect those whose lives and the lives of their children are threatened by a spouse, former spouse or intimate partner.

While there is an ad hoc program run jointly between federal government departments, the new identities program is without a legislated mandate or adequate funding.

This legislation would extend the mandate of the witness protection program to include those who have nowhere for themselves or their children to hide from an abusive spouse or partner.

I am seeking the unanimous consent of the House that the bill be numbered C-270 as it was known in the previous Parliament.

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

Witness Protection Program ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

The Speaker

Is there unanimous consent to have this bill numbered C-270 on the order paper?

Witness Protection Program ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Recognition and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Conservative

Garry Breitkreuz Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-235, an act to amend An Act for the Recognition and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and to amend the Constitution Act, 1867.

Mr. Speaker, the government's legislative record of intruding on individual property rights is appalling and this is the reason I am reintroducing my property rights bill today.

Protection of property rights needs strengthening in federal law because they were intentionally left out of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. My bill would make up for this grave omission by strengthening the property rights provisions in the Canadian Bill of Rights.

Court case after court case has proven that Canadians have no protection whatsoever to the arbitrary taking of property by the federal government.

My bill would also require a two-thirds majority vote of this House whenever the government passed laws that override fundamental property rights, such as the species at risk act, the cruelty to animals legislation, the firearms act and the Canadian Wheat Board Act.

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

Bankruptcy and Insolvency ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-236, an act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (student loan).

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of introducing this bill which is designed to undo the damage from the 1998 bogus education budget introduced by the government. The current legislation openly discriminates against students by restricting their ability to declare bankruptcy when they are driven to financial ruin by their student debt burden and inadequate post-secondary education funding.

It had been hoped that the government would remedy this injustice in the throne speech, or indicate its intention to do so. It was silent on the matter. I therefore introduce this bill to try to remedy that problem.

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

Canada Student Financial Assistance ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-237, an act to amend the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act (qualifying period for disability relief).

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of introducing this afternoon a second bill entitled an act to amend the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act.

The current Canada Student Financial Assistance Act provides relief, with respect to student loan repayment, for students who have become disabled within six months after completion of their studies.

The bill recognizes that this is a woefully inadequate provision and proposes to increase the qualifying period for disability relief to five years for a student who becomes disabled after completing their studies.

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

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

Myron Thompson Conservative Wild Rose, AB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-238, an act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of children).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my seatmate from Okanagan—Shuswap for seconding the bill.

As we know, the children of this country are meant to be loved, cared for and protected. Unfortunately, when we live in a country where an instrument of evil, such as child pornography, has become a billion dollar industry, there is something seriously wrong.

It is my effort, through this bill, to do everything possible to eliminate any loopholes and any defence for the possession, production and distribution of child pornography which exploits our children and has a drastic effect.

I am pleased to reintroduce the bill and I hope we can get it done. This is something that has to be accomplished in Parliament.

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

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Liberal

Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

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

For greater clarity, that is the report about the associate committee memberships.

(Motion agreed to)

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Mr. Speaker, if the House consents, I move that the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs tabled earlier this day be concurred in.

For the benefit of parliamentarians, this is the report regarding the guidelines for access to committee meetings by the electronic media.

(Motion agreed to)

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

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

Again, for the benefit of members, this report is with regard to the provisional standing orders governing private members' business.

(Motion agreed to)

Notice of MotionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Beauséjour New Brunswick

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussion on all sides of the House and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding Standing Order 54(2), during the adjournment of the House the week of November 7, 2004, the time provided for the filing with the Clerk of any notice be no later than 2 p.m. on Friday, November 12, 2004.

Notice of MotionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

The Speaker

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

Notice of MotionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Some hon. member

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Business of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

October 20th, 2004 / 3:30 p.m.

Beauséjour New Brunswick

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among all the parties in the House of Commons. I think that you would find unanimous consent for the following motion:

That, at 3:00 p.m., on November 1, 2004, the House shall resolve itself into a committee of the whole to recognize Canada's 2004 Athens Olympic and Paralympic Games athletes.

(Motion agreed to)

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Jay Hill Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a pleasure to rise and present yet another petition on behalf of our military families. This one is signed by citizens of Edmonton in support of our military families there.

The petitioners want to draw to the attention of the House of Commons that on-base housing provides a valuable service for our country by allowing families to live in a military community, that the Canadian Forces Housing Agency in many instances provides substandard living conditions on-base, and that the families of Canadian forces soldiers living in accommodation provided by the Canadian Forces Housing Agency have seen dramatic increases to their rental charges. Indeed, they are about to see another one in November.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon Parliament to immediately suspend any future rent increases for accommodation provided by the Canadian Forces Housing Agency until such time the Government of Canada makes substantive improvements to the living conditions of housing provided for our military families.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

Carol Skelton Conservative Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of people in my riding who are very concerned about the whole BSE issue. Basically, they are inundated with financial calamity. They are losing thousands and thousands of dollars, and people across the country are affected by that.

The petitioners call upon Parliament of Canada to immediately constitute internationally credible protocol to reinforce international confidence in Canada's healthy beef products and thereby replacing damaging political posturing relating to borders with sensible, agreeable rules to all concerned.

I thank everyone, from David in Asquith to June in Perdue, for signing this petition.

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Beauséjour New Brunswick

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

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

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

Greg Thompson Conservative St. Croix—Belleisle, NB

Mr. Speaker, in relation to the questions on the order paper, I want to bring to the attention of the House and the parliamentary secretary that I have had the same exact questions on the order paper, going on two Parliaments. In fact they date back to last year in regard to the aboriginal fisheries buyout program from DFO, which DFO sponsors.

There are a number of questions on there which the government should have answered before the last election, but chose not to do that. The government worked very hard to ensure that it did not have to answer them, hoping that I would not be back in my place in the House and hoping the questions would not be back. Surprise of all surprises: I am back and so are the questions.

I believe the government is obligated to answer those questions. They are very thoughtful in their presentation, well laid out and there is nothing complicated about them. I would like to know why the government's reluctance in answering the questions. It is completely unacceptable.