Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a large number of petitions. Juvenile type 1 diabetes creates many devastating health consequences that produce not only a human cost but a large financial burden on the Canadian health care system.

The petitioners pray that the federal government would secure federal funding targeted specifically to juvenile type 1 diabetes research of $25 million a year for the next five years.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Dick Harris Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions containing several thousand names. The petitioners are from British Columbia and Alberta. They are very passionate and determined that the traditional definition of marriage, that is the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, be retained by Parliament.

They pray and petition Parliament to use all possible legislative and administrative measures, including invoking section 33 of the charter if necessary, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage between one man and one woman.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Darrel Stinson Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present two petitions signed hundreds of people from my constituency of Okanagan--Shuswap.

The petitioners note that the traditional definition of marriage has been changed by the courts and not by the exclusive jurisdiction of Parliament. They 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 as the best foundation for families in the raising of children.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Liberal

Roy Cullen Liberal Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition with a number of signatures from constituents who pray that Parliament defines marriage in federal law as being a lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition calling upon the House of Commons to demand that the federal government implement and fund a national strategy on cancer control in collaboration with the provinces and all other stakeholders.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, I also have a petition on the definition of marriage. The petitioners ask that Parliament pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being a lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting petitions from my riding of Vancouver Island North with over 100 signatures asking that Parliament pass legislation to recognize marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. The petitioners characterize marriage as the best foundation for families and the raising of children under the exclusive jurisdiction of Parliament.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House today to present petitions from across the country in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-420, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act. The bill is a response to the frustration of Canadians by the overregulation of natural health products and will give Canadians the right of choice in their personal health care.

Bill C-420 will be studied in the coming weeks by the Standing Committee on Health. I am proud and humbled by the support I have received to date in my efforts to give Canadians greater choice in personal health care.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC

Mr. Speaker, I also have some petitions here on Bill C-420, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act, in favour of natural health products.

They are from Montreal, Lachute, Blainville, Laval, Quebec City, and from other francophones in la Belle Province.

They are also from Regina, Kipling, and Corning in Saskatchewan. The signatories are in favour of regulating natural health products as foods and not as drugs. People are calling for more freedom of choice in personal health care.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC

Mr. Speaker, I also have several petitions on the subject of marriage with almost a thousand signatures from right across the country and many from my own riding of Nanaimo—Alberni. They call on Parliament to recognize marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, and to take all actions necessary to ensure it remains the way marriage is understood in this country.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

John Cummins Conservative Delta—Richmond East, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition today from residents of British Columbia concerned about the mismanagement of the Fraser River sockeye.

After last summer's disaster, the government appointed a committee headed by a former chief justice of British Columbia, Mr. Williams, to examine this problem. Mr. Williams was promised all sorts of assistance and any documentation that he required from the government. Yet the minister has refused to provide that committee with the documentation it needed.

That is why these petitioners are calling upon the government to establish a judicial inquiry into the management of the fishery, so that any of these documents would be presented as requested.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Menzies Conservative Macleod, AB

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to present a petition on behalf of my constituents of Macleod. The petition requests that Parliament define marriage in federal law as being a lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

1:15 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition to the House, the subject matter of which is marriage. The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that 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 definition of marriage.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to use all possible legislative and administrative measures, including the invocation of section 33 of the charter, commonly known as the notwithstanding clause, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage as being the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

1:20 p.m.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine Québec

Liberal

Marlene Jennings LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Canada—U.S.)

Mr. Speaker, Question No. 92 will be answered today.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

1:20 p.m.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine Québec

Liberal

Marlene Jennings LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Canada—U.S.)

Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 104 and 108 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

1:20 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

1:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

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

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

1:20 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

1:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.