House of Commons Hansard #116 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was inuit.
Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, perhaps if the member spent as much time focusing on the content of the bill as he does on his sound bite we would be further along with this.
As he knows, I will be at the committee tomorrow to discuss this very item. However, given that the bill is at first reading, he has had the opportunity to have this input for some time but has not chosen to take advantage of it.
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
Mr. Speaker, the agency responsible for investigating disclosures of corruption must be completely independent from government. If the minister continues to refuse to commit to creating an independent agency, it is because he has not resolved to protect whistleblowers.
Why does the minister not want to create an independent agency to investigate disclosures of corruption?
Whistleblower LegislationOral Question Period
Winnipeg South Manitoba
Liberal
Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, if the member would spend some time in committee focusing on the content of the bill we could have this discussion. To try to negotiate legislation during question period is not the most effective way to do it.
The Prime Minister has taken the position from the beginning that we will have the most robust piece of whistleblowing legislation than any other country in this world.
Presence in GalleryOral Question Period
The Speaker
I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Tom Rideout, Minister of Transportation & Works Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Presence in GalleryOral Question Period
The Speaker
I would also like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the diplomatic gallery of Ms. Thelma Johnson, founder of the Caribbean Pioneer Women of Canada, and Ms. Sealen Chang, who were among the first women to come to Canada in 1955 under the then new labour agreement between Canada and Jamaica.
Aileen Carroll LiberalMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, I wish to correct my reply to the critic from the Bloc. I referred to a number that is incorrect.
In fact, the Bloc is not supporting the government by refusing to vote for Bill C-48, and therefore $500 million, one half a billion dollars, would not be able to come to the Canadian aid budget. I made the comment, $500,000. My apologies.
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, on a separate point of order, you may recall that yesterday, following oral questions, I inquired as to whether the right hon. Prime Minister would table a document from which he had cited. He did not do so.
The government House leader indicated that time was required to translate the document. As 24 hours have passed, I wonder if the translation is now complete and if he could please table the document from which the Prime Minister quoted yesterday.
Points of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. member for Calgary Southeast will want to know that I believe the document in question was tabled at 2 o'clock today when the House opened.
Paddy Torsney LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the pleasure to table, in both official languages, the report on Canada's participation in regional development banks in 2002 and 2003.
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-406, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Cambridge.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great honour that I present this private member's bill to change the name of my riding from Cambridge to Cambridge--North Dumfries, which geographically, better represents the constituents that I represent.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Francine Lalonde Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-407, an act to amend the Criminal Code (right to die with dignity).
Mr. Speaker, I am moved as I table today in the House of Commons my private member's bill on the right to die with dignity.
The purpose of this bill is to specify the conditions which would allow people with terminal or debilitating illnesses the right to die with dignity when they have clearly indicated the desire to do so in a free and informed manner.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Maurice Vellacott Conservative Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK
Mr. Speaker, the first petition which I have the pleasure to table is from people in Prince Edward Island.
The petitioners are calling on the government to return to its previous policy of allowing holy books to be made available to new citizens at citizenship ceremonies around the country. The petitioners note that a citizenship judge terminated this policy, alleging that the policy discriminated against non-religious immigrants.
Until last year, holy books were simply displayed on tables at the back of the hall, free for new citizens to take. The new citizens were not handed the books. The books were not forced on them. The judge produced no evidence to justify his inappropriate decision to ban the availability of holy books.
The petitioners ask that the Citizenship Commission return to the previous policy which has served our multicultural nation very well for so many years.
Maurice Vellacott Conservative Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK
Mr. Speaker, I wish to present my second series of petitions. There have already been numerous petitions presented on this subject.
The petitioners want Parliament to use all legislative and administrative measures, including invoking the notwithstanding clause if necessary, to preserve the correct definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. I have several hundred of these petitions to table today.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of a number of Canadians including from my own riding of Mississauga South, most appropriately on the subject matter of marriage.
The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that fundamental matters of social policy should be determined by elected members of Parliament and not by the unelected judiciary. They remind us that Parliament indeed is responsible for the definition of marriage.
They therefore 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 to protect the current definition of marriage as being the legal union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.
Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a number of petitions from churches in my riding, particularly the United Church congregations. They ask the Government of Canada to take immediate and urgent action to stop the Sudanese government backed militias from killing and raping innocent people and destroying their villages and to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need.
Jeff Watson Conservative Essex, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to present two petitions representing hundreds of constituents mostly in my riding of Essex who are in support of the traditional definition of marriage.
The petitioners draw the attention of hon. members to the fact that marriage is the origin of the family. They go on to say that marriage is a natural institution that predates all social, legal and religious systems and which has at its roots the procreation and education of children.
The petitioners call on the House to recognize and protect the traditional role of the family. They also strongly emphasize that marriage must remain a union of one man and one woman.
Gurbax Malhi Liberal Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition on employment insurance. The petitioners call upon Parliament to build a better, fairer employment insurance system by adopting committee recommendations submitted on February 15, 2005.
Leon Benoit Conservative Vegreville—Wainwright, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to present on behalf of several Albertans a petition on marriage. The petitioners state that the law on marriage should be decided by elected members of Parliament, not by unelected judiciary. They are calling on parliamentarians to reaffirm marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.
Rahim Jaffer Conservative Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, I too am presenting two petitions regarding marriage. 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.
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, Notice of Motion for the Production of Papers No. 7, in the name of the hon. member for Nepean—Carleton, is acceptable to the government, subject to the usual reservations concerning confidential information, and the documents are tabled immediately.
Motion No. P-7
That a humble Address be presented to Her Excellency praying that she will cause to be laid before this House the letter dated July 14, 2004, of Mr. David Marshall to the deputy minister of National Defence.