House of Commons Hansard #53 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was spam.

Topics

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

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

Senate Ethics ActRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia Manitoba

Conservative

Steven Fletcher ConservativeMinister of State (Democratic Reform)

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-30, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

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

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Saint Boniface Manitoba

Conservative

Shelly Glover ConservativeParliamentary Secretary for Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Parliamentary delegation of the Canadian branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie to the seminar of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) network of women Parliamentarians on the role of women Parliamentarians in conflict resolution in the Francophonie and the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women held at Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, March 30 and 31, 2009.

Justice and Human RightsCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

I am pleased to report that the committee has considered the main estimates under Justice for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, and reports the same.

Agriculture and Agri-FoodCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Conservative

Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in relation to the potato cyst nematode in Quebec and Alberta.

Criminal CodeRoutine Proceedings

10 a.m.

Liberal

Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-381, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking and transplanting human organs and other body parts).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce my private member's bill.

There is a horrific underground industry in the trafficking of human organs and body parts, victimizing the most vulnerable in developing countries and totalitarian regimes. This harrowing and depraved industry is a consequence of three global trends coinciding during the last decade: first, the development of medical technology, allowing the inexpensive transplantation of virtually any body organ; second, the immense increase in global income disparities between the rich and powerful and the poor and vulnerable; and finally, easy and accessible travel by wealthy westerners to any corner of the globe.

Last year, Canada became associated with this repugnant trade when news broke about the million dollar business of “Dr. Horror” and his Canadian connections, a doctor who illegally harvested the kidneys of some 500 poor labourers in New Delhi, India.

A spotlight was also placed on the illegal harvesting of organs of prisoners of conscience in China's penal system in the 2007 Matas-Kilgour report entitled “Bloody Harvest: Revised Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China”.

By enacting this legislation, Canada will become an international leader in combatting the sinister underground trade in human organs and body parts.

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

Excise Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-382, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (no GST on literacy materials).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce this bill yet again because it is important from the point of view of achieving literacy among all citizens. This bill seeks to eliminate the goods and services tax on materials used in literacy development.

This has been a long-standing battle by many in our community. It has been supported by organizations everywhere, especially in Winnipeg, with the open doors adult literacy program, the Luxton School's adult learning program, the Literacy Partners of Manitoba, the Urban Circle Training Centre and the Winnipeg Adult Education Centre. They are all working very hard to promote and raise levels of adult and family literacy in Winnipeg and Manitoba. Like so many other organizations right across Canada, they believe, and have recommended to me and to all members of Parliament, that we work steadfastly to remove the GST on all literacy materials.

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

Tobacco ProductsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

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

That the House recognize the need to strengthen efforts to reduce and prevent tobacco contraband in order to protect public health, public revenue and public safety from the harm caused by high and growing levels of illicit trade of tobacco products.

Tobacco ProductsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Does the hon. member for Winnipeg North have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

Tobacco ProductsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Tobacco ProductsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Tobacco ProductsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Tobacco ProductsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

(Motion agreed to)

Sri LankaPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Bonnie Crombie Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON

Mr. Speaker, this morning I have the pleasure to table a petition signed by people from my riding of Mississauga—Streetsville and other parts of the greater Toronto area who are concerned about the ongoing war in Sri Lanka. They seek to halt the violence and begin the peace process.

Those who have attached their names are particularly concerned with innocent people whose lives are threatened and for the well-being of countless innocent civilians. A quarter of a million people are trapped in this war zone. These innocent victims are desperately in need of food, medicine, care and protection.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to use every diplomatic means at its disposal to seek an immediate ceasefire and to work with the international community to pressure the government of Sri Lanka and its military to respect the human rights of the civilian Tamil population. They also call to end the embargo on food, medicine and other essential items to the combat zone, and restore freedom of the press and freedom of the movement of the UN.

Last, they call for immediate negotiations toward a political solution to the war after the ceasefire.

Rights of the UnbornPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Gurbax Malhi Liberal Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of my constituents. As citizens of a country that respects human rights and, under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the petitioners draw attention to the right to life, even for the unborn.

The petitioners call upon this Parliament to pass legislation that will guarantee protection of human life from the time of conception until natural death.

Income TaxPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Liberal

Todd Russell Liberal Labrador, NL

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to present a petition on behalf of approximately 850 fishers who sold their licences under the Atlantic groundfish licence retirement program.

The petitioners come from the Straits area of Labrador and they have a long and historic attachment to the fishery. The petitioners assert that these fishers were treated unfairly under the income tax laws and ask the Minister of National Revenue to review these cases with a view to providing them the proper tax treatment as prescribed by the law. They seek fairness for the approximately 850 fishers and their surviving family members.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

10:05 a.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, If questions Nos. 90 and 91 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No. 90Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT

Since January 2006 to present date have Canadian aircraft responded to near border violations by foreign aircraft and, if so: (a) what was the date and location of each incident; (b) what was the response by Canadian aircraft, including the number of aircraft involved and the point of contact with the foreign aircraft; (c) was Canadian airspace actually breached and, if so, to what extent; (d) what was the country of origin of each of the implicated aircraft; (e) who ordered each of the interceptor flights and what was the rationale behind the threat risk; (f) what was the purported mission of each of the implicated foreign aircraft; (g) what was the outcome of each interception, the cost of each response mission, the damage to Canadian aircraft if any and what were the risks involved for the pilots; (h) for each incident, was a diplomatic note filed with the country in question and what was the response from the involved country; and (i) under the same criteria used above what is the response to any incursions or near incursions into Canadian territory by naval vessels or land based forces?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 91Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT

With regard to the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), since 2006 for all 308 constituencies: (a) what are the names, address and contact information of employers that hired FSWEP students, (i) what is the number of students hired, (ii) what is the amount of money received by each student and by each employer; (b) what criteria are followed in order to hire a student; (c) what are the number of points scored by the employers receiving the students; (d) what is the number of students that moved on to further secondary or post-secondary studies; (e) what is the number of students hired that completed the FSWEP; (f) what is the exact amount of money spent per constituency for the program as broken down to actual hiring; (g) what are the program administration costs by the department; and (h) was the program cost on budget or over budget and to what extent?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all remaining questions be allowed to stand.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

10:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Is that agreed?