House of Commons Hansard #8 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was jobs.
Jean-Yves Laforest Bloc Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government is as arrogant as ever. There are worthwhile free trade agreements on the table, such as the one with Jordan, and yet the government is urging Parliament to adopt the controversial agreement with Colombia. The idea of unconditionally accelerating economic trade with a country that has an abysmal human rights record has raised the ire of Quebeckers and Canadians.
Why is the Conservative government insisting on the adoption—
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade.
Gerald Keddy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, even the Bloc Québécois should understand that this agreement is a good agreement for Canadian workers. It is a good agreement for Quebec workers. It is a good agreement for industry throughout this country from coast to coast to coast.
It will provide jobs and opportunity not just for Canadian workers, but also badly needed jobs and opportunity for Colombian workers. It will give us an edge on the competition. Other countries around the world, including the European free trade countries and Norway, have already signed free trade agreements with Colombia and we are just playing catch-up—
Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, the front page of the Ottawa Citizen depicts every hockey mother's worst nightmare: her child lying on the ice and not moving. Boston Bruin Marc Savard's mother thought her son was dead.
Head hits are increasing and it is trickling down from the NHL into our local hockey leagues: Patrice Cormier on Mikael Tam, and the 17-year-old who speared Austin Hoekstra.
When will the government show leadership and strike a royal commission on violence in sports so that we can find further ways to protect our young players and our games?
Dean Del Mastro ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I think we saw through the 2010 Olympic Games how sport can ignite and inspire the human spirit and bring us all together. Frankly, violence in sport is something that I do not think anybody wants to see.
In this regard, I want to commend the NHL general managers who recently convened a meeting. They talked about the issue of hits to the head. They have come forward and made recommendations to the NHL board of governors to deal with this.
When it comes to sport, I think that people should play to win, they should play for fun and they should respect each other.
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, maintaining market access is essential for Canada's hard-working fishermen. Eighty-five per cent of our seafood products are exported abroad.
With these markets increasingly demanding certification that fish are caught from a sustainably managed fishery, could the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans inform the House as to what the government is doing to ensure that our fishing industry maintains access to these essential foreign markets?
Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the need to protect the livelihood of our fishing communities. Budget 2010 provided $7.2 million over two years to support a new catch certification program. Through this program, Fisheries and Oceans will issue certificates to exporters, ensuring that Canadian fish products can be traced back to their origin and back to sustainable fisheries.
The European market alone is worth approximately $500 million annually to the Canadian fish and seafood industry, so this is a very sound investment. Our Conservative government proudly supports the fishing industry—
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
I am afraid the time allotted for question period has now expired.
Jay Hill ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among all parties, and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following:
That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, on Monday, March 15, 2010, during Statements by Ministers pursuant to Standing Order 33, no Member may speak for more than 8 minutes provided that any Member rising to speak may indicate to the Speaker that he or she will be dividing his or her time with another member.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Does the hon. government House leader have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?
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?
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to present a series of petitions signed by students of the Université du Québec à Montréal, researchers and other citizens. They want the federal government to reinstate funding for the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences. The government refused to renew funding for the foundation in the last budget. This will have major consequences on two research centres in Quebec, the ESCER centre and the centre at the Université de Sherbrooke.
I am pleased to present this petition today on behalf of the students' association at the Université du Québec à Montréal.
Jim Maloway NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, I present a petition signed by dozens of Canadian citizens. The petition calls upon Parliament to adopt Canada's first air passengers' bill of rights.
Bill C-310 would provide compensation to air passengers flying with all Canadian carriers, including charters, anywhere they fly. It includes measures on compensation for overbooked flights, cancelled flights and unreasonable tarmac delays. It deals with late and misplaced baggage. It deals with all-inclusive pricing by airlines in their advertising.
The bill is inspired by European law, where overbooking has dropped significantly in the last five years. Air Canada is already operating under European laws for its flights to Europe, so why should Air Canada passengers be treated better in Europe than in Canada?
The bill ensures that passengers are kept informed of flight changes, whether there are delays or cancellations. The new rules must be posted at the airport, and airlines must inform passengers of their rights and the process to file for compensation. The bill is not meant to punish the airlines. If the airlines follow the rules, they will not have to pay any compensation at all.
The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310, which would introduce Canada's first air passengers' bill of rights.
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to stand in the House today to present two petitions from over 100 people from communities such as Limoges, Casselman and North Glengarry in my riding.
The petitioners are opposed to euthanasia and to assisted suicide. They recognize the inherent value of human life and they ask all parliamentarians to vote against any bills that would seek to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Mr. Speaker, it pleases me to present this petition of dozens and dozens of pages, with hundreds of names from across my riding, places such as Noelville, Alban, Crystal Falls, Hanmer, and Azilda.
The petition states that whereas there is a scientific consensus and public acknowledgment that animals can feel pain and can suffer, all efforts should be made to prevent animal cruelty and reduce animal suffering. The petitioners request that the Government of Canada support a universal declaration on animal welfare.
Kevin Sorenson Conservative Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by almost 100 of my constituents from towns in my riding in Alberta, including Camrose, Glecian, Carseland, Strathmore, Standard, Ohaton, Drumheller, Nacmine, Oyen, Delia, Craigmyle, Coronation, Erskine, Meeting Creek, Killam and Chestermere.
These petitioners share our government's concern about the welfare of the animal kingdom. Many of these petitioners are part of the one billion people around the world who rely on animals for their livelihood. We also want animals to be a consideration in natural disasters and relief efforts.
John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present two petitions on the same subject. The petitions represent about a hundred of my constituents. They strongly support Bill C-300, An Act respecting Corporate Accountability for the Activities of Mining, Oil or Gas in Developing Countries.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions to present today around the subject of the much disliked HST. The petitioners come from the Burns Lake, Fraser Lake area. They implore the government to not push ahead with the HST with the province of British Columbia, thereby making the economy and the quality of life less sustainable and less viable in northwestern British Columbia.
Many dozens of petitioners have come forward from the eastern part of my riding to implore the government not to raise their taxes and to do the right thing by them.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, as chair of the access to information, privacy and ethics committee, the issue of the Internet and its misuse comes up often and has become a serious matter for study and investigation. Accordingly, I am pleased to present this petition from a large number of petitioners from my riding of Mississauga South on the matter of child pornography and victimization.
These petitioners want to draw to the attention of the House that the creation, use and circulation of child pornography is condemned by a clear majority of Canadians, that the CRTC and Internet service providers have the responsibility for the content being transmitted to Canadians, and that anyone who uses the Internet to facilitate any sex offences involving children is committing an offence.
The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to protect our children by taking all necessary steps to stop the Internet as a medium for the distribution of child victimization or pornography.
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
