Debates of Dec. 4th, 2009

Business of Supply

[Jay Hill, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise the House that December 10 shall be the last allotted day in this supply period.

Pensions

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last evening I received a communication from a Nortel retiree who was very distraught with the circumstances she found herself in now, being disabled and being unable to collect benefits.

The petitioners, representing Nortel retirees and other beneficiaries, call upon Parliament to amend the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act to protect the rights of Canadian employees and to ensure that employees laid off by a company who receive a pension or long-term disability benefits during bankruptcy proceedings obtain preferred creditor status over other unsecured creditors. They also ask that the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act be amended to ensure employee-related claims are paid from the proceeds of Canadian asset sales before funds are permitted to leave the country.

I believe this is a very important issue for us to consider and I hope the government will heed their petition.

Tax Harmonization

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Madam Speaker, there are perhaps no words more hated in British Columbia right now than the harmonized sales tax.

The petitioners from Conservative ridings in Surrey, Delta and Richmond say that this is a profoundly unfair tax shift. The harmonized sales tax comes at a time when Canadians and particularly British Columbians are struggling to pay their bills.

They petitioners from Conservative ridings are saying, no, to the HST. They call upon the Government of Canada to rescind the HST.

I deposit this petition in their name.

Animal Welfare

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of the constituents of Macleod. The signatories believe that animals feel pain and can suffer and that efforts should be made to prevent animal cruelty and reduce animal suffering.

Therefore, the petitioners request that the Government of Canada support a universal declaration on animal welfare.

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have a petition to present on behalf of the constituents of my riding.

The petitioners note that there is scientific consensus and public acknowledgement that animals can feel pain and can suffer. They say that all efforts should be made to prevent animal cruelty and reduce animal suffering.

They ask that the Government of Canada to support a universal declaration on animal welfare.

Pest Control Products

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am rising to present two petitions to the House.

The first is a petition in support of the enactment of Bill C-368 to impose an immediate ban on the further use of cosmetic pesticides. Consistent with the precautionary principle, I would remind the House that the Supreme Court of Canada has held that Canada is bound by the precautionary principle and that until their use and consequences are proven safe, they should be banned from use.

International Aid

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, my second petition is a petition from residents in British Columbia and Alberta from Canadian Grandmothers for Africa. I am pleased to say that there is a very strong contingent of the grandmothers in my riding and across Alberta.

The petitioners are seeking the House to give support to the immediate setting of a timetable to meet by 2015, less than five years from now, its 40 year old promise to contribute 0.7% of our GNI to development assistance, contributing its fair share to the global fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and making the necessary legislative change for Canada's access to medicines. A good step along the way was made just this past week.

Oil and Gas Ombudsman

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

Madam Speaker, I have three petitions to present today.

The first one is on behalf of constituents who call for a speedy passage of Bill C-442, which was introduced earlier by my friend from Hamilton Mountain. It is an act to establish the office of the oil and gas ombudsman to investigate complaints relating to the business practices of suppliers of oil or gas.

It is particularly apropos right now because of the hated sales tax that is coming in and being presented by what one might call the axis of taxes.

There are 10 pages or so signed by constituents on this petition.

The second petition involves the same thing. The petitioners also call on the government to give speedy passage to the bill because it creates a meaningful vehicle through which the complaints of average Canadians about the oil and gas industry will be taken seriously, with mechanisms for investigation and remediation to further help consumers fight the gas price squeeze, which would be more next year with the HST. It would be 8% more in Ontario and British Columbia.

International Aid

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

Madam Speaker, my third petition is signed by residents right across Canada.

The petitioners call upon the government to ensure that Canada immediately sets a timetable to meet its 40 year old promise to contribute 0.7% of our gross national income to development assistance.

I am very pleased to stand in the House and present these today.

Salmon Fishery

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House to present a petition on behalf of citizens all across British Columbia and, in particular, the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, calling for the independent judicial inquiry into the salmon crisis.

We know that nine million sockeye salmon have disappeared during this summer's migration to the Fraser River. This is the lowest level in 50 years. We know this crisis is similar in magnitude to the East Coast cod collapse, which devastated the economy in Atlantic Canada, and it threatens to affect the way of life and livelihoods of West Coast communities up and down our coast, first nations, recreational fishers, commercial fisheries and businesses. As a result of this devastating threat, our entire ecosystem is also put in jeopardy.

The petitioners urgently call upon the government to get on with establishing the independent judicial inquiry and explore all the facts, consult with all the scientists and stakeholders to determine what went wrong with our salmon so we can take action to ensure we have a healthy sustainable salmon fishery in British Columbia.

Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am very proud to present a petition signed by hundreds of citizens from Newfoundland who add their voices to those from across Canada, from coast to coast to coast, who are opposed to the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement.

Newfoundlanders understand, as well as everyone else in Canada, that this is an embarrassment to our nation in terms of the values we hold. That the kind of human rights violations we see in Colombia would in any way lead this country to enter into some kind of a preferred trade arrangement is something Canadians reject.

This petition, from one of our important coasts, reflects that it is a truly national reflection that Canadians do not want this Canada-Colombia free trade agreement.

International Aid

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I present this petition from Canadians.

The petition reads, “We, the undersigned residents of Canada, petition the House of Commons to ensure that Canada: immediately set a timetable to meet, by 2015, its 40 year old promise to contribute 0.7% of our gross national income to development assistance; contribute its fair share to the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, example, 5% of the funding needed for each of the next 5 years; and make the legislation changes necessary for Canada's Access to Medicine Regime to facilitate the immediate and sustainable flow of low-cost generic medicine to developing countries”.

Salmon Fishery

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to table a petition that is signed by hundreds of folks in British Columbia on what has happened with the collapse of the sockeye salmon run.

History teaches us many lessons and one would think the government and the folks in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans would have learned from the collapse of the cod fishery in Atlantic Canada. If we are doomed to repeat our failures of the past, we will not fix the fisheries industry. It seems to me that we have failed both the east coast and now we have failed the west coast when it comes to the fisheries.

We need, and the petitioners say this, an independent judicial inquiry under the federal Inquiries Act to find out what went wrong. Clearly we did not learn any lessons from before. We tell our children that we should always learn the lessons of the past, but we have not done this. Clearly we need help to get it done.

Let us get on with it, call the inquiry and ensure this does not happen again.

[The Acting Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

For the information of members of Parliament, presenting a petition is not a speech and petitions should not be read verbatim.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition that calls for an independent judicial inquiry into the salmon crisis. Nine million salmon disappeared this summer in the Fraser River. It is the lowest return in 50 years.

Hundreds of people have spoken out and have signed this petition, calling for the judicial inquiry. They want action now to save our B.C. salmon.

Firearms Registry

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present to the House today.

The first petition deals with the long gun registry. The petitioners point out that the long gun registry was originally budgeted to cost Canadians $2 million, but the price tag spiralled out of control to an estimated $2 billion a decade later. They also note that the registry has not saved one single life since it was introduced.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to support legislation that would cancel the long gun registry and streamline the Firearms Act.

Protection of Human Life

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Madam Speaker, the second petition is from constituents in the Fraser Valley area.

The petitioners point out that Canada is a country which respects human life and includes in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that everyone has the right to life. The petitioners call upon Parliament to pass legislation for the protection of human life from the time of conception until natural death.

International Aid

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

Madam Speaker, millions of people are dying needlessly in Africa from treatable diseases such as HIV-AIDS, TB and malaria. In sub-Saharan Africa, the HIV-AIDS crisis has been made worse by extreme poverty and lack of antiviral drugs. This is causing people to bury their adult children and raise their orphaned grandchildren. Development assistance and antiretroviral drugs offer people with HIV-AIDS the chance to live healthy and productive lives.

This petition demands three things of Parliament: that a timetable be immediately set to meet by 2015 its 40-year-old promise to contribute .7% of our gross national income to developmental assistance; contribute its fair share to the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, for example, 5% of the funding needed for each year in the next five years; and make the legislative changes necessary for Canada's access to medicines regime to facilitate the immediate and sustainable flow of lower cost generic medicines to developing countries.

In fact, that is what we dealt with in this Parliament this past week.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 480 and 527.

Question No. 480

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

With respect to international legal violations of the rights of privacy, association and bodily integrity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people, will the government: (a) condemn deprivation of such rights on the basis of sexual orientation as breaches of international law; (b) assist the United States Secretary of State’s initiative, announced on September 11, 2009, to seek out partners at the United Nations to document human rights abuses against LGBT communities worldwide; (c) challenge states that are found to deny fundamental rights and freedoms on the basis of sexual orientation; (d) develop and implement a program, modeled on the United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s LGBT Toolkit, whereby Canada’s foreign missions would urge decriminalization of homosexuality in countries where it is penalized by death or imprisonment; and (e) address, through the ongoing Justice Undertakings for Social Transformation Program of the Department of Justice, the criminalization of homosexuals, and the impunity of their assailants, in Jamaica?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy. Canada stands up for human rights and takes principled positions on important issues to ensure that freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, values that define this country, are enjoyed around the world.

With respect to sexual orientation, Canada was one of the signatories to the December 2008 Statement on Human Rights Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity at the United Nations General Assembly. This landmark statement condemns the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms directed against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. It expresses deep concern for stigma and discrimination that undermines the integrity and dignity of those subjected to these abuses, and as a consequence makes them vulnerable to more serious human rights violations. The statement calls upon all states and relevant human rights mechanisms to commit to promote and protect the human rights of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Canada continues to bring the issue of human rights violations based on sexual orientation to the attention of the international community by raising these issues where relevant during the Human Rights Council’s universal periodic review of states. For example, in the reviews of both Zambia and Senegal, Canadian statements recommended the amendment of their respective penal codes to de-criminalize same sex activity between adults.

At the 2009 Commonwealth Summit in Trinidad and Tobago, the Prime Minister pulled aside Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and indicated Canada's deep concern and strong opposition to the draft Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill and that we deplore these kinds of measures. Furthermore, the Prime Minister indicated that the draft bill was inconsistent with any reasonable understanding of human rights.

Canada opposes human rights violations based on sexual orientation and will continue to work with our partners at the United Nations, including the United States, to uphold human rights for all individuals. In May 2009, Canada’s ambassador in Paris attended the World Congress on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity where issues and strategies were discussed to confront and eliminate human rights violations directed against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

With respect to the Department of Justice led initiative in Jamaica, the justice undertakings for social transformation, JUST, program is a four-year justice sector reform initiative funded by CIDA. The Department of Justice of Canada will implement the project as the executing agency.

JUST focuses on institutional capacity building in the Jamaican justice sector by supporting Government of Jamaica entities with justice sector mandates, e.g., Ministry of Justice, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Law Reform Commission, and by supporting civil society organizations that contribute to overall stability by empowering marginalized groups in their interactions with justice sector institutions.

As a capacity-building initiative, JUST is not specifically meant to address matters such as the criminalization of homosexuality in Jamaica. However, one of the pivotal activities of the program is a close analysis of Jamaican legislation to identify provisions that, in their formulation or application, may create undue difficulties for vulnerable groups. Following this review of the legislation, the program will bring attention to provisions that appear problematic and suggest possible measures to deal with them. As part of this exercise and other program activities, JUST should therefore find a way of addressing, to the extent that it can, the issues raised.

Question No. 527

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

With respect to the sockeye salmon crisis affecting the Fraser River in British Columbia: (a) what is the government’s plan to address the decline of 9 million sockeye salmon in the Fraser River; (b) how much money is the government spending on this plan; (c) what entities have received government money, when and for what purposes; (d) what information does the government have regarding potential causes of the decline; (e) which stakeholders did the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans meet with in Vancouver during the month of October 2009; and (f) what were the recommendations, work plan, and proposed dates of action that came about as a result of October 2009 meetings in Vancouver between stakeholders and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans?

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

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), on November 5, 2009, the Prime Minister announced a judicial inquiry to investigate and report on the reasons for the decline of sockeye salmon in the Fraser River. The final report of the inquiry is due by May 1, 2011.

In response to (b), the final report of the inquiry will help inform government on the development of a long-term plan for Fraser sockeye. It is premature to anticipate what that plan would entitle and associated costs.

In response to (c), Parliament has already provided appropriations for commissions of inquiry in the vote of the Privy Council Office. The commissioner will prepare a proposed budget for consideration by Treasury Board.

In response to (d), there has been no determination of the cause of the decline in Fraser River sockeye. The terms of reference for the judicial inquiry call for an investigation and an independent finding of fact regarding the causes of decline of Fraser River sockeye salmon including marine environmental conditions, aquaculture, predators, diseases, water temperature and other factors that may affect the ability of sockeye salmon to reach traditional spawning grounds or reach the ocean.

DFO science is evaluating a wide range of potential contributing factors to the low returns, and will then consider what further scientific work should be undertaken with regard to forecasting, marine survival, and the health of the oceans. It seems evident that an unprecedented combination of events has affected the survival of many of the sockeye runs that went to sea in 2007. The work of the inquiry will be very helpful in this regard, and we look forward to cooperating fully in its review.

In response to (e), the minister held a roundtable meeting with stakeholders on September 11, 2009 concerning Fraser River sockeye. Representatives from the following organizations participated: Pacific Salmon Foundation; Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council; Fraser Basin Council; Commercial Salmon Advisory Board; Area B Seine, Fraser River Panel; Canadian Fishing Company, CANFISCO; B.C. Seafood Association; Sport Fishing Advisory Board; B.C. Wildlife Federaration; Driftfishers Association; Watershed Watch; Salmon Enhancement and Habitat Advisory Board; David Suzuki Foundation; British Columbia First Nations--Fisheries Council; Sto:lo First Nation; Lillooet First Nation; Pacific Salmon Commission; and B.C. Ministry of Environment.

In response to (f), the minister hosted a roundtable meeting with stakeholders to seek input on an effective way forward on September 11, 2009, not in October. Many views and ideas were presented. All agreed that the approach would need to be comprehensive. A workplan was not created at the roundtable, recognizing that a government response was in development.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

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

Madam Speaker, if Question Nos. 468, 482, 498, 503, 504, and 513 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Acting Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Is that agreed?