Debates of March 10th, 2004

Official Languages

[Hélène Scherrer, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) and section 44 of the Official Languages Act, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the annual report on official languages for fiscal year 2002-03.

First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act

[Andy Mitchell, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-23, an act to provide for real property taxation powers of first nations, to create a First Nations Tax Commission, First Nations Financial Management Board, First Nations Finance Authority and First Nations Statistical Institute and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the special order made previously, I would like to inform the House that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-19 was at the time of prorogation of the previous session.

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

[The Speaker]

The Chair is satisfied that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-19 was at the time of prorogation of the second session of the 37th Parliament.

Accordingly, pursuant to order made on Tuesday, February 10, 2004, the bill is deemed read the second time, referred to the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resourcesand reported.

The bill will therefore stand on the Order Paper at report stage and the notice period will be pursuant to Standing Order 76.1(1).

(Bill deemed read the second time, considered in committee and reported)

Petitions

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition from constituents in the Quebec City region calling for public representations to be made to the United States government for the release of five Cubans. A committee has been set up and is seeking international support for a new trial to be held for these individuals. I ask the government to reflect on the conviction of five Cubans who have been unjustly incarcerated.

[Gurmant Grewal, Canadian Alliance, Surrey Central, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a number of petitions signed by hundreds of people across Canada.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to immediately hold a renewed debate on the definition of marriage and to reaffirm, as it did in June 1999 in response to the motion by the official opposition, its commitment to take all necessary steps to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present 944 signatures today on petitions for Steven Truscott.

On November 29, 2001 a 690 application was submitted. On January 24, 2002 Justice Kaufman was appointed to look into the Steven Truscott case.

This very important petition, along with 8,000 other signatures, asks that Justice Kaufman listen to the fact that we need a speedy end to this. Steven Truscott has waited a long time for justice. The petitioners call on Justice Kaufman to complete his review.

[Darrel Stinson, Canadian Alliance, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House today four petitions requesting that the Government of Canada hold a binding national referendum together with the next general election to ask the following question: Must the Government of Canada continue to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, yes or no?

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am in receipt of some 25,000 signatures from citizens of London, Ontario and the region immediately around London, Ontario. I am pleased to table the lastest 1,500 of those signatures that have been properly vetted.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to uphold the traditional definition of marriage which has served this country since Confederation, being the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

The petitioners note the inconsistency of the government on this issue over the past couple of years. They ask that the government return to a full and clear statement of the traditional definition of marriage and take all necessary steps to defend the same.

[Kevin Sorenson, Canadian Alliance, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege today, pursuant to Standing Order 36, to present a petition with close to 600 names on it. In petitions like this, thousands of names have come in from my constituents. In this particular petition, the petitioners are from Oyen, Cereal, Killam, Sedgewick, Hanna, Drumheller, Stettler and Camrose.

The petitioners call upon the government to pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

I take a great deal of pride and privilege in presenting this petition.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table two petitions. The first one is signed by 60 citizens, residents of Manitoba, who are also raising concerns about the institution of marriage.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to 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.

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

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, is from hundreds of Canadians concerned about the inaction by the government with respect to alcohol warning labels.

The petitioners acknowledge that Parliament passed a bill three years ago requiring such labels and that forthcoming action has not followed. They call upon the government to act immediately upon the wishes of Parliament and the wishes of the people of this country.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise on behalf of hundreds of people across the country, 600 from the province of Quebec, almost 400 from the rest of Canada. They join the thousands and thousands of people across the country who implore Parliament as the elected representatives of the people to enact legislation that would enshrine in legislation the traditional definition of marriage, the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of constituents who want me to table a petition asking 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.

The petitioners join thousands of others across the constituency and a majority across Canada who want Parliament to act properly on this matter.

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition on the same subject as the one presented by the member for Okanagan--Coquihalla on the subject of the recognition of the loving and committed relationships of same sex couples.

The petitioners point out that same sex couples do indeed form loving and committed relationships but are denied the equal ability to celebrate those relationships through marriage. They point out that the protection of true family values requires that all families be respected equally. They note that denying same sex couples the equal right to marry reinforces attitudes of intolerance and discrimination, and is inconsistent with the Canadian values of equality, dignity, and respect.

The petitioners from my constituency of Burnaby--Douglas and constituents from across Canada, and thousands from Okanagan--Coquihalla, call upon Parliament to pass legislation that would provide same sex couples with the equal right to marry.

[Jim Abbott, Canadian Alliance, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by constituents dealing with the same topic.

The petitioners say that marriage is the best foundation for families in the raising of children, and that marriage, the union between a man and woman, is being challenged. The petitioners pray that legislation be brought into effect to reaffirm that it be defined as being the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of others.

[Jim Abbott, Canadian Alliance, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition to present on a rather interesting topic dealing with electronic locating transmitter signals that indicate an emergency position with a response beacon.

This petition has been signed by 63 people from my constituency. The petitioners point out that it is the responsibility of the Department of Transport to act quickly on this. It would end up saving literally millions of dollars a year in trying to locate downed private aircraft.

[Inky Mark, Canadian Alliance, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to present three separate petitions on behalf of the good people of Dauphin--Swan River.

The first petition calls upon the government to reduce national park and camping fees.

[Inky Mark, Canadian Alliance, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I wish to present deals with the issue of the tragedy that is occurring in western Canada today regarding the beef industry.

The petitioners request that Parliament take immediate action to develop internationally recognized protocols designed to restore confidence in Canadian beef products and to open international beef markets to Canadian producers.

[Inky Mark, Canadian Alliance, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the last petition is signed by thousands of petitioners who call upon Parliament to immediately hold a renewed debate on the definition of marriage and to reaffirm, as it did in 1999, its commitment to take all necessary steps to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by a number of people who wish to have marriage maintained as the union of one man and one woman, again reflecting a vote that was taken here in the House of Commons in 1999.

[Rahim Jaffer, Canadian Alliance, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I too have a petition signed by a few hundred people from the Edmonton area.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to 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.

[Scott Reid, Canadian Alliance, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I also have a petition to present today on the same subject.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to recognize the institution of marriage as being between one man and one woman. The petitioners call upon Parliament to pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being the lifelong union of one man and one woman.

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

The earlier points of order seem to have confused some of us as to the agenda. With permission of the House, I would like to revert to presentation of reports as I would like to table a report.

[The Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.