House of Commons Hansard #60 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was financial.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
I have the honour to table the 2009-10 annual reports of the Information Commissioner of Canada on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
These documents are deemed to have been permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
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 2 petitions.
Strengthening the Value of Canadian Citizenship ActRoutine Proceedings
Calgary Southeast Alberta
Conservative
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Citizenship
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and to make consequential amendments to another Act.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the following reports of the Canadian delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas, or FIPA, respecting its participation at the trade knowledge workshop and bilateral visit to Argentina held in Buenos Aires on March 15 to 19 in 2010.
James Rajotte Conservative Edmonton—Leduc, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Finance in relation to its study of the tax treatment and characterization of personal services businesses.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in relation to its study of the claim relating to lobbying activities by the member for Scarborough—Rouge River. By this report, the committee wants to draw the attention of the House to the potential breach of its privilege and recommend that it takes any measures it deems necessary and appropriate.
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-530, An Act to amend the Northwest Territories Act (borrowing limits).
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce this private member's bill, as it is another step on the Northwest Territories' road to becoming more like a province.
Currently, the NWT must come cap-in-hand to Ottawa asking for an increase in the amount that it can borrow. Many of the borrowing requirements in the Northwest Territories are for things that are self-financing. Yet, still, this borrowing limit means that we must obtain the permission of cabinet to move forward with these amounts.
We are not content to remain in this colonial position. Our government is strong and has been fiscally responsible for many decades. For years, the federal government has promised the evolution of provincial-like jurisdictions to the NWT but with no action. Because of this lack of action, the natural resources of the Northwest Territories are in jeopardy.
Without the ability to borrow more money, the territory may be forced to privatize certain facilities, like the Taltson hydro project with the expansion to service the diamond mines, something that is a profitable venture for the public government in the Northwest Territories. However, without the borrowing capacity, it cannot participate in this project. The natural resources of the Northwest Territories should go to benefit the people of the Northwest Territories, especially those where the government has taken an active role in developing a project.
This bill and my previous bill to give jurisdiction over new highway construction would make the Northwest Territories more like a province. Step by step, we can achieve what other parts of the country have and we want to move forward.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-531, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda)
Mr. Speaker, I am introducing this bill, with the support of the leader of the Bloc Québécois who felt it was relevant to do so, because there is an important loophole in sections 318 and 319 of the Criminal Code.
At the end of March, a judge had to dismiss a charge of inciting hatred against Jean-Claude Rochefort, who writes a blog in which he was inciting hatred against women. He was disseminating hate propaganda and defending the Polytechnique killer, who killed 14 women in that college. He was defending Marc Lépine and saying that there should be more Marc Lépines.
I believe that we should pass this bill because the Criminal Code does not define a group of women as an identifiable group. Because of this, the judge was not able to proceed with the incitement of hatred charge, as this can only be brought when the hatred is directed at an identifiable group. We need to include the word “gender” in the identifiable groups listed in sections 318 and 319 of the Criminal Code, so that women can be recognized as an identifiable group and so no one else can ever utter threats, incite hatred or distribute hate propaganda.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed).
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-532, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning labels regarding the consumption of alcohol).
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today to introduce my Bill C-532, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning labels regarding the consumption of alcohol).
I thank the many constituents who came to me regarding this issue. They want something done about it. In particular, I would like to recognize Dave and Margie Fulton, who are the founders of the fetal alcohol support and information network in Thunder Bay, and foster parent and FASD educator, Marilyn Leiterman.
The Parliament of Canada recognizes that alcohol abuse is a serious health and social problem in Canadian society and that a comprehensive national strategy must be developed and implemented by the Government of Canada in concert with provincial governments to combat this problem. There is also a recognition that labelling alcoholic beverages with a warning to consumers about the dangers of the misuse of alcohol represents an important step in combatting this problem.
I am specifically asking for a message from the Minister of Health warning the consumer that the Public Health Agency of Canada advises that there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-533, An Act respecting a Srebrenica Remembrance Day.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased this morning to introduce a bill that seeks to establish a national Srebrenica remembrance day to be held every July 11. I thank my colleague the hon. member for Vancouver East for seconding the bill.
In July 1995, an estimated 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were massacred in the Srebrenica region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a UN declared safe area by Bosnian Serb forces. This was the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II.
Both the appeals chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice ruled that the Srebrenica massacre was genocide.
In addition, resolutions condemning the massacre have been passed by the European Parliament and the American House of Representatives and Senate.
This past March, the president of Serbia issued a full state apology and endorsed the ruling of the International Court of Justice.
Recognizing the devastating effects of the July 1995 Srebrenica genocide, this bill would provide the opportunity for all Canadians to stand with those in the Bosnian Canadian community to share in their pain and honour the memory of those men and boys massacred.
As we approach the 15th anniversary of this massacre, I hope this bill will serve as a step in the right direction which will ultimately provide some semblance of comfort to the survivors of this genocide and to the Bosnian community here in Canada.
May the memory of those lost never be forgotten.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Ensuring Safe Vehicles Imported from Mexico for Canadians ActRoutine Proceedings
Conservative
Gordon O'Connor Conservative Carleton—Mississippi Mills, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)
Gordon O'Connor Conservative Carleton—Mississippi Mills, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill S-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (auto theft and trafficking in property obtained by crime).
(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)
Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, there were consultations among all parties and I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion:
That, at the conclusion of today's debate on the opposition motion in the name of the Member for Hochelaga, all questions necessary to dispose of the motion be deemed put and a recorded division deemed requested and deferred to Monday, June 14, 2010, at the expiry of the time provided for Government Orders.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Does the honourable member have the unanimous consent of the House to introduce 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?
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Mr. Speaker, bonjour, Sat Sri Akal, Namast.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, this petition was supposed to be presented yesterday when hundreds of Canadians travelled to Ottawa to remember the thousands of Sikhs killed in India in November of 1984. However, prior to the hearing of petitions, the Conservatives brought a procedural motion and then voted in favour of skipping past petitions, so the tabling of this petition yesterday was blocked.
Today, one day late, I have the honour of presenting a petition signed by thousands of Canadians remembering the thousands of Sikhs killed in India over two days in November of 1984.
Members of Parliament are not allowed to endorse the contents of a petition, however, in tabling this petition, I do wish to offer a few personal words about this tragedy.
First, I would like to remember the victims and their families and offer my sincere condolences. This petition is truly about them.
Second, I would like to use this solemn occasion to reflect on Canadian ideals of justice and tolerance. We hold those values to our hearts as we remember and honour those who were victims of hatred.
The essence of this petition is the pursuit of justice, closure and reconciliation within a peaceful and united India.
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Speaker, I stand today to table a petition signed by people from across my riding expressing their opposition to euthanasia and to assisted suicide. They ask parliamentarians to vote against legislation that would legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide. We have done that, but I table their objection just the same.
Robert Bouchard Bloc Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to present a petition signed by several hundred residents from the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region and elsewhere in Quebec, who state that they are deeply concerned about the lack of support for sick persons within the employment insurance system. The petitioners ask that changes be made to the Employment Insurance Act to have sickness benefits provided for a period of 50 weeks rather than 15 weeks, as is the case currently, and that the rules governing eligibility to the program be made more flexible.
I want to highlight the courage and the colossal work of Claudia Ouellet from Dolbeau-Mistassini who circulated the petition and made thousands of citizens aware of the serious impact that illness can have because of the lack of flexibility in the Employment Insurance Act. This petition is in addition to the 62,000-name petition presented in April by my colleague from Chambly—Borduas. Moreover, this petition is consistent with Bill C-525, introduced by my Bloc Québécois colleague, the member for Alfred-Pellan.
And in conclusion, I must deplore the lack of openness of the member for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean who was unavailable to receive Ms. Ouellet in his office to present this petition. That is incredible. And so, on behalf of Claudia Ouellet from Dolbeau-Mistassini, I am presenting this petition aimed at improving EI sickness benefits.
Denise Savoie NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present two petitions on behalf of my constituents.
The first is a call to ban the cosmetic use of chemical pesticides on the basis of an extensive body of medical literature that has demonstrated that chemical pesticides pose a significant threat to human health.
The petitioners state that children are more at risk because of their smaller developing bodies and that cosmetic pesticides are also known to have an adverse environmental effect on non-targeted wildlife species like birds, fish and bees.
They feel very strongly that because at least one chemical company has considered challenging provincial legislation banning non-essential pesticide use through chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement, it is important that the House of Commons enact Bill C-368 for an immediate federal moratorium on the cosmetic use of chemical pesticides as a precautionary approach until such time as their use has been scientifically proven to be safe.
Denise Savoie NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is yet another one on behalf of my constituents. It is a call to rescind the so-called HST, the harmonized sales tax.
The petitioners oppose this tax because they feel it is a tax that has been passed on from big business to consumers. It is tough on small businesses and other key B.C. industries such as tourism. It comes at a time when too many Canadian families are struggling to pay their bills.
Therefore, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to work with the province to rescind this tax.
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Canadians I am presenting a petition on the tragic events of 1984 in India. Many Canadians across the country are marking this solemn occasion.
The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to: recognize that an organized campaign of violence, rapes and killings took place in India in November 1984 against the Sikh community, resulting in the deaths of thousands; call upon the government of India to take all reasonable measures to bring all persons responsible for this organized campaign of violence to justice, including criminal prosecution against the responsible persons, following due process of law; formally recognize that this organized killing spree resulting in the deaths of thousands is genocide, as per the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by several dozen residents of my riding, more specifically from the municipality of Sainte-Émélie-de-l'Énergie, who are asking the Government of Canada to demand that the Canada Post Corporation maintain and improve its network of public post offices and that it consult the people and the members of Parliament who were elected to represent them, the postal unions, and other major stakeholders, for the purpose of designing and improving a democratic and uniform process to make changes to the public postal network.
These constituents are very worried about the closure of post offices in the regions, in particular in the municipality of Sainte-Émélie-de-l'Énergie. I am pleased to present this petition on their behalf.