House of Commons Hansard #23 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, I rise on two points of order.
First, I would like to table the letter entitled “Statements by the minister of state, minister of foreign affairs of Senegal”, dated May 13, 2006, which was read at the first plenary session of the ministerial meeting of La Francophonie in Winnipeg, Canada.
Second—
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of this House to table the document?
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
I note that the Conservatives said no.
I rise to ask for unanimous consent to proceed immediately with the following motion: That this House, on behalf of all Canadians, express its sincere apologies to His Excellency Abdou Diouf, secretary general of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, for the breaches of protocol and diplomatic incidents that occurred on his arrival in Canada, and that he know that we admire and have the deepest respect for his contribution to La Francophonie and democracy in the world.
I hope that we will all be in favour of this motion.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of this House to move this motion?
Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (adoption).
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Procedure and House AffairsCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
Conservative
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership of committees of the House. If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the sixth report later today.
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-281, Convalescence Benefits Act (amendments to the Employment Insurance Act).
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to introduce a bill entitled the convalescence benefits act. This bill would provide for employment insurance benefits to qualifying individuals who are recovering from a serious health issue and are unable to work after exhausting their sick benefits. This act amends the Employment Insurance Act to add a benefit period of 35 weeks for convalescence.
On behalf of all Canadians who find themselves without income protection during these emotional health crisis moments, I ask all members to support the swift passage of this bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-282, An Act to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act (publication of information).
Mr. Speaker, the Youth Criminal Justice Act now precludes the publication of information of young offenders to be released when they are sentenced or indicted, even after they have reached the age of 18. This bill, if passed, would allow for the publication of information about young offenders who are sentenced as adults over the age of 18.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Tom Wappel Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-283, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (food labelling).
Mr. Speaker, this is the 39th Parliament's version of this bill, which I introduced in the last two Parliaments. It follows on a previous bill that I had which eventually resulted in mandatory nutritional labelling in Canada.
This bill would extend that to provide nutritional information at fast food outlets and other places where Canadians eat so that they could make the appropriate choices after they had the appropriate information. It would also provide for information to be properly described when using words or pictures in terms of the contents of food.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-284, An Act to amend the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act (Canada access grants).
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise and present this bill, which is entitled an act amend the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, Canada access grants.
It is evident the Conservative government has no intention of helping low income students attend universities and colleges. That is why I am pleased today to introduce my bill. I thank my hon. colleague for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour for seconding it.
In 2004 the previous Liberal government created the Canada access grant program to assist students from low income families with their first year's tuition. The bill would expand the Canada access grant program to allow these students to apply for a Canada access grant in all years of post-secondary study, which is something the Conservative government fails to do, and that is stand up for low income Canadians.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-285, An Act to amend the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act (profits distributed to provinces).
Mr. Speaker, for the 39th Parliament, I have chosen to introduce a bill that was introduced by the Bloc Québécois last year requiring the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to distribute a portion of any surplus from its reserve fund for the construction of social housing.
I would like to remind the House that the CMHC is not a private business—it is a crown corporation. It is utterly immoral for the CMHC to accumulate $4 billion in profits when there is a lack of social and affordable housing.
I invite the Conservative Party to vote for this bill. We must do more than what was promised in the latest budget.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented earlier to the House this day, be concurred in.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Does the hon. member for Cambridge have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?
Procedure and House AffairsCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
Some hon. members
Agreed.
No.
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to table a petition on behalf of a number of my constituents who understand the government's proposed taxable $1,200 family allowance is not a plan for child care.
The petitioners call upon Parliament to provide the provinces and territories with at least $1.2 billion to build a high quality, accessible, affordable, community based child care system and to ensure fair and effective income support programs for Canadian families.
Chris Charlton NDP Hamilton Mountain, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today in support of policy reforms that would make Canada a place of welcome and of refuge.
The petition lauds Canada's heritage of welcome, but urges Parliament's resolve not to lose that heritage. To that end, the petitioners seek reforms to Canada's refugee and immigration system to welcome more newcomers into Canada and to help them integrate successfully into our society.
Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand again and present a petition from people in my riding who are very concerned about the government's plan to kill child care.
The petitioners say, among other things, that 70% of women with children under the age of six are employed. The taxable $100 a month allowance announced as a child benefit, a meagre one at that, will not establish new spaces.
The petitioners call upon the Prime Minister to honour the early learning and child care agreement in principle and to commit to fund it for five years.
I would like to thank Patricia Maynard for her hard work and dedication and commitment to child care in acquiring these signatures.
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from members of the Windsor-Essex county community regarding the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, which they found so offensive.
The petitioners call upon the government to investigate the possibility of appropriate legislation that would prevent the publications of that type of offensive cartoon at some point in the future.
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise once again on an issue that is quite important to me and to many people across the country, which is the issue of undocumented workers. I have a petition signed by many.
The petitioners call upon the government and Parliament to immediately halt the deportation of undocumented workers and to find a humane and logical solution to their problem.
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.