Debates of Oct. 19th, 2009

Business of Supply

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

(Motion agreed to)

Criminal Code

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure today to present a petition on behalf of a large number of people in my own constituency, many of them parishioners at Saint Vincent de Paul Parish, who are very concerned about and opposed to Bill C-384 for a number of reasons, one of which is that it does not define terminal illness.

The undersigned are very concerned that this bill, if passed, would endanger Canadians and that it would open the door to deadly abuse. They feel that there are better ways to deal with those who are ill, even terminally ill, and they urge this House to vote against Bill C-384.

I am pleased to present this petition on their behalf. I want to thank, in particular, Kitty Wiley for the work that she did in putting this together.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a number of petitions signed by several hundred people calling on the Government of Canada to enable prosecution of those who encourage or counsel someone to commit suicide by updating the Canadian Criminal Code to reflect the new realities of 21st century broadband access.

These petitioners are from Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. It is an honour to present this petition on their behalf.

Canada Post Corporation

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present three petitions from residents of the communities of Rollet, Beaudry and Cloutier, in my riding, asking that the post offices in their vicinity remain open.

Establishment of Department of Peace

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions.

The first one deals with the establishment of a department of peace. The fact is there are 3,000 to 26,000 nuclear weapons held by the United States and Russia on a 15-minute-launch warning status that threaten to destroy our world due to potential technical systems failure or an accident. Fifty of today's modern nuclear weapons could kill 200 million people, and there is no medical response. The petition is calling on Parliament to establish a department of peace that will reinvigorate Canada's role as a global peace builder and that will have the abolition of nuclear weapons as a top priority.

Nuclear Weapons

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with a NATO review of nuclear weapons policy. There are no ongoing multilateral negotiations for an agreement to eliminate these weapons of mass destruction. A model nuclear weapons convention has been filed before the UN General Assembly as a discussion document to encourage progress towards nuclear disarmament. The petitioners, residents of Canada, demand that the government of Canada call for an urgent review of NATO's nuclear weapons policies to ensure that all NATO states fulfill their obligations to negotiate and conclude an agreement for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Canada Post Corporation

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my final petition deals with Canada Post. Canadians are calling on the government of Canada to maintain the moratorium on post office closures and withdraw the legislation to legalize remailers. We also call upon the government of Canada to instruct Canada Post to maintain, expand, and improve postal services.

Criminal Code

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table in this House a petition signed by over 3,600 British Columbia residents as well as several Albertans. It draws attention to the ongoing scourge of dangerous driving and criminally negligent driving still plaguing this country. The petitioners draw the attention of this House to the fact that vehicular homicide needs to be added into the Criminal Code. They call upon Parliament to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to allow a new charge of vehicular homicide.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[John Rafferty, NDP, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to present three petitions from residents in my riding, two of which deal with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The first one calls on the government to support the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, through an increase in the funding and stability of the CBC.

The second petition asks the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to support the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation through increased support for stable and adequate funding.

Elisa Loyo Gutierrez

[John Rafferty, NDP, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition is signed by literally thousands of constituents in my riding and across the country. The petitioners wish to draw the attention of the House of Commons to Elisa Loyo Gutierrez, a 25-year-old Mexican-Canadian woman, who died under highly suspicious circumstances at her place of work in the Philippines on or about the date of December 23, 2008. The petitioners call upon the government of Canada to engage in a complete review of this case.

Animal Welfare

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to stand and table a petition on behalf of some of the constituents of Kelowna—Lake Country asking our government to support a universal declaration on animal welfare.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table two petitions in support of animal welfare in Canada.

The petitions recognize that there is scientific consensus and public acknowledgement that animals feel pain and can experience suffering. Therefore, these petitioners are calling upon the federal government to adopt effective animal welfare legislation that will improve the condition of animals and promote animal welfare.

Pay Equity

[Jim Maloway, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my petitioners call upon the government to stop the wage roll-backs and restore pay equity for public service workers. Bill C-10, the Budget Implementation Act, empowers the government to roll back negotiated wages and arbitral awards retroactively as well as radically change the rules governing pay equity in the federal public sector. This infringes upon the rights of civil servants to freely and collectively bargain wage increases with their employers and adversely affects the rights of public sector workers, particularly women, to equal pay for work of equal value.

Bill C-10 would prevent civil servants from filing and adjudicating gender-based discrimination through the Canadian Human Rights Code and would trade away their human rights at the bargaining table. Therefore, the petitioners call upon the government of Canada to rescind the provisions of Bill C-10 that violate workers' rights to collective bargaining, including the arbitral awards of equal pay for work of equal value.

Criminal Code

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present two petitions from the citizens of Kitchener Centre. The first draws attention to the fact that people who experience mental illness need to be protected by the law, that youth in Canada are as vulnerable as youth all around the world and that predators through the Internet and without penalty are encouraging and counselling suicide.

This petition asks Parliament to enable prosecution of those who encourage or counsel someone to commit suicide by updating the Criminal Code in accordance with 21st century broadband access.

Animal Welfare

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I wish to present acknowledges that animals can feel pain and can suffer. Over one billion people around the world rely on animals for their livelihood. Animals are often significantly affected by natural disasters and are seldom considered during relief efforts. The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support a universal declaration on animal welfare.

Protection of Human Life

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 and as certified by the clerk of petitions, I would like to present this petition on behalf of a number of my constituents on the subject of the protection of human life.

These petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that Canada is a country that respects human rights. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms says that everyone has the right to life. It has been 40 years since the decision on May 14, 1969, when Parliament changed the law to permit abortion. Since January 28, 1988, Canada has had no law to protect the lives of unborn children.

Therefore, these petitioners call upon Parliament to pass legislation for the protection of human life from the time of conception until natural death.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 326, 404 and 411.

Question No. 326

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

How much funding has the Department of Fisheries and Oceans allocated to the marketing of Atlantic fishery products since 2000 inclusive, broken down by year and by sector (lobster, snow crab, salmon, etc.)?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has not allocated any funding to the marketing of Atlantic fishery products. Marketing of food products is the responsibility of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Question No. 404

[Andrew Kania, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

With respect to Employment Insurance claims made by residents of the constituency of Brampton West: (a) what is the number of claims that have been made since January 2008 (i) broken down by month, (ii) in total; (b) what is the percentage of claims that have been approved since January 2008, (i) broken down by month, (ii) in total; (c) which claims have been denied since January 2008, (i) broken down by month, (ii) in total, and what were the reasons for their denial; and (d) what has been the average period of time it has taken to process the claims that have been made since January 2008, (i) broken down by month, (ii) in total?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a) to (d), the department does not have the requested data at the Brampton level.

Question No. 411

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Given that the government has stated its intention to double aid to Africa: (a) what are the additional amounts that will be invested in Africa in the next budget, 2009-2010; (b) what African countries, that are members of la Francophonie, will benefit from these funds; (c) what are the amounts distributed, by countries, in the bilateral projects; and (d) what are the amounts distributed through the multilateral programs?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, at the 2005 Gleneagles G8 summit, G8 leaders pledged to double their aid to Africa by 2010. Canada reached its commitment to double assistance to $2.1 billion, compared to $1.05 billion in 2003-04, one year ahead of G8 commitment.

African country members of La Francophonie that will continue to benefit from these funds include those that are CIDA's countries of focus: Ghana, which is an associate member of La Francophonie; Mali; Mozambique, which is an observer; Senegal; as well as those in which CIDA will maintain a modest level of programming: Benin, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Morocco, Niger and Rwanda.

The 2009-10 aid budgets, including bilateral and multilateral projects and programs, are still being finalized and therefore dollar amounts are not available at this time.