Debates of Sept. 16th, 2009

Online Suicide Predators

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by over 600 people from Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

The petitioners are calling on the government to recognize that those who experience depression and mental illness need to be protected by the law. They are calling on the House of Commons to enable prosecution of those who encourage or counsel someone to commit suicide by updating the Criminal Code to reflect the new realities of 21st century broadband access and also to fund education programs that will empower people who experience depression and mental illness to protect themselves from online predators.

Employment Insurance

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present today in this House a petition signed by about 4,000 people from the riding I have the honour of representing: Berthier—Maskinongé.

The petitioners are calling on the federal government to shoulder its responsibilities by acting quickly to eliminate the two-week waiting period that workers encounter after they lose their jobs and must turn to employment insurance.

That is why I urge all members in this House to vote in favour of the Bloc's Bill C-241, which would abolish the waiting period once and for all.

Consumer Product Labelling

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I table three petitions today in the House.

The first petition is from people in Norman's Cove, Newfoundland, Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Halifax, Chilliwack, Nanaimo, Scarborough and London to name only a few.

The petitioners wish to bring to the House their concern that as many consumer products, including cosmetics, contain carcinogens, developmental and reproductive toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, there is no duty currently in federal law on manufacturers to notify or inform consumers. They state that Canada should show leadership on the fundamental right to know.

The petitioners call upon the House to strengthen laws to meet the European REACH standards on these substances and require mandatory labelling on cosmetics.

Canada Post

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the next two petitions are on the subject of post offices. The petitioners come from Edmonton, St. Albert and Sherwood Park in Alberta. They state that post offices play a key role in healthy communities and businesses. They call upon the Government of Canada to maintain the moratorium on post office closures and to withdraw the legislation to legalize remailers.

Protection of Human Life

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a petition signed by Canadians calling upon Parliament to pass legislation for the protection of human life from the time of conception until natural death.

I would like to underline the support that Canadians showed for this petition. It was reinforced by the impressive turnout of over 12,000 Canadians here on the Hill in May for the March for Life.

Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

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

Mr. Speaker, violence against workers and members of civil society by paramilitaries in Colombia who are closely associated with the current Uribe government has been ongoing with more than 2,200 trade unionists murdered since 1991, as well as a host of violence committed against indigenous people, Afro-Colombians, human rights activists, workers, farmers, labour leaders and journalists.

Under a NAFTA-style agreement, Colombia's ability to adopt autonomous and sustainable economic, social, cultural, environmental and public policies such as health care and public education will diminish. In addition, labour side agreements under NAFTA have not been effective in protecting and improving labour standards as has been the case in Mexico where over one million agriculture jobs have been lost since NAFTA was signed.

All trade agreements must be built upon the principles of fair trade which fundamentally respect social justice, human rights, labour rights and environmental stewardship as prerequisites to trade.

Thousands of Canadians are calling on Parliament to reject the Canada-Colombia trade deal until an independent human rights impact assessment is carried out. They are requesting that the agreement be renegotiated along the principles of fair trade which would take environmental and social impacts fully into account while genuinely respecting labour rights and the rights of all affected parties.

Government Procurement

[Luc Desnoyers, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by more than 550 workers from the Nova Bus plant in Saint-Eustache, in my riding. This plant is a leading manufacturer of intercity buses.

In this petition, the workers are calling on the government to set a Canadian content requirement for all of its purchases, such as intercity transportation purchases that fall under its jurisdiction, and also military buses, like the ones the government purchased in Germany a few months ago.

This would ensure that these workers can keep their jobs and avoid finding themselves among the too many unemployed workers in Quebec.

Income Trusts

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions I would like to table in the House today.

Pursuant to Standing Order 36 and as certified by the clerk of petitions, I am pleased to present yet another income trust broken promise petition on behalf of my constituents of Mississauga South. These individuals are all known to me and I am delighted to do this for them.

The petitioners remember that the Prime Minister was boasting about his apparent commitment to accountability when he said that the greatest fraud is a promise not kept.

The petitioners want to remind the Prime Minister that he promised never to tax income trusts. He recklessly broke that promise. He imposed a 31.5% punitive tax which permanently wiped out over $25 billion of hard-earned retirement savings of over two million Canadians, particularly seniors.

The petitioners call upon the Conservative/Canadian Alliance/Reform minority government to admit that the decision to tax income trusts was based on flawed methodology and incorrect assumptions, to apologize to those who were unfairly harmed by this broken promise, and to repeal the 31.5% tax on income trusts.

Public Safety Officers' Compensation Fund

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is one that I have presented often. It relates to public safety officers, particularly police officers and firefighters.

The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that police officers and firefighters are required to place their lives at risk in the execution of their duties on a daily basis. They state that the employment benefits of police officers and firefighters provide insufficient compensation to the families of those who are killed while on duty, and that the public also mourns the loss of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. The petitioners wish to support, in a tangible way, the surviving families in their time of need.

The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to establish a fund known as the public safety officers' compensation fund for the benefit of families of public safety officers who are killed in the line of duty.

Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition is another that I have presented many times over the last 16 years or so.

Pursuant to Standing Order 36 and as certified by the clerk of petitions and supported by some of my colleagues in the NDP who are applauding at this time, I am pleased to present a petition concerning the risk associated with the misuse of alcohol.

The petitioners from my riding of Mississauga South would like to bring to the attention of the House that the Food and Drugs Act is designed to protect Canadians from potentially harmful effects related to food and drug consumption. They state that the consumption of alcoholic beverages may cause health problems. They also state that fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol related birth defects are 100% preventable by avoiding the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. They further state that the consumption of alcoholic beverages may also impair one's ability to operate machinery and automobiles.

Therefore, the petitioners from Mississauga South call upon Parliament to require the labelling of alcoholic beverages to caution expectant mothers and others of the risks associated with the misuse of alcohol.

Asbestos

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by thousands of Canadians.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to take note of the fact that asbestos is the greatest industrial killer the world has ever known. In fact, more people now die from asbestos than all other industrial diseases combined. Over 80% of all the industrial diseases and deaths in the province of Quebec are due to asbestos. Yet, Canada remains one of the largest producers and exporters of asbestos in the world. Canada spends millions of dollars subsidizing the asbestos industry and blocking international efforts to curb its use.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to ban asbestos in all of its forms, to end all government subsidies to the asbestos industry, both in Canada and abroad, and to stop blocking international health and safety conventions designed to protect workers from asbestos, such as the Rotterdam convention.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

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

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Motions for Papers

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Sockeye Salmon

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The Chair has received a notice of a request for an emergency debate from the hon. member for Burnaby—New Westminster. I am pleased to call upon the hon. member now to give his reasons for the application to the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a matter requiring urgent consideration, and of immediate relevance and concern throughout Canada.

The sudden disappearance of nine million sockeye salmon a few weeks ago during the summer's migration to the Fraser River highlights a crisis of unprecedented scale which is dramatically affecting the way of life and the livelihoods of west coast communities, first nations, recreational fishers, commercial fishers and businesses.

This crisis is similar in magnitude to the collapse of the Atlantic cod stocks which devastated the east coast, and you will recall, Mr. Speaker, that this House was able to debate the collapse of the cod stocks in an emergency debate held on May 1, 2003.

An emergency debate is required in order to allow parliamentarians to immediately explore the facts of this crisis and address whether or not the government has fulfilled its duty to effectively and responsibly manage this fishery. There is no government legislation on this issue before the House, which would allow a debate at this critical time on the collapse of the sockeye salmon run in British Colombia.

It is for these reasons that I request, seconded by a number of my B.C. and Atlantic Canadian colleagues, including the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore, an emergency debate on this issue.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I thank the hon. member for his submissions. I am going to take the matter under advisement and come back to the House in due course, having heard what he had to say.

The House resumed from June 18 consideration of the motion that Bill C-37, An Act to amend the National Capital Act and other Acts, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

An Action Plan for the National Capital Commission

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as a servant of the national capital region in this House, I am especially pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-37, our government's action plan for the National Capital Commission.

Allow me to also note that I will be splitting my time with our wise chief government whip. I speak of the hon. member for Carleton—Mississippi Mills.

I am delighted to rise in this House to speak about the amendments to the National Capital Act introduced by our government.

Members of this House will not be surprised that my wife and I have walked, cycled, and skied every centimetre of every trail in this region. As a boy, I also swam at Petrie Island and at Britannia Bay. As a teenager, I even took forbidden midnight dips in Pink Lake. Come to think of it, my first date with my wife was a 40 kilometre bicycle ride to Pink Lake and back, 36 years ago today, during the Rosh Hashanah holidays of 1973.

I know well the scenic beauty and unique experiences that our capital has to offer to all who live here and to those who come to visit.

With my family and friends, I often enjoy the charms and treasures of our wonderful capital. This would likely be impossible were it not for the vision and hard work of the National Capital Commission.

It was at Camp Fortune that my wife, our four children and I learned to downhill ski and snowboard. Closer to home, the Mer Bleue cross-country trails, sheltered from the icy wind, are just superb.

A strong NCC means a strong national capital region, and we must ensure that the NCC is as effective and as responsive as possible. This includes increasing transparency and accountability. This has been a cornerstone of all our government's policies since taking office 1,319 days ago.

Let us not forget that this is the government that introduced the Federal Accountability Act. Our government has listened and we made changes to the NCC that will make it more open and more accountable to residents, to taxpayers and to all Canadians.

The Prime Minister's decision to appoint Marie Lemay as head of the NCC 20 months ago was an enlightened one.

The appointment by the Prime Minister of Russell Mills as NCC chair also was an inspired stroke of genius.

Naturally, they are supported by Maureen Hayes and a team of seasoned professionals.

Now, by introducing amendments to the National Capital Act, our government is presenting a vision for the future of the NCC. In order to ensure that Crown lands and historically important sites can be enjoyed by Canadians for years to come, we must act now.

The NCC plays a key role in protecting and preserving these lands.

Take the Greenbelt, for example. This great swath of land encircling urban Ottawa includes farms, forests and wetlands that total over 20,000 hectares. These lands provide places for people to experience outdoor pursuits and appreciate natural beauty, in some cases literally at their doorsteps.

The Greenbelt encircles Ottawa from Shirleys Bay in Ottawa West--Nepean to Green's Creek in Ottawa--Orléans. Nearly three-quarters of the total area is owned and managed by the NCC on behalf of the taxpayers of Canada. The rest is held by other federal departments and private interests practising sustainable farming and forestry.

More than one million visitors a year go walking, sliding down hills, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing there, among other places.

The environmental protection provisions in Bill C-37 will help protect fragile ecosystems in the Gatineau Park and in the Greenbelt while also ensuring that residents in urban and suburban Ottawa-Gatineau have a greater say in issues that affect them and their families.

The NCC also administers the Rideau Canal on behalf of Parks Canada.

Now a UNESCO world heritage site, the construction of the canal is one of the single most important developments in Ottawa's and likely Canada's history.

The Rideau Canal was a vital economic and military safeguard for the country in the 1800s. It is a tribute to the genius of Colonel John By and his Royal Engineers. I did not mean my engineers, just the Royal Engineers.

Today, it is a favourite route for boaters. In winter, a nearly eight kilometre stretch of the canal is transformed into the world's largest naturally frozen skating rink. It is a cornerstone of our heritage and the centrepiece of our national capital that continues to awe visitors from around the world.

Here I would like to pay tribute to Henry Storgaard and to all the board members of the Rideau Canal festival. The work that they did this year was amazing. I was thrilled to support them.

By the way, I also commend Michel Gauthier's efficient organization.

It is important for children across the country to learn about the Rideau Canal, a cornerstone of our heritage and the centrepiece of our national capital that continues to awe visitors from around the world.

On behalf of Canadian taxpayers, the NCC owns and maintains many green spaces and parks. Many people who visit the region remark favourably on the quality of these facilities. In downtown Ottawa near the National Arts Centre we have the luscious Confederation Park. In my youth, it was an ugly parking lot. Before that, it was a luxury apartment building.

Now, it hosts various cultural events throughout the year, such as Winterlude, the Ottawa International Jazz Festival and the National Capital Marathon Race Weekend, just to name a few.

Those who live and work here know that these parks are delightful places to escape to, at lunchtime for example, to read, meditate or simply relax.

These are but a few examples of what the NCC has to offer, on a daily basis, to both locals and visitors.

I encourage all hon. members to vote in favour of this bill and to help keep the national capital region and the National Capital Commission doing the good work that they are doing right now for the benefit of all Canadians.

I encourage hon. members from all sides to vote for Bill C-37, thereby helping the NCC to continue the excellent work it is doing for the benefit of all Canadians.

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very disappointed with the speech by my colleague from Ottawa—Orléans. He bursts his buttons extolling the virtues of the parks of the National Capital Commission. He boasts on behalf of the National Capital Commission about the use made of the greenbelt and the parks in the region, where, he says, people can go and read.

I would say that Bill C-37, as it now stands, is unacceptable.

My colleague spoke about the greenbelt. I do not think he took the time to read the bill. If he had, he would know that the preservation of the ecological integrity of NCC properties does not include either the greenbelt or properties in the greenbelt.

I would like to know why he thinks Bill C-37 is so good when it refers solely to Gatineau Park and not to the greenbelt at all.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think the partisan tone of the question I just heard is rather unhealthy.

Of course the benefits of the greenbelt and the other acquisitions of the National Capital Commission preceded the government of which I am a member. The pleasures we enjoy now existed previously. They are the result, actually, of the genius of Jacques Gréber.

I think it is really inappropriate for the hon. member for Hull—Aylmer to take advantage of an occasion like this to engage in partisan attacks.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to be nasty or engage in partisan attacks, but I think my colleague from Hull—Aylmer asked what is basically a very legitimate question.

Bill C-37, which is before us now, talks about protecting the ecological integrity of Gatineau Park. That is clearly what it says. Nothing is said at all about protecting the ecological integrity of the greenbelt.

My colleague asked a question of the hon. member for Ottawa—Orléans, that is to say, what is his reaction to this gap in the bill.

It is very important, in my humble opinion, to protect the ecological integrity of the greenbelt on the Ontario side of the National Capital Region, and I include in that the parts of the greenbelt in the riding represented by the hon. member across the aisle.

I therefore want to repeat the question asked by my colleague from Hull—Aylmer, namely, whether my colleague across the way thinks that the ecological integrity of the greenbelt should also be protected.