Debates of June 16th, 2010

Criminal Code

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-547, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (arrest by owner).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce a bill that would amend subsection 494(2) of the Criminal Code where a citizen's arrest is only permissible if a perpetrator is in the process of committing a crime, a very short and often impractical window, even if the proprietor knows the individual, saw the individual, and the perpetrator has already committed the act.

I thank my colleague from Mississauga—Streetsville for seconding this.

Imagine homeowners who witness an individual vandalizing their home or property. Under the current act, they have no legal right to detain the perpetrator because by the time they reach him, the act has already been committed.

For example, a shop owner has been repeatedly robbed by a known career criminal, and yet one day, an hour after stealing something from the owner's store, the criminal comes back for more. The shop owner cannot capture him and call the police. Under the current law the shop owner would be charged with assault and forcible confinement and would be thrown into jail.

When just such an incident occurred last year in Toronto's Chinatown, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism vowed to change the law, as did the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. A year later all they have delivered is false hope and disappointment.

Our laws should attack criminals, not the victims. My solution is in this bill. Now it is up to the Conservative government, so I ask, are the Conservatives going to stand up for victims or aid criminals?

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

Canadian Wheat Board Act

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-548, An Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act (increased democratic producer control).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce this bill today, which would amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act in four ways: first, to increase the influence of western farmers in selecting independent outside directors to serve on the Canadian Wheat Board's board of directors and correspondingly reduce the role of the federal government; second, to limit the government's authority to give orders to the board to those cases where the government's financial guarantees or Canada's international trade obligations might be affected; third, to strengthen the rules for a fully democratic vote among grain producers before any legislation could be introduced to change the Canadian Wheat Board's single desk marketing system; and fourth, to require the federal government to conduct itself in a more consultative and collaborative manner in dealing with the board.

This is a piece of legislation that pushes democratic producer control over the Canadian Wheat Board. I am pleased to note that last week there was a survey of farmer opinion in western Canada that indicated 80% of western Canadian farmers would support legislation that moved in this direction.

I thank the member for Winnipeg South Centre for seconding the motion, as well as the Liberal agriculture critic, the member for Malpeque, for his encouragement and support.

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

Documents Regarding Mission in Afghanistan

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the memorandum of understanding between the right hon. Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of Bloc Québécois. This memorandum of understanding deals with the issue of striking an ad hoc committee of members of Parliament from the signatory parties who will review government documents related to the transfer of Afghan detainees from the Canadian Forces to Afghan authorities.

(Bill C-13. On the Order: Government Orders:)

May 31, 2010—Consideration at report stage of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act, as reported by the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities without amendment--the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

Fairness for Military Families (Employment Insurance) Act

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

Mr. Speaker, there have been the usual consultations among all political parties and if you were to seek it, you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act, be deemed to have been amended at the report stage as proposed in the report stage motion in the name of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development on today's Notice Paper; be deemed concurred in as amended; and that the House be authorized to consider the Bill at third reading later today; and when the House begins debate on the third reading motion of Bill C-13, a Member from each recognized party may speak for not more than 10 minutes on the motion, after which the Bill shall be deemed to have been read a third time and passed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Does the hon. government House leader have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[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?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

(Motion agreed to)

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I move that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, Bill C-23 be deemed read a second time and referred to a committee of the whole, deemed considered in committee of the whole, deemed reported without amendment, deemed concurred in at report stage, and deemed read a third time and passed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Did the hon. parliamentary secretary in his motion say that the bill be deemed read a second time?

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Yes, Mr. Speaker, be deemed read a second time.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I understand that it already has and it is in committee, so that part of the motion appears to be a bit superfluous. In any event, I assume the hon. parliamentary secretary is seeking unanimous consent for this motion because he has not given notice of it.

Does the hon. parliamentary secretary have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

Post-Doctoral Fellowships

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present two more petitions regarding the decision in budget 2010 to cancel the exemption for post-doctoral fellows.

This is an issue that has brought a lot of attention from the research community, certainly from young researchers. Their view is that this decision is very harmful for the research environment in Canada, particularly for encouraging young researchers. They are asking that the decision be suspended until the government is able to meet with the national working group on post-doctoral fellows to establish a course of action. They are simply asking for a bit of notice before their lives are turned upside down.

I have presented this petition in a number of other formats for other petitioners and I am pleased to present it again today.

Animal Welfare

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition signed by 65 people in my riding of Québec, who are calling on the government to support a universal declaration on animal welfare. This declaration is necessary because animals can feel pain and suffer, and every effort should be made to prevent animal cruelty. More than one billion people in the world rely on animals for their livelihoods. Animals are living beings, and we must respect them and treat them well.

On November 6, 2009, we voted in favour of Motion M-354, to support the development of a universal declaration on animal welfare at all relevant international organizations and forums. Although some changes have been made to the Criminal Code, the existing maximum penalties are much too soft in relation to the seriousness of the crime. We must do more and we are in favour of a real reform of the animal cruelty provisions.

Bullying

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of over 1,500 people from across New Brunswick who have signed a petition bringing attention to the House of the situation with bullying in Canada. Given the Internet, e-mail and cellphones, this has become a 24 hour, seven day a week problem. The petitioners are calling on Parliament to consider introducing legislation that would target that problem of bullying.

Canada Post

[Denise Savoie, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present two petitions. The first one is signed by 1,600 petitioners throughout Vancouver Island who demand that Canada Post maintain mail processing services on Vancouver Island.

They say that the proposed move will negatively impact Vancouver Island communities and cause job losses. They ask that the negative economic impacts be considered on the communities before a decision is made in consultation with local communities.

They demand that the government release its operational plans to Parliament and to the Canadian public with respect to Canada Post.

Cosmetic Use of Pesticides

[Denise Savoie, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I am presenting yet another petition to ban cosmetic pesticides.

The residents of Victoria call for an immediate moratorium on cosmetic pesticides until they are proven safe, and until long-term health and environmental consequences are known.

We are witnessing the collapse of the bee population. We are witnessing increasing allergic reactions in our population. These petitioners recognize that while pesticides may continue to play a role in insect infestation, the cosmetic use of pesticides does not warrant the risk that we are taking.

Victoria has beautiful gardens without pesticides and the petitioners are calling on the government to enact Bill C-368 for an immediate federal moratorium.

International Aid

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present an 83-page petition. That is 83 pages on behalf of hundreds of Ottawa residents.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the government that nearly half of the world's population lives today on less than $2 a day, that the United Nations has stated that if wealthy countries were to donate .7% of their gross national income to official development assistance basic human needs could be met for all, that since 1970 Canada has pledged many times to donate .7% of that income to development, and that Canada currently only donates .34% to development.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon the government to put in place a timeline to donate .7% of gross national income to development assistance, and that this be delivered and administered according to the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act of Canada to ensure ethical donation procedures.

Gasoline Prices

[Gérard Asselin, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am presenting a petition signed by citizens of the riding of Manicouagan in the House today. The petitioners are asking the federal government to pass Bill C-452 to give the Competition Bureau the power to inquire into and create legislation regarding fluctuating gasoline prices.

Use of Wood in Federal Buildings

[Gérard Asselin, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I have the pleasure of presenting a second petition signed by several hundred residents of Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and the North Shore who are asking the House of Commons to ensure swift passage of Bill C-429 to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act with respect to using wood in federal buildings.

Multiple Sclerosis

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on behalf of the constituents of Fleetwood—Port Kells to present two petitions.

The first petition deals with an issue debated in the House earlier this week in a take note debate. The petitioners call upon Parliament to recognize venous anomalies to be a separate and distinct health issue that may or may not be related to multiple sclerosis and to immediately apply the principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and release a statement supporting the rights of persons with MS to receive diagnostic services and recommended treatment related to impaired cerebrospinal venous return by a qualified medical practitioner.

Animal Welfare

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition, signed by dozens of Surrey residents, calls on Parliament to support a universal declaration on animal welfare.