House of Commons Hansard #162 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was omnibus.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I have the honour, pursuant to section 66 of the Official Languages Act, to lay upon the table the annual report of the Commissioner of Official Languages covering the period from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f), this report is deemed to have been permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Official Languages.
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 two petitions.
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-452, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (exploitation and trafficking in persons).
Mr. Speaker, trafficking in persons is an increasingly common global phenomenon, and unfortunately, Canada is not immune.
According to 2007 figures released by the UN, the annual proceeds of this criminal activity are estimated at $32 billion. It is the third-largest criminal trade after drugs and weapons trafficking.
The main entry points into Canada include Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. Canada is considered to be a country of recruitment, destination and transit, and even a sex tourism destination. Our current laws must be reviewed in the age of this new, modern-day slavery.
I applaud the determination of one my colleagues, the hon. member for Kildonan—St. Paul, and her efforts to combat human trafficking. She has also introduced two bills on this matter in the House.
Thus, my bill is part of a broader effort to combat this particular crime, which destroys lives.
On the one hand, this bill sets out consecutive sentences for offences related to trafficking in persons and prostitution. Thus, it sets out tougher sentences.
On the other hand, it clarifies the provisions related to human trafficking and sexual exploitation. It creates a presumption regarding the exploitation of one person by another. Finally, it adds the offences of procuring and trafficking in persons to the list of offences to which the forfeiture of proceeds of crime apply.
I therefore encourage all of my colleagues to set aside partisanship and support this bill, which can save lives.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition by citizens from all over the province of Ontario who are concerned with the proposed megaquarry in Melancthon township in Dufferin county, which will be the largest open pit quarry in Canada at over 2,300 acres. They are concerned with a number of things, one of which is that the proposed megaquarry would remove from production some of Ontario's best farmland.
The petitioners are asking that the Government of Canada conduct an environmental assessment under the authority of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act on the proposed Highland Companies megaquarry development.
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition in which the petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to recognize the importance of the Experimental Lakes Area to the Government of Canada's mandate to study, preserve and protect aquatic ecosystems.
The petitioners are also calling on the government to reverse the decision to close the Experimental Lakes Area research station.
Lastly, they are calling on the government to continue to employ research staff and provide financial resources to the Experimental Lakes Area.
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present this petition to save the world-renowned and unique Experimental Lakes Area with 58 lakes and watersheds. Since its founding, the ELA has been a global leader in conducting whole ecosystem experiments, which have been critical to understanding harmful acid rain, algae blooms, methylmercury and shaping public policy. The ELA is needed to continue to find solutions to the problems that affect safe drinking water, lakes and fish populations.
The petitioners call on the government to reverse the decision to close the ELA research station and continue to staff and provide financial resources at the current or higher level of commitment.
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present petitions signed by hundreds of people from Calgary, Alberta, as well as southwestern Ontario, calling on the House of Commons to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of the Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, I have thousands upon thousands of signatures on a petition concerning the Experimental Lakes Area. The petitioners are predominantly from Manitoba but there are petitioners from across Canada. The thousands of signatures clearly indicate how many people are very concerned about the Experimental Lakes Area.
The petitioners are asking the government to reverse the decision to close the ELA research station and continue to staff and provide financial resources to the ELA at current or higher levels of commitment. I am sure all the petitioners are waiting for an answer from the minister, as am I. I am proud to submit this petition.
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of several residents of Prince Edward Island who are concerned about the proposed changes to the employment insurance program. In particular, they are concerned with the lack of consultation with respect to the fact that the changes will force people to drive two hours per day in rural areas in the wintertime at risk to their personal safety and that the changes will force employers to hire workers who are not adequately trained, which will further punish areas that are already economically disadvantaged.
The petitioners call on the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development to cancel the proposed changes.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, I, too, have a petition with a number of signatures mostly from Ontario and some from Manitoba calling on the government to reverse its ill-imagined decision to shut down what was a world-renowned scientific research laboratory. Canada's Experimental Lakes Area is unique and, in fact, had received praise from the scientific community across the planet for its work on protecting freshwater sources. This is something that is near and dear to the hearts of not only these petitioners but Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Such short-sighted cuts to such programs as this hurt the long-term security not only of our environment and economy but the very fabric that holds this country together.
Bruce Hyer Independent Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have three petitioners to present today.
The first petition is also on the Experimental Lakes Area. The residents of Kenora and Dryden really want the ELA to be saved, to put the bottom line to it.
Bruce Hyer Independent Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from petitioners across Canada in support of my cellphone freedom act, Bill C-560, which would take an important step in providing more customer choice and promoting competition in the wireless market so that Canadian consumers are no longer chained by anti-competitive cellphone locks.
Bruce Hyer Independent Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Thunder Bay, Pass Lake and the Lake Superior north shore who support bringing back passenger rail. They are asking parliamentarians to support my Motion No. 291 to return passenger rail from Sudbury to Thunder Bay, Winnipeg and beyond.
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today.
The first concerns the Experimental Lakes research lab. The petitioners want the government to preserve the Experimental Lakes Area and to reverse its decision to cut it. According to a recent poll, water is the most important natural resource to all Canadians. We must protect this resource, and that is what this research lab does. It makes water its top priority so that we can have good-quality water. That is why I am presenting this petition.
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, my second petition is on hydraulic fracturing, subsoil fracturing.
The petitioners are calling for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until studies are conducted and their findings are published. The petition is from the Council of Canadians.
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions today.
The first petition is from the London and Ingersoll communities, and it includes the Eritrean community. These people are very concerned about captors in the Sinai taking Eritrean people and ransoming them or harvesting their organs for transplant. These folks have made an effort to seek asylum in Israel but, unfortunately, they are not finding that asylum and are instead being detained in a prison in Israel.
The petitioners are asking the Government of Canada to intervene to stop the practice of ransom and organ harvesting, and to convince the Israelis to provide a safe place for them in Israel.
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Mr. Speaker, my second petition is in regard to the Experimental Lakes Area. As we all know, scientific knowledge is absolutely essential if we are going to preserve our fish, habitat and freshwater.
The petitioners are asking the Government of Canada to reverse the decision regarding the closure of this project and to find the financial resources to enhance it.
Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege today to rise and present a petition on behalf of Canadians who are very concerned about water security and what steps, or lack of steps, the government is taking.
The petitioners are calling on the government to reverse the decision to close the ELA research station and to continue to staff and provide financial resources to the ELA at the current or higher level of commitment.
We all recognize the value of water and the petitioners are very concerned.
Nycole Turmel NDP Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Speaker, I also want to present a petition signed by a number of people from Alberta to save the Experimental Lakes Area research station and our ecosystem.
As a number of my colleagues have mentioned, it is very important to provide the necessary funding and staff for this research station. It must continue its research, which can be used internationally.
Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am also rising to present a petition calling on the government to reverse the decision to close the Experimental Lakes Area research station given that the ELA provides essential scientific knowledge for the development of policies that ensures the future health of freshwater in this country and internationally. That is a question of public health.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions.
The first petition notes that Canada is about the only industrialized country in the world that does not have a definition of rare disorder. For those people suffering from something that is either life-threatening or chronically debilitating that affects fewer than 2,000 people, it is harder to get the trials for drugs and it is harder to get treatment.
These petitioners from throughout my riding of Saanich—Gulf Islands call on the government to take action to create a program for rare disorders and a pharmacare plan to go with it.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, my second petition is also from residents throughout British Columbia.
The petitioners are calling on the government to stop the promotion of the so-called northern gateway project, to treat it dispassionately, to ensure full hearings and to ensure there is impartiality from the current government when looking at this proposal.
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Mr. Speaker, I, too, join in the theme of the petitions on saving the ELA, Canada's freshwater research station.
I present this petition from a number of Canadians who are very concerned about this issue.
Jonathan Genest-Jourdain NDP Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on the need to continue the Experimental Lakes Area program. The petition, signed by Albertans, is a testament to the spiritual and cultural connection that Canadians have to our country's drinking water supply.
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, I, too, join my colleagues in presenting a petition this morning signed by many people across this country.
The petitioners would like to draw the attention of this House to the Experimental Lakes Area research station which is a unique facility that provides research and education in regard to freshwater.
The petitioners call upon the government to recognize the importance of the ELA to the Government of Canada's mandate to study, preserve and protect aquatic ecosystems, and also to reverse the decision to close the ELA research station.