House of Commons Hansard #95 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.

Topics

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Conservative

Charlie Penson Conservative Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. How is this relevant to the question that is being debated?

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

An hon. member

The Inuit sled dogs.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Conservative

Charlie Penson Conservative Peace River, AB

Yes, the Inuit sled dogs. I think, Mr. Speaker, you should shut down the current speaker because this is not relevant at all. If she wants to debate the motion, and a question was asked about it--

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I am sure the hon. whip is going to get around to that although she is responding to a question about the timing of the debate. She is responding in trying to answer that. I would urge her to wrap that up. Maybe we will get one more question in.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Karen Redman Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the members opposite. My point is that we have had changes to the Standing Orders. Part of those changes was being able to put forward concurrence motions which would then have three hours of debate.

The Conservatives, the members opposite, took that rule and tried to be sneaky with it. They tried to bring in a motion that would have them decide when opposition days occur. That is the purview of the government and that has always been the purview of the government.

As a result of being able to bring in concurrence motions, the members opposite have chewed up roughly 20% of the time in the House that the government has to talk about important issues such as the budget bill and such as the companion piece which will be introduced in this House.

They are so embroiled in procedural gerrymandering and sneaky tricks that they are not allowing us to talk about things like the relationship this government has forged through several pieces of legislation with our aboriginal communities.

I can look to my tenure as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment and to the pieces of legislation such as species at risk, which was held out as a best practice because we invited aboriginals to the table. We acknowledged their intellectual property, community values and the patterns of wildlife, which was very necessary so that aboriginal community knowledge could be incorporated into legislation.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am not going to be drawn into this debate. I think is unfortunate. The House--

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Conservative

Jay Hill Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC

If you are not going to get drawn into the debate, why did you stand?

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Conservative

Charlie Penson Conservative Peace River, AB

Then sit down.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

I am not going to be drawn into this debate. The record will show which parties have moved concurrence motions which are by backbenchers who have important issues.

This one came a long time ago. I do have to say that the member for Nunavut has been one of the strongest voices we could ever wish to have on behalf of our first peoples.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

An hon. member

That's right.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:20 a.m.

Liberal

Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON

She is an honourable member of Parliament. I believe that all members in this place would certainly want to give her all of the recognition for her defence of the first nations people, for the land claims and for the rights and the privileges that we should accord to our first nations people; similarly, the member for Yukon.

These are not motions that were put in frivolously. These motions are put in by members because they are important to them. Who better than this member to move this motion?

The House leader for the Conservative Party just yelled over to the whip of the Liberal Party and asked, “What are you doing now wasting time when we could be doing other business?” I believe the point has been made by the hon. member about the importance of this issue and that we should move forward, and I am sure that we will.

With regard to the request of the opposition House leader that we should get on to other business now, I tend to agree. We should start debating the budget. Therefore, I move:

That the debate be now adjourned.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

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

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

In my opinion the nays have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10:25 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

11:05 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I declare the motion carried.

(Bill C-45. On the Order: Government Orders:)

April 20, 2005--Second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs of Bill C-45, an act to provide services, assistance and compensation to or in respect of Canadian Forces members and veterans and to make amendments to certain acts.

Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation ActGovernment Orders

11:10 a.m.

Mississauga East—Cooksville Ontario

Liberal

Albina Guarnieri LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I rise to advance an investment in future veterans, to advance the prospects of a better life for people who have served their country, and to advance a new veterans charter.

There have been discussions among the parties and in keeping with this being the Year of the Veteran, we wish to recognize the debt owed to all our veterans.

I believe this is an ideal opportunity to set aside our political differences, on behalf of those who defended our freedom, and get unanimous consent on this motion.

I move:

That Bill C-45, an act to provide services, assistance and compensation to or in respect of Canadian Forces members and veterans and to make amendments to certain acts, be deemed to have been read a second time, referred to committee of the whole, reported without amendment, concurred in at report stage, read a third time and passed.

Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation ActGovernment Orders

11:10 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Does the hon. minister have unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation ActGovernment Orders

11:10 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation ActGovernment Orders

11:10 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker

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