Debates of April 16th, 2007

Health

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, we are reviewing the situation of this clinic, but upon first blush by the minister of health of British Columbia, it is violating no laws in British Columbia, violating no principles of the Canada Health Act, and indeed it operates in a very similar way to the clinic which the leader of the NDP visited when he needed certain medical care. I see no double standard in that.

Commemoration of the Holocaust

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. Following discussions with the representatives of all parties of the House, I believe there is consent to observe a moment of silence in commemoration of the Holocaust.

I now invite all hon. members to rise.

[A moment of silence observed]

Comments by Member for Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, March 28, the member for Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont delivered a statement to the House of Commons that attacked Monica Lysack, the executive director of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada.

This act, in and of itself, appears to have been a violation of the rules of Marleau and Montpetit which prohibit personal attacks against non-members during statements. I would ask, Mr. Speaker, that you look into this matter.

During her appearance before committee, Ms. Lysack pointed out that the government had not delivered on its promise to create child care spaces after two budgets with not a single child care space for Canadian families.

Then, one week after Ms. Monica Lysack appeared before the Commons committee as a witness, she was attacked for speaking out about the need for early learning and child care. The member for Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont treated Ms. Lysack atrociously at committee, even going so far as to ask her about her salary.

What is worse is that the member used his parliamentary privilege to attack a civilian after a committee appearance knowing she would have no opportunity to defend herself against this statement.

I would hate to think that all potential witnesses before a parliamentary committee could be subject to such retribution. This shocking disrespect for Canadians who disagree with the government's policy shows why the charter is gone.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that you make a ruling on this matter.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to clarify that no such attack was made. Perhaps the member was not listening very carefully or has not reviewed what I said.

Obviously my attack was directed toward the Liberal Party of Canada for giving $2.2 million of taxpayers' hard-earned money to an organization that created absolutely zero child care spaces.

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry but I would ask you to check the blues. The member actually named Ms. Lysack. In fact, she e-mailed me immediately after and is asking the House for some recognition because she feels extremely bad done by.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The Chair will review the matter. I thank both hon. members for their intervention on this point. If necessary, I will come back to the House with a ruling.

RCMP Pension Plan

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2005-06 annual report of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police pension plan.

The Auditor General has issued a clean audit report on the financial statements for the pension plan.

The RCMP superannuation account reported an $834 million earning, which is a 7.7% rate of return, and the investments managed by the public sector Pension Investment Board earned $300.2 million, which is a 19.1% rate of return.

The net assets and the benefits available for members of the fund are $13.2 billion. The members' pensions are safe and sound.

Defence Construction Canada

[James Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics]

Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling two documents: the attached Defence Construction Canada's annual report to Parliament, pursuant to section 8 of the Alternative Fuels Act, must be tabled in the House of Commons today; and the attached Defence Construction Canada's corporate plan summary for 2007-08 to 2011-12 which is also to be tabled today

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Chuck Strahl, Conservative, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 109, I would like to present, in both official languages, the government's response to the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food on the review of the Canada Grain Act and the Canadian Grain Commission conducted by COMPAS Inc. which was tabled in the House of Commons on December 5, 2006.

Government Response to Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 47 petitions.

Procedure and House Affairs

[Gary Goodyear, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present the 42nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs concerning membership of committees of the House.

If the House gives its consent, I will ask for concurrence in this report later this day.

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

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 13th report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Norman Doyle, Conservative, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration entitled “Detention Centres and Security Certificates”.

Youth Criminal Justice Act

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-423, An Act to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act (treatment for substance abuse).

Mr. Speaker, this private member's bill would amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act to offer police officers an option to refer a young person alleged to have committed an offence to a substance abuse treatment program with the possible consequence of that young offender facing judicial proceedings if the program is not completed.

The purpose of the bill is to help our young people get the help they need, sometimes when they have not yet come to a place where they realize they need it.

I encourage all members to carefully consider and support this important bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Criminal Code

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-424, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (judicial review).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce in the Chamber today a bill to amend the Criminal Code. This bill, both perspectively and retrospectively, would amend those sections of the Criminal Code that provide for a judicial review of the parole ineligibility period with respect to certain life sentences.

Currently in Canada, prisoners serving the maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years, may apply for early parole after 15 years have been served. In 1997, this section of the Criminal Code was amended such that applications for early parole made under this section are not now reviewed by a judge who determines whether or not the application should be submitted to a jury for consideration.

I trust that parliamentarians of this House will agree that applications made under this section unnecessarily traumatize the families of victims. I trust that members of this House will see the value of supporting this bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Natural Resources

[Jay Hill, Conservative, Secretary of State and Chief Government Whip]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions between all parties and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, in relation to its study on the greening of electricity consumption in Canada, 12 members of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources be authorized to travel to Churchill Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, on Monday, April 30, 2007 and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.

(Motion agreed to)

Procedure and House Affairs

[Gary Goodyear, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives it consent, I move that the 42nd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to)

Cruelty to Animals

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, given that the Criminal Code provisions on animal cruelty have not changed much since 1892, given that Parliament debated some bills in 1999 that passed the House but not the Senate in 2002 and 2003, given that Bill C-373, which takes a comprehensive look at animal cruelty, was tabled in 2006 and given that in 2006 Bill S-213 was introduced in the Senate, which raised the penalties but in other respects failed to modernize the law, several hundred of my constituents in Yukon would like the Minister of Justice to introduce legislation amending the Criminal Code provisions on animal cruelty based on Bill C-373 and to recommend against Bill S-213.

Marriage

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of tabling a petition on the matter of marriage in the French language from Quebec petitioners.

These petitioners simply ask Parliament to reopen the question of marriage in Parliament and abrogate or amend the law in civil marriage and defence and promote marriage as the union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all other persons.

It is an honour to represent these French-speaking Quebec petitioners on this important subject of marriage.

Chinese Head Tax

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present. The first one concerns a just and honourable redress for Chinese head tax families and presses the case that all Chinese head tax families without a surviving head tax payer or spouse deserve appropriate redress based on one certificate and one claim and calls upon Parliament and the government to negotiate in good faith.

Co-op Housing

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition concerns the lost subsidy for the section 95 housing co-ops. It calls upon the government to restore all of the lost subsidy and to provide new assistance to help section 95 co-ops remain with low income residents.

The petition also calls upon the government to build 200,000 affordable and co-op housing units, renovate 100,000 existing units and provide rental supplements to help with the housing crisis in the country.

Summer Career Placement Program

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition signed by 586 people from the riding of Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord.

In it we see that the petitioners are asking the House of Commons to maintain and even to enhance the summer career placement program. We know that this program allows a great number of students to find jobs, that it meets the financial needs of young people and that it also helps organizations that benefit from these summer career grant programs. We should not forget one aspect, which is that the money earned by students also helps to financially support their families.

Consequently, we are asking that the summer career placement program be maintained and even enhanced.

Literacy

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour this afternoon to introduce a petition signed by many citizens from the riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, who are outraged by the cuts the Conservative government has made in the literacy program. One of the things that these citizens are saying is that it is important to support the literacy program because it allows young people and older people to learn to read and write and thus be able to take part in Canadian society and also to improve their quality of life.

These people are always trying to improve their quality of life. However, they are outraged to see that the Conservative government is showing no support towards the literacy program. Consequently, the petitioners are asking Parliament to restore 100% of the amounts that were cut from the literacy program.

Age of Consent

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition to present on behalf of some folks who believe that because our 14 and 15 year olds are most vulnerable to sexual exploitation they would like the government to take all measures necessary to immediately raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 years of age.

Canadian Wheat Board

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have a second petition from a group of people who want to support the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.