Debates of May 20th, 2005

The Budget

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

Mr. Speaker, I am seeking some clarification about the government's intentions with respect to passage of the budget bills.

We want to know if the government is willing to say that it wants the budget bills passed through both Houses by the end of this parliamentary sitting, even if it means working into the summer. Canadians do not want this dragged over to the fall. That would be a betrayal to all in the country.

Will the government join with us in saying that there will be no summer break until the budget bills are passed by Parliament?

[Tony Valeri, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, we stand steadfast in our position that we would like to get the budget bills out of the House of Commons before the end of this session. The Senate has affirmed that it will continue to do its work, although I cannot speak for the Senate. It will work toward royal assent.

However, our commitment as a government is to ensure that both the bills receive approval in the House of Commons so that before the end of this session, they will be in the Senate.

Privilege

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Development (Social Economy)]

I think I have risen in the House many times, Mr. Speaker. I believe that you will, after checking the blues, see the comments made by the hon. member for Portage—Lisgar. As the Standing Orders in the House say, the language used was totally unparliamentary to the point of doing more of the same we have seen before in the House.

Canadians expect better of us. We have to live to a higher order than that which is in the public venue.

I bring that to your attention again, Mr. Speaker, and I would ask you to ask the hon. member from Portage--Lisgar to withdraw his comments. They were totally unparliamentary.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, whether it pretends to be a question of privilege or a point of order, it is clearly neither. The member should just take a deep breath and understand that the comment made by my hon. colleague from Portage--Lisgar was referencing the former chairman of Canada Post to whom he referred to sardonically as the pork-master general, which I think is fitting.

However, I would point out that the same member has made the same satirical comment in news releases and outside the House. It is called political language, Mr. Speaker.

[Reg Alcock, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, if you check you will find that the Speaker ruled just a few days ago on the kind of language and the kind of direct accusations that could be made. If you examine the blues, you will find there was a very direct accusation of complicity and an act of fraud.

I think that is unbecoming of the House. There has been some talk on the other side about moving to a different order here, trying to ratchet down the language to bring a little more decorum to the House.

I think there are two issues at stake. One is to ensure that happens and two is to ensure that the Chair enforces the privileges of members in the House.

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I find the Liberals' rush to protect that individual who had $2 million in expenses for which there were no receipts rather interesting.

The fact of the matter is there were no accusations made. My colleague simply asked why the same penalties did not apply to the individual as would apply to other Canadians.

[The Deputy Speaker]

During the question period, what I heard from the question was some commentary about someone who is not in the House.

I will check the blues, however, and see if there was something that was inappropriate and if necessary, return and report back to the House.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I think you will find that the hon. member, after I responded to a question, suggested that there was an agent inside the House and he was referring to me. It was entirely inappropriate. He was not referring to someone outside the House. He was referring to someone inside the House.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I am not sure what an agent inside the House means particularly. Perhaps it is in the ear of the beholder. I will examine the blues and if necessary, I will report back to the House with what I see after I examine them.

Government Response to Petitions

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Development (Social Economy)]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 100 petitions.

Judges Act

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

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-51, an act to amend the Judges Act, the Federal Courts Act and other Acts.

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

Fisheries Act

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-52, an act to amend the Fisheries Act (terms and conditions of permissions, leases and licences).

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

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Lynn Myers, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association respecting its participation in the second part of the 2005 ordinary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe held in Strasbourg, France April 25 to 29, 2005.

Committees of the House

[Russ Powers, Liberal, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. I am very pleased, on behalf of the chair and all the members of the committee, to provide a comprehensive report, “Funding through the Women's Program: Women's groups speak out”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109 the committee has requested a comprehensive government response.

Petitions

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from the wonderful residents of my riding of Langley, British Columbia.

The petition deals with marriage. It says that marriage is the best foundation for families and for the raising of children and that the institution of marriage as being between a man and a woman is being challenged. It also says that this honourable House passed a motion in June 1999 calling for marriage to continue to be recognized as a union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. Therefore, the petitioners pray 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.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from several parts of my beautiful constituency signed by people from Perth, who some say is the prettiest town in Ontario, Verona, Harrowsmith and elsewhere. This petition concerns the definition of marriage.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House the fact that marriage is the best foundation for families and for the raising of children. They point out that the majority of Canadians currently support the traditional definition of marriage. They remind the House that it is the duty and obligation of the House to legislate on this subject and to preserve the traditional definition of marriage as being the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Gord Brown, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit a petition signed by members of the Gateway United Pentecostal Church in Gananoque in my constituency of Leeds—Grenville. They request that the government define and recognize marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of my constituents of MacLeod. This petition requests that the House 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.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Development (Social Economy)]

Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 129 and 141 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 129

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

With regard to the governance of Crown corporations: ( a ) what action has the government taken as a result of the March 15, 2004, directive from the Prime Minister’s office that there should be a four-stage process for appointing the heads of Crown corporations; and ( b ) has this process been followed in the appointment of the heads of Crown corporations since March 15, 2004?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 141

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

With respect to the personal income tax medical expense deduction, using the most recent taxation data available and including the methodology used in the calculation, what would be the estimated cost to government revenues of: ( a ) eliminating the 3% expense threshold; and ( b ) reducing the expense threshold by half?

(Return tabled)

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Ahuntsic, QC]

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

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?