House of Commons Hansard #46 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was consultation.

Topics

Child LabourPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:45 a.m.

Bloc

Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table a petition signed by more than 14,000 individuals asking the government to promote the International Labour Organization's Convention 182 on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour so more countries will ratify it and so those that have will apply it effectively.

The goal of the initiative undertaken by Amnesty International and Children's Care International is to build awareness of the worst forms of child labour, such as slavery, prostitution and exploitation, which can have a negative impact on their health and safety.

I am therefore proud to table these signatures in this House.

Middle EastPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:45 a.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, these petitioners strongly support the government's decision to cut off both diplomatically and financially the Hamas government in the Palestinian territories. They believe that Canada should stand four square behind the Middle East's leading democracy in Israel and that Canada should not finance a terrorist-led regime.

The petitioners also resent very strongly CUPE's decision to boycott products that emanate from that leading democracy, the state of Israel. I am proud to support them in introducing this petition.

Child LabourPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:45 a.m.

Bloc

Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC

Mr. Speaker, the member for Québec has given me a mission I am pleased to undertake, which is to table a petition signed by more than 1,000 individuals from her riding or the Quebec City region who are asking the government to promote the International Labour Organization's Convention 182 on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

This initiative was undertaken by Amnesty International and Children's Care International. I supported this initiative along with my colleagues, the members for Joliette and Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher. The purpose of this petition is to build awareness of the worst forms of child labour, such as slavery, prostitution and exploitation, which can have a negative impact on their health and safety.

In all, 14,000 individuals have signed this petition. I am therefore tabling these signatures in the House.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:45 a.m.

Liberal

John Godfrey Liberal Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition from over 500 citizens of the Ottawa area calling upon Parliament to make climate change one of the top priorities of the government, to renew Canadian legal obligations under the Kyoto protocol, and to take action to reduce emissions, reinstate climate change programs and let the Canadian people know immediately the made in Canada plan.

RefugeesPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:45 a.m.

NDP

Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present two petitions on behalf of the member for Elmwood—Transcona .

The first is from a number of people from Elmwood--Transcona who are calling on Parliament to welcome a stranger and significantly increase the number of refugees that Canada accepts annually; lift barriers that prevent refugees from reaching Canada; provide international leadership to address the causes that force people from their homes and prevent them from returning; reform Canada's refugee and immigration programs to ensure full access to due process and fundamental justice in a speedy way; and include measures to help newcomers integrate into Canadian society.

Hazardous ProductsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

NDP

Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from people in Elmwood--Transcona who are concerned about the importation of dog and cat fur.

They draw Parliament's attention to the fact that dogs and cats are being brutally slaughtered for their fur. They call on the government to provide a legal remedy to prevent these products from entering the country and to ban the importation of dog and cat fur.

Child CarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

NDP

Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions from people in my constituency of Burnaby--Douglas.

The first calls on Parliament to achieve multi-year funding to ensure that publicly operated child care programs are sustainable for the long term; to protect child care by enshrining it in legislation with a national child care act to be the cornerstone of Canada like the Canada Health Act; and to help end child poverty by using the $1,200 allowance to enhance the child tax benefit without taxes and clawbacks.

Hazardous ProductsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

NDP

Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from folks in Burnaby.

It calls on the House of Commons and Parliament to recognize that human and environmental health should take precedence in legislative decision making as well as in the product approval process when it comes to the use of pesticides. It calls for a ban on the use of chemical pesticides for cosmetic purposes, and it calls on Parliament to enact legislation applying the precautionary principle with regard to restricting future allowable uses of pesticides in order to minimize the risk to human and environmental health.

Visitor VisasPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

Liberal

Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition calling on the government to adopt private member's Motion No. 99 which would lift visitor visa requirements for Croatian nationals visiting Canada for business trips and family visits such as weddings and funerals. Adopting Motion No. 99 would bring our visitor visa regime in line with that of the United Kingdom which lifted visitor visa restrictions for Croatia back in March.

I might add that Croatia is in the process of joining the EU and is participating in NATO's membership action plan.

Child CarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present in the House a petition on the subject of child care, an issue which is important to many Canadians. The petition comes from the people of the riding of Ottawa West—Nepean.

Parks Canada AgencyPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

Liberal

Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of many residents of Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, I present this petition calling on the minister responsible for Parks Canada Agency to permit a corridor through Terra Nova National Park for snowmobile users.

The residents of the Eastport Peninsula and surrounding communities are encumbered by the Terra Nova National Park. Currently, park rules state that snowmobiles and other all terrain vehicles are not permitted within the boundaries.

The Terra Nova Trailriders, on behalf of the residents of Eastport Peninsula, Glovertown and Charlottetown, are requesting equal, fair treatment and a corridor through Terra Nova National Park for their snowmobiling enjoyment.

The petition has been certified and contains 496 names. It is my responsibility and honour to table it here today.

Canada PostPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to table a petition on behalf of the constituents of Windsor West with regard to the Government of Canada instructing Canada Post to maintain, expand and improve its network of public post offices.

It is important to note that while Windsor West is a predominantly urban riding, post offices in communities throughout this vast land help us overcome differences in distances and play a key role in our socio-economic life by providing the infrastructure. Healthy communities need to thrive and businesses need to grow.

It is a recognition that urban Canadians understand that rural and other post offices have a significant effect on the socio-cultural values that Canadians cherish. The government needs to live up to its commitment to keep post offices open for all Canadians, whether they be in urban or rural ridings.

Human RightsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:50 a.m.

Liberal

Derek Lee Liberal Scarborough—Rouge River, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to present a petition from about 75 Canadians with heritage from Vietnam.

The petitioners bring the attention of the House to a document called “Manifesto 2006” which, among other things, describes circumstances in Vietnam with respect to freedom of information, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion. They urge that Vietnam move toward adoption of these fundamental rights. They ask the House to call upon the government of Vietnam to give its utmost consideration to this document.

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

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, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 37, 47 and 51.

Question No. 37Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

With regard to the Canadian Heritage program entitled “Encounters with Canada”: (a) when was the initial decision made to cancel the Canadian Unity Council; (b) what factors went into making this decision; (c) when was the decision made to continue funding the program; (d) what factors went into making this decision; (e) under what section of the department is the program now functioning; (f) what changes to the structure or mandate will the program see as a result of the recent transition; (g) will the program be running at its full capacity this year; and (h) what are the details of the commitment to the future of the program in terms of dollars to be spent annually and the number of years the program will be maintained?

Question No. 37Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

Durham Ontario

Conservative

Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, the answer is as follows: a) The Canadian Unity Council, CUC, is a non-profit organization with charitable status. The minister advised the CUC on March 16, 2006, of the decision to discontinue funding to the CUC. The CUC continues to operate.

b) The factors considered in making this decision were: the need to take a fresh look at building a strong, unified Canada through a cooperative approach to federal-provincial relations; and the need to find alternative delivery vehicles to better respond to Canada’s diverse youth population and their needs.

c) Upon the discontinuation of funding to the CUC, the Government of Canada committed to continuing to support youth programming in Canada. On April 24, 2006, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women addressed a group of Encounters with Canada participants and confirmed the government’s intention to continue funding a renewed Encounters with Canada program.

d) Factors considered in the decision to continue funding a renewed Encounters with Canada include: the importance of investing in Canadian youth, to encourage youth to know their country, and to engage youth in major questions facing our nation. The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of programs like Encounters with Canada that give young people a chance to meet, learn and grow together.

e) Encounters with Canada is not a government program but is a program of the CUC. The Youth Participation Directorate of the Citizen Participation Branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage manages a contribution agreement with the CUC to fund this program.

f) No major changes to the structure or mandate of the program are anticipated.

g) The Government of Canada has committed to providing support until the completion of the program cycle for this school year and summer as scheduled. It is expected that a renewed Encounters with Canada will proceed this autumn under a new delivery organization.

h) Once a new organization takes charge of Encounters with Canada we expect that it will apply for funding. A decision on funding will be made once a request is received.

Question No. 47Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

With respect to Bill C-13, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on May 2, 2006 (Budget Implementation Act), which only allocates $1.4 billion of the $1.6 billion allocated in Bill C-48, An Act to authorize the Minister of Finance to make certain payments, adopted in 2005, for affordable housing, what has happened to the remaining $200 million in affordable housing funding secured in bill C-48?

Question No. 47Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the budget tabled in the House of Commons on May 2, 2006 outlines the government’s commitments with respect to Bill C-48, An Act to authorize the Minister of Finance to make certain payments. Contingent on sufficient funds being available above $2 billion from the federal surplus for 2005-06, the Government will provide provinces and territories one-time additional funding of $1.4 billion to address short-term pressures in affordable housing.

In deciding how funds are to be allocated under Bill C-48, the government has balanced its priorities against its available resources, taking into account both existing levels of financial support and where it intends to dedicate its resources in the future.

The funding authority provided under Bill C-48 is discretionary. By providing $1.4 billion for affordable housing the government has chosen to meet a substantial part of the funding authorized through Bill C-48.

Question No. 51Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Bill Casey Conservative Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS

With regard to the potential risks to human health and the environment from the spreading of industrial and human wastes on agricultural lands: (a) what studies have been undertaken by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to evaluate the level of risk to rural or urban communities from the spreading of these materials; (b) have any CFIA studies been conducted aimed at ascertaining the level of risk from the application of rendering process materials on agricultural lands, including materials that may have originated from bovine or poultry species; (c) have any discussions taken place between the CFIA and the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour regarding risk assessments related to the land applications of rendering plant materials and, if so, what conclusions were gathered and will there be follow-up discussions or joint actions between the CFIA and the government of Nova Scotia based on these conclusions; and (d) what actions have been taken by the CFIA to minimize the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) materials being spread with other waste materials on agricultural lands?

Question No. 51Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon B.C.

Conservative

Chuck Strahl ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, the answer is as follows: a) The CFIA is working with other government departments, Environment Canada, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, to develop a common strategy to assess the potential risks associated with the spreading of industrial and human wastes on agricultural lands by conducting research projects and developing effective regulatory mechanisms. CFIA also conducts product safety assessments on fertilizer and supplement products on case-by-case basis. These assessments include an evaluation of risk to human, animal and plant health and the environment associated with the fertilizer and supplement product. The scope of CFIA's authority to regulate the spreading of industrial and human wastes on agricultural lands is defined by the Fertilizer Act and regulations. The Fertilizer Act and regulations allow the CFIA to regulate the importation and sale of fertilizer and supplement products directly, but not their use of disposal. When industrial or agricultural waste is sold or imported for the purpose of application to agricultural lands as a fertilizer, the product is subject to the Act and Regulations. Pursuant to the regulations, all fertilizer products must be safe, with respect to human, animal and plant health and the environment, efficacious when used as directed and properly labelled as to avoid misrepresentation in the marketplace. Compliance of commercial fertilizers with the prescribed product safety and efficacy standards is verified through marketplace monitoring activities which include inspection, product sampling and analysis as well as label verification. A number of CFIA monitoring programs specifically target risks associated with the application of industrial and waste products to agricultural lands, heavy metal content and pathogen contamination. This said, the limited scope of the CFIA's regulatory authority in this area requires that it work closely with stakeholders, the public and other government departments, provinces and municipalities to achieve comprehensive mitigation of risks associated with application of biosolids on agricultural lands.

b) With respect to the land application of poultry materials, in 2004 the Animal Health Risk Assessment Division of CFIA conducted risk assessments and provided scientific advice documents on the efficacy of composting as a method of disposal for material infected with avian influenza viruses, highly pathogenic avian influenza, H7N3. The results of the assessments demonstrated that the release of avian influenza viruses from composted poultry carcasses and manure is negligible, “the event would be virtually unlikely to occur”. This represents the lowest of seven risk estimate categories the CFIA applies in its animal health risk assessment process.

The risk of exposing cattle to BSE through the use of various destruction and disposal methods of cattle tissues potentially infected with BSE was evaluated by the CFIA in 2005. One of the techniques assessed by the agency was the land application of waste water treatment solids recovered from abattoir and rendering plant operations which process cattle and cattle byproducts. In BSE-infected cattle, specified risk materials, SRM, are tissues, like the brain and spinal cord, which contain the vast majority of the infectious agent that causes BSE. As it was anticipated that some rendering operations in Canada may, once the proposed federal feed restriction enhancements come into effect, specialize in the rendering of solely cattle SRM, an assessment of BSE risk to animal health posed by the spreading of such solids was included in this project. The draft assessment concluded that the estimated risk of BSE transmission from this practice in a Canadian context would be negligible.

Furthermore, the CFIA has been engaged in conducting research to support the regulatory initiatives in the area of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and avian influenza. The following projects have been completed or are ongoing to assess the various disposal methods for the contaminated livestock and poultry waste: (1) Development and evaluation of composting strategies as a means for the safe disposal of animal carcasses from transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (2001-2005); (2) The fate of avian influenza viruses during composting of chicken carcasses and manure (2005-2007); and (3) On site composting for bio-containment and safe disposal of infectious animal carcasses and manure in the event of a bio-terrorism attack (2005-09). In addition, another project has been recently approved and work is planned to start soon to develop methods to destroy and measure abnormal prion protein and infectivity during composting of carcasses and high risk materials of animals infected with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (2006-2009).

c) The CFIA has been actively engaged in discussions with both the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Marketing and the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour regarding the practice of spreading rendering process materials and biosolids on agricultural land. In 2005, the CFIA participated in a public biosolids science forum and subsequent stakeholder's meeting sponsored by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour. Most recently, the CFIA has agreed to participate in a biosolids science committee currently being assembled by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour to provide scientific and technical advice to their biosolids advisory committee. The CFIA is also engaged in national initiatives that focus on the regulation, management and use of waste-derived materials including the Canadian Biosolid Partnership.

d) As part of the enhanced feed ban regulations proposed by the CFIA in December 2004, cattle SRM tissues would be prohibited from use in animal food as well as fertilizers and fertilizer supplements in Canada. This prohibition would serve to keep potentially BSE-infected feeds and fertilizers off farms. In addition, a system of CFIA-administered permits has been proposed to control the collection, conveyance, treatment, disposal or destruction of SRM via rendering, composting, landfilling, incineration or other methods. Should a rendering facility choose to accept and process cattle SRM tissues once the enhanced restrictions come into effect, any rendering process materials, including protein meals, recovered solids from waste water treatment or composted SRM tissues, would require disposal or destruction in accordance with the CFIA permit conditions as well as provincial and municipal requirements. The permitting scheme allows for an added level of control and risk mitigation while the research projects and collection of empirical data are underway (see section c). Furthermore, according to the proposed enhancements all fertilizer and supplement products containing prohibited materials will require additional precautionary statements on the label that preclude their application to pasture land or other grazing areas for ruminants.

Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

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, would you be so kind as to call Starred Question No. 18.

Question No. 18Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

Liberal

Todd Russell Liberal Labrador, NL

With regard to the Goose Bay Diversification Fund, announced by the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency on November 24, 2005: (a) how many applications or proposals have been received in respect of this fund, and, of those, how many have been (i) accepted, (ii) rejected, (iii) otherwise treated; and (b) what has been the total contribution to each of the accepted applications or proposals?

Starred QuestionsRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

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, insofar as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, ACOA, is concerned, no applications or proposals have been received in regard to a Goose Bay diversification fund, because a program was not established.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

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, if Questions Nos. 39, 42 and 43 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnRoutine Proceedings

10:55 a.m.

NDP

The Deputy Speaker NDP Bill Blaikie

Is that agreed?