Debates of Dec. 13th, 2006

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), to present reports seven through ten from the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Suffice it to say, we have been busy as little beavers in that committee. Presenting four reports at one time is unprecedented in this House. I would like to thank everyone for the super job they did in getting this work done, the clerks, the researchers, all the members of the committee. Best wishes of the season to all.

Foreign Affairs and International Development

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, two reports.

First of all, I present the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development in relation to its study on Canada's role in complex international interventions that involve multiple foreign policy instruments, focusing on Canada's efforts in Haiti.

I also have the honour and the privilege to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development in relation to the whole of government's strategy for failed states.

I wish all our clerks and everyone who worked on these reports a very merry Christmas. Mr. Speaker, I also wish you a very merry Christmas and all the best for the new year.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member is too kind.

Industry, Science and Technology

[James Rajotte, Conservative, Edmonton—Leduc, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology regarding its order of reference of Monday, November 6, 2006, Bill C-26, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal interest rate).

The committee has considered Bill C-26 and reports the bill without amendment.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Speaker.

Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

In accordance with its order of reference of Thursday, September 21, 2006, your committee considered and held hearings on the subject matter of Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Railway Safety Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, and agreed on Tuesday, December 12, 2006, to report it with amendments.

Official Languages

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Information Commissioner

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That, in accordance with section 54(1) of the act to extend the present laws of Canada that provide access to information under the control of the Government of Canada, Chapter A-1 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, this House approve the appointment of Robert Marleau as Information Commissioner.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

(Motion agreed to)

Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities be the committee for the purposes of section 44 of the Employment Equity Act.

(Motion agreed to)

Public Safety and National Security

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I think you would also find consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding the orders made on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, and Thursday, June 22, 2006, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be authorized to continue its deliberations relating to its review of the Anti-Terrorism Act (2001) beyond December 22, 2006, and to present its final report no later than February 28, 2007.

(Motion agreed to)

Age of Consent

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions. The first one is from 170 petitioners in the Scarborough, Ontario area who call upon Parliament to take measures necessary to immediately raise the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16 years of age.

Marriage

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition from petitioners in the Scarborough area involving some 70 persons calls upon Parliament to repeal or amend the Marriage for Civil Purposes Act in order to promote and defend marriage as the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition on traditional marriage.

The petition which calls upon the government to reflect the accurate definition of the word “marriage” as being a relationship between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others while retaining similar civil benefits for same sex couples.

Mexican Federal Police

[Robert Bouchard, Bloc, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present, today, a petition on the repression used by the Mexico's federal police in Oaxaca. The signatories of the petition denounce the climate of terror that has reigned since a teacher's strike in June. This petition, signed by 89 people, calls on the House of Commons to look into the situation and exert pressure in order to resolve this dispute through discussion and negotiation and not through excessive force.

I also want to thank Sylvie Dusseault for drafting this petition. She has my support.

Automobile Industry

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to present a petition today, at the end of a petition drive, containing 40,000 signatures concerning the CAW drive. It is a petition to the Government of Canada for a new automotive trade policy.

The petitioners are concerned that if we enter into this agreement we will lose more automotive jobs. They are calling upon the Government of Canada to deliver an automotive policy and to ensure that Canada does not enter into a lopsided Korea trade deal that will cost more Canadian manufacturing jobs.

Freedom of Religion

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table a petition this afternoon containing names of residents in my riding of York West and the surrounding GTA.

The petitioners recognize that religious persecution is an international crisis affecting many religious groups in countless countries of the world and that the persecution of groups for their religious beliefs is immoral, unjust and violates an individual's fundamental right to religious freedom.

The petitioners call upon the federal government to develop an automatic array of interventions that may be imposed by Canada against foreign governments, such as Iraq, that may support religious persecution or fail to prevent it, and to improve measures for refugees who have suffered religious persecution.

Dangerous Offenders

[Rob Merrifield, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I have the privilege of presenting this petition on behalf of hundreds of my constituents who are calling upon the government to amend the Criminal Code to lengthen the sentencing for dangerous offenders, especially pedophile offenders.

Rail Transport

[Raynald Blais, Bloc, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I am tabling another petition—and not necessarily the last one—from people in the riding of Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, who are asking the federal government to do no less than take necessary measures to ensure that rail passenger and freight services be maintained and enhanced in the Gaspé, which involves the acquisition of the Matapédia-Chandler line as well as Via Rail's capital and operating budgets.

War Objectors

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table today a petition signed by over 7,200 Canadians and residents of Canada who call upon the government to demonstrate its commitment to international law and the treaties to which it is a signatory by making a provision for U.S. war objectors to have sanctuary in this country.

They note that in the past, notably during the Vietnam war, Canada, as a matter of official policy, provided refuge for militarism for over 50,000 Americans who refused to serve in an immoral war. They assert that those Americans, who are now refusing to fight in the illegal war in Iraq, are people of great conscience, that the majority of Canadians do not support the illegal war in Iraq, that the Government of Canada did not support the war in Iraq and that the war resisters should receive a welcome in Canada.

HIV-AIDS

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of presenting a petition signed by 248 congregants of the Pickering Village United Church on the subject of HIV-AIDS in Africa.

The petition calls upon the Government of Canada to expedite the production and export of anti-retroviral drugs to Africa.

Rights of the Unborn

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to present this petition on behalf of constituents and other Canadians.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation that would recognize unborn children as separate victims of crime when they are injured or killed during the commission of an offence against their mothers, therefore allowing two charges to be laid in such a situation instead of one.

This has stemmed from the situation with Olivia Talbot of Edmonton, who was shot and killed in November 2005, and her 27 week old unborn son, Lane Jr., who was also killed in that incident.

Canada Post

[Thierry St-Cyr, Bloc, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a petition from citizens in my riding who are protesting the closure of their Canada Post office, which is the only one in Verdun.

For a number of years now, Canada Post has been moving toward privatizing its client services by transferring them to private points of sale. This began while the Liberals were in power, and citizens in my riding are disappointed to see that it is continuing under the Conservatives.

Remembrance Day

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today in the House on behalf of 290 residents of my constituency and from Summerside, P.E.I. supporting Remembrance Day as a national holiday.