Debates of Nov. 5th, 2004

Canadian Heritage

[Liza Frulla, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, we know because we read it in the papers that certain sovereignist members refuse to give Canadian flags to their constituents who have requested them. Now, we know that every member has a limited number of flags.

Consequently, I am officially asking Bloc members to give up their quota of flags so that I can distribute them to the legions and veterans who want these flags and who risked their lives under the flag of Canada.

Drug Strategy

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Health Canada web page includes the national drug strategy and it is only three paragraphs. Its quoted goal is to reduce the demand for drugs, yet the Liberal government has just tabled Bill C-17 which seeks to decriminalize large amounts of marijuana. It is a fact that this will increase drug usage and the demand for the illegal production of marijuana.

When will the government begin to show some true leadership and create a national drug strategy that addresses the marijuana problem?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of State (Public Health)]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows that we have had for a long time in this country a centre for drug abuse. There is indeed ongoing monitoring, trying to make sure that people live healthy lives.

There is going to be an increase in the drug strategy because we want to protect our kids and try to keep all Canadians healthy for as long as possible. We are committed to that and that is what my job is.

Justice

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, according to new research more than one in four hospitals reported that sexual assaults are drug induced. The use of date rape drugs to sexually assault and rape women is dramatically increasing across Canada. Cowards are drugging women, raping and sexually assaulting them and leaving them in gutters for dead. For over two years I and the Conservative Party have been asking the government to table legislation to crack down on the use of date rape drugs, but the government has done nothing to address this problem.

I want to know from the government, is it preparing legislation to protect women from the cowards who sexually assault and abuse women with date rape drugs, yes or no?

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, such legislation already exists. A person who is drugged is not capable of consenting. Therefore, any sexual activity with such a person is already a sexual assault under Canadian law.

Older Workers

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only does the government refuse to support vulnerable industries such as textiles and fisheries but, in 1997, the current Prime Minister abolished POWA, the program for older worker adjustment, which allowed workers over 55 to receive benefits until they reached retirement age.

Since all the members from Quebec and even the Liberal caucus are calling for the reinstatement of a program for older workers who cannot be retrained, what is the government waiting for to re-establish an improved POWA that would cover all workers in Quebec?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that older workers who are laid off have more difficulty finding new work. On May 11, 2004 we announced that an additional $5 million in federal funding has been offered to the provinces and territories that participated in the older workers pilot projects initiative last year.

Since 1999 the Government of Canada has invested $50 million for the older workers pilot projects and $22 million for 67 projects in Quebec to assist older workers. In Quebec 23,900 jobs have been created this year so far for workers aged 55--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Welland.

Municipalities

[John Maloney, Liberal, Welland, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian municipalities are beginning their budget process for the 2005 fiscal year. The Government of Canada has announced very positive initiatives that will help communities across this country.

My question is for the Minister of State for Infrastructure and Communities. Is the government communicating with municipalities about the impact of federal programs on local government in advance of their budgetary exercise and more important, when will this money flow to them?

[Claude Drouin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Rural Communities)]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Welland, who, like all the members on this side of the House, has always shown a great interest in helping communities and cities.

As for the GST, last year we promised $7 billion in concrete assistance to cities and communities over a period of 10 years. We have made commitments to them in the order of $12 billion. The Minister of State for Infrastructure and Communities is negotiating with the municipalities and cities to implement new programs, including the gas tax transfer over several years. These are just some of the significant measures for supporting the development of our cities and communities.

Certificate of Nomination

[Paul MacKlin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a certificate of nomination. Pursuant to Standing Order 110(2), this certificate stands referred to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

Law Enforcement Justification Provisions

[Roy Cullen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I am pleased to table the 2004 annual report by the RCMP on the law enforcement justification provisions.

Committees of the House

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

In accordance with its order of reference of Tuesday, October 26, 2004, the committee has considered Bill C-7, an act to amend the Department of Canadian Heritage Act and the Parks Canada Agency Act and to make related amendments to other acts, and agreed on Thursday, November 4, 2004 to report it without amendment.

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the third report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts concerning chapter 3, the sponsorship program; chapter 4, advertising activities; and chapter 5, management of public opinion research of the November 2003 report of the Auditor General of Canada referred to the committee on February 10, 2004 and privilege, powers and immunities of the House of Commons.

The report is in response to the request by Mr. Justice Gomery, the commissioner for the commission of inquiry, who asked the House to consider whether transcripts of the hearings of the public accounts committee may be received in evidence if a witness makes a sworn statement before the commission of inquiry that is inconsistent with a statement previously made by that witness before the public accounts committee.

Criminal Code

[Myron Thompson, Conservative, Wild Rose, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-267, an act to amend the Criminal Code (age of consent) and to amend another act in consequence.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise and reintroduce this bill from the past. It is something that Canadians have been calling for all across the country in huge majorities. It is supported by the police associations across the land, victims groups and parent organizations.

It is a bill that would raise the age of consent from the present 14 years of age to 16 years of age. This is something that should have been done a long time ago. I hope that somehow or other this can be addressed either through this private member's bill or through wise legislation from the government.

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

Definition of Marriage Act

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy, NB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-268, an act to confirm the definition of marriage and to preserve ceremonial rights.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to introduce this private member's bill, to be known as the definition of marriage act.

As we all know in the House, marriage is a vital and important institution in our society. I am introducing this bill so that the definition of marriage can be determined, as it should be, by allowing duly elected parliamentarians representing their constituents to vote on the matter.

There are strong feelings on both sides of the issue but now is not the time to shirk our responsibilities as parliamentarians. We were elected to make tough choices for the country and Canadians expect that their parliamentarians will face these decisions in a responsible and direct manner.

I look forward to hearing from my fellow members of Parliament and to hearing the genuine views of their constituents on this issue.

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

Supreme Court Act

[Dave Chatters, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-269, an act to amend the Supreme Court Act (constitutional validity of any Act).

Mr. Speaker, law-making is the role of Parliament. Unfortunately, since the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was introduced, the courts, particularly the Supreme Court, have taken the role of Parliament in establishing law.

This act would amend the Supreme Court Act that whenever there is a question before the court that deals with constitutionality, the court would be required to take the debates and intent of Parliament into account. It would also amend the act so that unless a decision is unanimous, the constitutional decision would not be a precedent setting decision, and would only apply to the case before the court.

This process would ensure the intent of Parliament is not ignored and would not allow the courts to write their beliefs into law when there is a split decision on the court.

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

Income Tax Act

[Dave Chatters, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-271, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (tuition credit and education credit).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce a bill that I introduced in the previous Parliament. After consulting with the Alberta music teachers association and the Canadian music teachers association, it is an honour for me to re-introduce my private member's bill which seeks to amend the Income Tax Act by extending tuition credit and education credit to individuals who follow a formal course of instruction provided by a qualified music instructor.

At the present time, music instructors who do not teach in recognized institutions of higher learning are ineligible to provide their students with this benefit, despite the fact that their training could be the same or more advanced than an instructor in an institution. Certainly, the greater benefit to students is no less whether or not they are enrolled in a recognized institution.

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

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-272, an act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (sponsorship of relative).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this private member's bill which would amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. It is seconded by the hon. member for Winnipeg North Centre but also strongly supported by my colleague from Windsor—Tecumseh.

This bill, which we prefer to call the once in a lifetime bill, would allow any Canadian citizen or landed immigrant to sponsor, once in their lifetime, one family member from outside the family class as defined in the act. Specifically, this could be a son or daughter who is not a dependant and who is over 22, a brother or sister, an aunt or an uncle, a niece or a nephew, or a first cousin.

This bill would ensure that family reunification is key to immigration policies. The bill is similar to one introduced in the last Parliament by the member for Vancouver East; however, eligible family members are now more clearly defined.

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

Petitions

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by constituents of my riding Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam and neighbouring communities. The petition addresses the growing humanitarian crisis in the Sudan. The petitioners are thankful and proud of the $25 million contribution that Canada has made to help the Sudanese peace efforts in recognition of the over 50,000 reported deaths and millions more having been forced from their homes through widespread violence.

This petition calls on Canada to send peacekeeping troops to Sudan so that Canada may work to ensure the protection of peaceful civilians until peace is realized in the region.

[Gary Carr, Liberal, Halton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition that comes from a group by the name of RAIL, Residents Affected by Intermodal Lines. The undersigned are concerned about the impact of a proposed CN major intermodal terminal facility in our community and express their opposition to the development of a CN major intermodal terminal facility on the existing agricultural land.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to stop the development of the proposed CN, Canadian National Railway Company, major intermodal terminal facility in the Town of Milton or the surrounding area.

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition containing several hundred names from the riding of Cariboo--Prince George which was begun on the initiative of Katrine Reagan of Quesnel, B.C.

Ms. Reagan is very concerned about the fact that since 1997, in the event of a marriage breakup, the parent paying spousal support is of course no longer allowed to claim that child support on his or her income tax. However, that child support is calculated on the payer's gross income, but not net income.

The petitioners with to bring to the attention of the House that a parent who has to pay child support is paying on his or her gross income and would like to see that changed in order for it to be calculated on the net income of the paying parent.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, recently a group of constituents known as Canadians for Justice in the Middle East visited me in my riding office and requested that I present this petition which deals with the Israeli security barrier and its impact on life in the region.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions today pursuant to Standing Order 36.

The first is on the subject matter of stem cells. The petitioners want to draw to the attention of the House that Canadians support ethical stem cell research which has already shown encouraging potential for the cures and therapies to help Canadians. They also want to 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 call upon Parliament to focus its legislative support on adult stem cell research.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition has to do with the subject matter of Bill C-250 which was passed in the last Parliament.

The petitioners simply want to remind the House that they feel that Bill C-250 that was passed is a dangerous piece of legislation because it would threaten all those opposed to special rights for homosexuals, including same sex marriage, with prosecution on the basis of alleged hate. This is an area of concern for them.