House of Commons Hansard #91 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was burma.
Paul Devillers Liberal Simcoe North, ON
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I request unanimous consent to return to presenting reports from committees.
Committees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House?
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Madam Speaker, I rise today to present petitions from across Canada. I have 13 petitions which contain hundreds of signatures. The petitioners ask that Parliament use all possible legislation, and administrative measures if necessary, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present two petitions signed by a number of Canadians, including petitioners from my own riding of Mississauga South. The first petition is on the subject matter of embryonic stem cells. The petitioners wish to point out that Canadians support ethical stem cell research, which has already shown encouraging potential to provide the cures and therapies for the illnesses and diseases of Canadians.
The petitioners also wish to point out that non-embryonic stem cells, 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 to find the cures and therapies necessary for Canadians.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, my second petition is on the subject of marriage. I have another thousand signatures from my riding of Mississauga South. The petitioners wish to draw to the attention of the House the fact that the majority of Canadians believe that the fundamental matters of social policy should be decided by elected members of Parliament and not by the unelected judiciary and that the petitioners support the traditional definition of marriage.
The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to use all possible legislative measures, including the invocation of section 33, commonly known as the notwithstanding clause, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage, that being the legal union of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others.
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, with the non-proliferation treaty review currently under way at the United Nations, I take immense pleasure in tabling 20 bundles of petitions pleading that Canada work with our partners in peace for more arms control and peacefully bring to an end the production and sale of weapons of mass destruction.
Second, the petitioners reiterate that Canada stay out of Bush's missile defence scheme. Some Canadians might wonder why Canadians keep tabling more and more of these anti-star wars petitions. It is because the federal Liberal government is not trusted to not reverse its decision to withhold further participation in missile defence. It is important that the government be aware of the many Canadians who want these petitions to be taken seriously by this government.
Diane Ablonczy Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present two petitions representing over 3,000 signatures from residents in the City of Calgary. The petitioners are concerned that the institution of marriage is being challenged. They believe that marriage is the best foundation for families and the raising of children.
They petition Parliament to pass legislation to recognize marriage in federal law as being the lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.
I would submit to the House that the gathering of this petition was an enormous commitment for the people involved. I would urge the House to take very seriously the petition presented today.
Rose-Marie Ur Liberal Middlesex—Kent—Lambton, ON
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I wish to present a petition on behalf of the constituents of Lambton--Kent--Middlesex.
The first petition is signed by many residents in the Wallaceburg and Dresden area. The second petition is signed by residents living in Strathroy, Glencoe and the Watford area.
The petitioners pray 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.
Leon Benoit Conservative Vegreville—Wainwright, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to present two petitions today. The first one is with respect to juvenile diabetes.
The undersigned constituents have brought attention to the seriousness of the problem of juvenile diabetes. They specifically ask that the research money of $25 million for juvenile diabetes type 1 be allocated by the federal government over the next five years. That is certainly not too much to ask.
Leon Benoit Conservative Vegreville—Wainwright, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have several petitions to present today on the issue of marriage.
My constituents call upon Parliament to recognize that important social issues like marriage should be determined by Parliament, not by the courts, and that marriage should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman.
Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present in the House a petition signed by hundreds of people from my riding in the Tantramar area, Sackville to be precise, on the issue of marriage.
The petitioners call upon Parliament to maintain the traditional definition of marriage.
John Cummins Conservative Delta—Richmond East, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from a number of residents in British Columbia concerned about the government inquiry into the fishery last summer, which it has now shut down.
The petitioners call upon the government to undertake a judicial inquiry.
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions that I wish to present today.
The first petition is signed by hundreds of members and friends of the First Unitarian Universal Church of Winnipeg. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to pass the proposed legislation providing full equal marriage to same sex couples.
Mr. Speaker, the next two petitions I wish to present are of the opposite view. The petitions are signed by residents of the city of Winnipeg.
The petitioners call upon Parliament to define marriage as a lifelong union of one man and one woman.
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have one petition to present to the House today. The petitioners are protecting the moral good of society, saying that it is a natural and serious obligation of elected officials and that it cannot be just left to religious leaders and institutions.
The petitioners request Parliament to take whatever action is required to maintain the current definition of marriage, that being between one man and one woman.
Lee Richardson Conservative Calgary South Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, I too have a petition to present to the House today which I am pleased to present on behalf of constituents of Calgary Centre. The petition relates to the same sex marriage bill.
The petitioners in Calgary are in favour of same sex marriage.
Judi Longfield Liberal Whitby—Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table 13 petitions today. The petitioners call upon the government to protect the current definition of marriage.
My constituents and constituents across the country want to preserve the current definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.
Russ Powers Liberal Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the congregants of a church within my riding, I present a petition in support of Bill C-38, the civil marriage act.
Greg Thompson Conservative St. Croix—Belleisle, NB
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from the citizens of Deer Island, New Brunswick. The petitioners ask the Government of Canada to say no to the passage of LNG tankers through Head Harbour Passage, the most dangerous passage in all of Canada. In the words of the petitioners, please protect our fisheries, our tourism and the natural wonders that make our area special.
They call upon the Government of Canada to say no to the passage of the tankers.
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the pleasure to present this voluminous petition on behalf of the citizens of Rivière-du-Portage. They are calling on our government to ensure marriage remains the union of a man and a woman.
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present. The first two are from constituents who would like to see the government maintain the traditional definition of marriage.
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Mr. Speaker, my third petition is signed by constituents who wish to express their ongoing opposition to the national missile defence project. The petitioners wish to express that they are against any future Canadian participation in the project.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today to present a petition by my constituents who believe that the Government of Canada should no longer make rental charges to a community hospital just outside the borders of my constituency, the Queensway Carleton Hospital.
The petitioners believe the Government of Canada should not impose new burdens of rent on an institution that is meant to serve the health needs of nearly 400,000 people, many of whom are seniors. They furthermore believe that if the government can afford to pay almost $10 million in rent for an empty building, it can surely stop charging the hospital.
Alan Tonks Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from the residents of Don Valley West, petitioning for health freedom. The petitioners say that healthy medicinal foods, herbs, spices, dietary supplements and other natural health and nutritional products should be properly classified as foods. To do this, they are petitioning that Bill C-420 be enacted to amend the Food and Drugs Act.