House of Commons Hansard #67 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was infrastructure.

Topics

Veterans AffairsCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Carleton—Mississippi Mills Ontario

Conservative

Gordon O'Connor ConservativeMinister of State and Chief Government Whip

(Motion agreed to)

National DefenceCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

Carleton—Mississippi Mills Ontario

Conservative

Gordon O'Connor ConservativeMinister of State and Chief Government Whip

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That, in relation to its study on Maintaining the Readiness of the Canadian Forces, twelve members of the Standing Committee on National Defence be authorized to travel to Kingston and Toronto, Ontario, in the Winter of 2012, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

(Motion agreed to)

Public Sector Integrity CommissionerRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That, in accordance with subsection 39(1) of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, S.C. 2005, c. 46, and pursuant to Standing Order 111.1 this House approve the appointment of Mario Dion as Public Sector Integrity Commissioner for a term of seven years.

That is Motion No. 1 on the order paper.

Public Sector Integrity CommissionerRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

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

Public Sector Integrity CommissionerRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

On division.

Public Sector Integrity CommissionerRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

(Motion agreed to)

Falun GongPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, the UN special rapporteur on torture reports that 66% of the victims of alleged torture and ill treatment in China are Falun Gong practitioners and that the cruelty and brutality of these alleged acts of torture defy description.

As free and democratic nations have a responsibility to condemn crimes against humanity wherever they occur, the petitioners urgently call on the Canadian government to continue to use every possible channel to call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, especially at meetings with top Chinese leaders and at international fora. They request that the government help rescue 12 family members of Canadian residents who are incarcerated in China for their beliefs in Falun Gong.

There are about 50 signatures of Canadians on the petition.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Denise Savoie NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present three petitions on behalf of my constituents.

The first two petitions are from hundreds of Victorians who are deeply concerned with the government's direction on climate change.

While the petition was created in relation to the climate change negotiations in Durban, the petitioners continue to demand that the government do three things: first, reduce CO2 emissions and set more ambitious targets in order to ensure that temperatures stay below a 2° Centigrade increase from pre-industrial levels; second, develop a renewable energy policy for sustainability of our economy; and third, demonstrate international responsibility in designing the green climate plan for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the developing world.

Canada PostPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Denise Savoie NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have a third petition which concerns Canada Post's decision to move mail processing from Victoria and other cities on Vancouver Island to Vancouver, leading to job losses and reduced service quality on the island.

The petitioners ask that the local impact on jobs and services be studied prior to making any of those changes permanent, and that Canada Post make its long-term operational plans public.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from people from all over Ontario who are concerned about the proposed mega quarry in Melancthon Township in Dufferin County, Ontario, which would be the largest open pit quarry in Canada at over 900 hectares, or 2,300 acres.

They are concerned with a number of things, one of which is that this proposed mega quarry would threaten the headwaters of the Nottawasaga, Grand and Saugeen watershed systems and the Mad, Noisy, Pine and Boyne river sub-watersheds, consequently detrimentally and permanently affecting the aquifers in the area of the proposed mega quarry.

The petitioners are asking that the Government of Canada conduct an environmental assessment under the authority of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act on the Highland Companies' proposed mega quarry development.

Canadian Broadcasting CorporationPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition to present, similar to the one I presented yesterday and the one the day prior.

The petition is in regard to our sacred national public broadcaster, the CBC. The petitioners cherish it as a great Canadian institution, as an entity that exists both in English and French. The CBC has laid the groundwork for cultural conversation across the country for many years and will continue to do so, provided it receives the right amount of support.

The petitioners say that public broadcasting is an essential promoter and defender of Canadian culture. The CBC is a broadcaster that reflects the different needs and circumstances of each official language, English and French. The CBC requires steady funding to maintain national, regional and local programming for the CBC and Radio Canada.

This petition comes from many people. There are signatories from Calgary, Alberta and also from Eastport, Glovertown, Traytown, Newfoundland and Labrador, Gambo and finally, the beautiful little town in Newfoundland and Labrador of Happy Adventure.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Phil McColeman Conservative Brant, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit a petition from constituents representing the Canadian interfaith call for leadership and action on climate change.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, my first petition is from Vicky Paraschak. I appreciate her work on it. It is a petition for the House of Commons on the “Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change”.

The petitioners rightly call for universal action on climate change as it is currently threatening the planet, our ecosystem and the human lifestyle as it is today. They are calling for a green climate fund strategy under the United Nations governments.

Canada PostPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is with regard to a moratorium on the closure of post offices. Hundreds of people have signed this petition. They are calling for the protection of Canadian postal services and the stopping of closures of postal offices. Constituents recently were able to fend off the closure of the one in Sandwich Towne in my riding . It was a very successful campaign.

Animal WelfarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, my third petition is on stopping animal cruelty. Hundreds of petitioners are calling for a modernization of our animal cruelty laws. There have been some terrible situations of animal abuse without the proper enforcement of the law or punishment. The petitioners are calling for a modernization of the law because of the animal cruelty issues being faced by communities.

Automobile IndustryPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, my fourth petition is calling for automotive trade policy. We know that NAFTA killed the auto pact and we went from being second in the world to eighth in terms of auto manufacturing. This petition calls for an auto pact.

Canada PostPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, the final petition that I am tabling is again about the closure of post offices, which I have already spoken on.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to rise in the House to present a petition from members of my constituency in Saanich—Gulf Islands.

The petition speaks to an issue that has been raised by a number of other members in petitions this afternoon. It relates to the importance of taking climate action, specifically for achieving targets that we would find referenced in the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act and the subsequent act that failed in the House in the last session.

The same targets are referenced here in what was at one time Bill C-311. It also references, importantly, the work of the national round table on the environment and the economy. I bring that to the attention of members. The climate change caucus had an excellent presentation from that organization yesterday evening. This petition speaks to its findings as well.

Citizenship and ImmigrationPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present. One is signed by 63 people and the other by 100 people from the region of Waterloo. They are calling on the government to withdraw Bill C-4, the preventing human smugglers from abusing Canada's immigration system act.

Foreign AffairsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table in this House a petition given to me by my constituents who are members of Amnesty International.

In 1997, the Palestinian hamlets of Humsa and Hadidiya were demolished and levelled nine times. The petitioners are calling on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to mandate Canada's diplomatic representation to go to these two hamlets and to the neighbouring Israeli settlement of Ro'i to document the living conditions of Palestinians in Hadidiya and Humsa and to compare them to those of the Israeli settlers. They are demanding that the focus be put on children's access to education and the public's access to medical care.

Veterans AffairsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed by people in Chilliwack and Abbotsford, B.C. who are concerned about the cuts to Veterans Affairs and their impact on veterans. They specifically point out that $226 million in cuts have already been announced, that there will be further cuts as a result of the strategic operating review, that there are 500 jobs in play and, as a result of that, service to veterans will undoubtedly be impacted.

The petitioners call upon the government to restore funding to Veterans Affairs.

Wine IndustryPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to rise and present a petition signed by 110 individuals mostly, but not exclusively, from Edmonton—St. Albert calling upon the House to pass Bill C-311, the private member's bill sponsored by the hon. member for Okanagan—Coquihalla. If passed, this bill would encourage job growth in the wine industry and support domestic wine and Canadian tourism.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.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. 196 and 197 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

3:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.