Debates of Dec. 6th, 2006

Taxation

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, I would like to present a petition recognizing that Canada's personal Income Tax Act is discriminatory, unjust and particularly unfair to retirees who have done no wrong and do not deserve to be penalized. Other modern countries allow spouses living in the same household to pay taxes as if the total family income were earned equally. The petitioners believe that income splitting is accepted for CPP, QPP and marriage breakdown, and the Canada pension plan and family law act recognize that in a marriage or a common law relationship both spouses or common law partners share in the building of their assets and their entitlements. I present this petition on behalf of those constituents.

Volunteerism

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

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition containing some 4,000 names. The petitioners are calling on Parliament to take measures to ensure that every young Canadian who wishes to do so may volunteer their services either nationally or internationally.

Child Care

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I have the honour of presenting to this House a petition composed of approximately 15 pages of names of residents of Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte who call upon the government and the Prime Minister of Canada to honour what is known as the moving forward on an early learning and child care agreement, which was signed between the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador on May 13, 2005, instead of cancelling this signed commitment. The petitioners remind Parliament that this agreement was a $75 million five year funding agreement on early learning and child care with the Government of Canada. They call upon the government to reinstate it as it was originally described.

Marriage

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Kitchener—Conestoga and surrounding area. The petition is signed by over 400 people.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to use all possible legislative and administrative measures to preserve and protect the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.

Youth Volunteer Programs

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to present to the House three very large petitions pertaining to youth volunteerism in Canada. I join with many members from all sides of this House in doing so this week. This is part of a major effort organized by a coalition of non-governmental organizations, all concerned with youth participation in our society today.

This coalition has organized a petition and has collected some 60,000 signatures. The petitioners call upon the government to recognize that cutbacks in this area are harmful to providing enriched opportunities for our young people. The petitioners ask us all to enact legislation that will allow our young people to serve in communities as volunteers at the national or international levels.

Financial Institutions

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in this House today to present a petition signed by some of my constituents, calling on the federal government to ensure the protection of consumers in the financial services industry by appointing a federal ombudsman with the necessary authority to defend citizens, and to establish an independent system to inspect financial institutions regarding their self-regulation processes.

This petition comes as a result of problems encountered with CIBC by a consumer in my riding.

Literacy

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to present two petitions on behalf of my constituents in the riding of Nunavut. The petitioners call upon Parliament to reinstate the funding to literacy programs that was cut by the Conservative government and to undertake a national literacy strategy to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to achieve this vital skill.

Marriage

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, these petitioners and residents of Canada draw to the attention of the House that the institution of marriage is the permanent union of one man and one woman excluding all others, that it is the most stable foundation of families, the best setting for bringing up children, and predates all states, governments and parliaments.

They also remind us that the Marriage for Civil Purposes Act encourages adults to violate the equality rights enshrined in section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by intentionally depriving, in the case of same sex marriage, certain children of the natural right to know and to be raised by both their mother and father, a right recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and ratified by Canada in 1991.

These petitioners call upon Parliament to reopen the issue of marriage in this Parliament and to repeal or to 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.

Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative

[Christian Ouellet, Bloc, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Terrebonne for this petition from the Café de la rue des Solidaires. These are people who are working to prevent homelessness.

The petition asks that the government renew the SCPI and RHF programs immediately, because these people are losing the momentum they had in their communities. They provide a drop-in centre, where they offer a range of support and other services. They are threatened if the SCPI is not renewed in its entirety. They will lose a great deal, as they say. Several hundred young adults will be affected if this program is not renewed or if its funding is cut.

Canada Post Corporation

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting two petitions this afternoon.

The first calls upon the House of Commons and the minister responsible for Canada Post to maintain traditional mail delivery and service instead of implementing changes that are causing people to travel long distances from their homes to receive their mail.

Health

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

The second, Mr. Speaker, is in recognition of the need to deal with childhood obesity and a significant reduction in the amount of physical activity and in investment by the Government of Canada. The petitioners, residents of Canada, are calling upon the Government of Canada to invest the equivalent of 1% of federal health funding in sport and physical activity.

Transport

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present. The first one is from constituents in my riding of Langley. First, they are calling on the House of Commons to develop a long range 50-year master transportation plan for the lower mainland. Second, they are asking the government to assist Langley in determining whether alternate and safe routes for the bulk and container traffic that travels to Langley are warranted. Third, they are asking that the federal government provide adequate funding for railroad separation projects and potential alternative routes. Fourth, they are asking the federal government to assist Langley in securing efficient, workable and affordable transportation systems that include light rail at surface levels, with growth capacity as required.

Agriculture

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, is again from constituents in my riding of Langley, and is in regard to a ban on terminator technologies. They are asking Parliament to enshrine in legislation a permanent national ban on terminator technologies, genetic use restriction technologies, to ensure that these terminators are never planted, field tested, patented or commercialized in Canada.

Age of Consent

[Rahim Jaffer, Conservative, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to present two petitions this afternoon. The first, with 116 signatures, is from residents around the Edmonton area who are calling on Parliament to take all measures necessary to immediately raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 years of age.

Youth Volunteer Programs

[Rahim Jaffer, Conservative, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

My second petition, Mr. Speaker, is quite a large petition of just over 2,000 signatures from across the country. It is pertinent, with this being national volunteerism week. Just over 2,000 people are calling on Parliament to enact legislation or take measures that will allow young Canadians who wish to do so to serve in communities as volunteers at the national or international level.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 109 could be made an order for return, this return would be tabled immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 109

[Dawn Black, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

With regard to the government’s development and reconstruction spending in Afghanistan since 2001: (a) what have been the government’s priorities for development and reconstruction; (b) what projects, completed or ongoing, have been undertaken; (c) what are the specific locations, by province, within Afghanistan of each completed and ongoing project; (d) how much money has been (i) pledged to each project, (ii) dispersed for each project, (iii) planned for disbursement for each project that is still ongoing; (e) who were the partners of each completed and ongoing project; (f) for those projects with more than one partner, what percentage of the funding, by partner, has been allocated to (i) Canadians or to Canadian organizations, (ii) Afghan individuals or to Afghan organizations, (iii) the government of Afghanistan, (iv) multilateral organizations; (g) with start and end dates, what was the duration of each completed project and what is the expected duration of each ongoing project; (h) what are the results of the completed projects, and what are the interim results of the ongoing projects; (i) which of these projects have been carried out by the Provincial Reconstruction Team; and (j) how much funding has been approved for projects in future years, but have not yet begun, and where will they take place?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

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

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Motions for Papers

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all notices of motions for the production of papers be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Is that agreed?