House of Commons Hansard #81 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was guns.
Denis Blanchette NDP Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, the repairs to the Quebec Bridge have been on hold for almost seven years. No maintenance has been done to it since the federal government brought legal action against the owner, Canadian National. The minster refuses to tell us where this case stands before the courts. Meanwhile, the infrastructure continues to deteriorate.
What does the government intend to do to prevent this bridge from crumbling? Will the Conservatives tell us how much this case has cost taxpayers so far?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting when an hon. member gives the answer to his own question, as we have just seen. The hon. member knows full well that the case is before the courts and that Canadian National owns the bridge. We will continue to do our work.
Ryan Leef Conservative Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, after 17 years, the long gun registry faces an important milestone. In a few hours, the House will vote at third reading on the long gun registry.
While this will come as no surprise, Conservative members of the House stand committed to stopping the treatment of law-abiding hunters, farmers and sports shooters like criminals. After all, we promised that to our constituents. However, it was not just the Conservatives who promised this. Many NDP candidates in rural and northern Canada made the same promise.
Could the Minister of Public Safety please update the House on the importance of tonight's vote?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his work on the file. I am pleased to say that in a few short hours the long gun registry will move one step closer to being scrapped once and for all.
I encourage all members to stand up for their constituents. I would especially encourage the member for Western Arctic who said recently during election debate, “vote for me, vote for the Conservatives, it's the same. We will both vote to end the long gun registry”.
Our Conservative government will keep its promise. We hope that he does as well.
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Speaker, this government is prepared to allow the construction of an airport in Neuville, against the unanimous will of the residents. When the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities was passing through the area recently, he did not even take the time to meet with the residents, despite our repeated requests. This only shows, once again, his unwillingness to work with the municipalities.
Does that look like openness? At least he promised to make a decision eventually.
Can the minister tell us when he plans to make a decision and if he will, finally, consult the people of Neuville?
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Mr. Speaker, today is a dark day, the day the gun registry is being destroyed. Yet the Conservative members seem to think that a celebration is in order. This is an insult to the memory of the victims and to the groups that are fighting for better gun control, an insult to the memory of the women murdered at École Polytechnique and Dawson College. Quebeckers who remember these terrible tragedies do not feel like celebrating.
I am calling on the government to show them dignity and respect by not attending tonight's ridiculous party.
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the victims of crime, especially victims of gun crime. We have taken many steps in our legislation, some with the support of the opposition, in order to focus on laws that actually target criminals.
I call on the member to continue to support real legislation that does not simply make people feel safe, but in fact keeps them safe.
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, when the hon. member for Saint Boniface was responding to my NDP colleague, she said he was anti-Canada. I find that completely unacceptable coming from any party. There is no anti-Canada here. It is time for some decorum and consideration. Everyone is working here. They would do well to calm down a bit. I find this to be unacceptable and I ask that the hon. member apologize. The NDP is not anti-Canada.
Shelly Glover ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I want to say very clearly that it was very disturbing to many Canadians when the NDP members attended Washington, D.C. to try to stop jobs from being created in Canada. They are undermining the Canadian economy. I stand by my remark—
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, this is in response, I understand, to a point of order raised yesterday by a Liberal member who indicated that I had accused someone of being a child pornographer. In fact I made no such statement.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order regarding the hon. parliamentary secretary's remarks about being anti-Canadian. If that attack is going to made on—
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I have not heard anything to this point that indicates it is a point a order. It seems that it is a continuation of debate over what was said or positions that were taken. If members want to follow up on it, they can do so at a future question period, but not through points of order.
Bob Dechert ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour today to table, in both official languages, the following treaties entitled: Convention on Cluster Munitions, done at Dublin on May 30, 2008; Mutual Recognition Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United Mexican States for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment, done in Honolulu on November 12, 2011; Protocol amending the Agreement between Canada and Barbados for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income on Capital, done at Bridgetown on January 22, 1980, which was also done at Bridgetown on November 8, 2011; and Protocol amending the Convention between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Singapore for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, done in Singapore on March 6, 1976, and also done at Singapore on November 29, 2011.
An explanatory memorandum is included with each treaty.
Transport, Infrastructure and CommunitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
Conservative
Merv Tweed Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in relation to the study on the national public transit strategy.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109 of the House of Commons, the committee requests the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-396, An Act to amend the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act (Northern Ontario).
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing for seconding this bill. It would protect all 10 of the current northern Ontario ridings during the changes in the electoral boundaries in Ontario. The bill recognizes that population is only one of many factors to consider in the size of a riding. There is also geography, linguistic and historical consideration.
Northern Ontario is larger in size than every province except two in Canada. Many ridings in northern Ontario are already bigger than some European countries. We do not need to make it any harder for constituents to get to their MP's office or to weaken their voice and the voice of the north.
It is also important to remember the linguistic principle when we talk about fair representation in the House of Commons. There is a large francophone population in northern Ontario and they must not be ignored when electoral boundaries are set.
The last thing northern Ontario needs is fewer MPs in Ottawa. I call on all northern MPs on both sides of the House to support the bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a number of petitions signed by over 300 people from the Waterloo region, as well as from Vancouver, British Columbia.
The petitioners draw the attention of Parliament to the fact that suicide kills, on average, 10 Canadians each and every day, which means there are almost 4,000 preventable deaths each year.
Suicide is not just a mental health issue, but also is a public health issue. Actions to prevent suicide by communities, governments, organizations and individuals across Canada would be enhanced by coordination and information sharing.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling on Parliament to meet the public health challenges posed by suicide by adopting legislation that would recognize suicide as a public health issue, provide guidelines for suicide prevention, promote collaboration and knowledge exchange across sectors, and promote evidence-based solutions to prevent suicide and its aftermath and to define best practices for the prevention of suicide.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I see a lot of members standing to present petitions today. In order to accommodate everybody, I will just remind the House that the practice is to provide a brief summary of the petition and not to read the petition or to go on at great lengths.
The member for Davenport.
Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, I will take your advice to heart.
The petition I am presenting today is from constituents in my riding of Davenport who have grave concerns over the government's lawful access legislation and the fact that contained in this legislation are requirements for telecommunications companies to collect and store personal information about their users and that that information could be handed over to law enforcement without a warrant.
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have said many times in this House that the CBC gives a national voice to issues, people and regions that would not otherwise have one.
Therefore, I rise today to present a petition from concerned residents of Guelph who are calling on the Canadian government to acknowledge the importance of our country's national public broadcaster, the CBC, and to keep the recommendation of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to increase the CBC's parliamentary grant to $40 for every citizen.
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by a number of residents from Nova Scotia. Mr. Speaker, I realize you want me to be brief, but I must say it is very exciting that they are writing in support of our colleague's Bill C-311, which would provide personal exemption for the purchase and shipment of wine across provincial borders. The petitioners are very enthused about this initiative.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a pleasure to present a petition prepared and circulated by grade 1 and grade 2 students in Garneau School in my riding.
Very briefly, the petitioners point out that we need to help the caribou by not chopping down all the trees. We must protect the caribou habitat in the boreal forest. If we chop down the trees, the wolves will get the caribou. We need the wolves and the caribou.
The petitioners ask the Minister of the Environment to protect the woodland caribou in Canada, as required under the Species at Risk Act, by adopting a strong boreal woodland caribou recovery strategy that includes adequate habitat protection measures to ensure the caribou's long-term survival.
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Mr. Speaker, I present a petition on the environment and health. The environment can have profound impacts on our health, for example, asthma, birth defects, cancer, fertility problems, nervous system disorders, et cetera.
The goal of environmental health is to maintain and improve the health of people by monitoring a healthy environment and to reduce the burden of human illness and disability by understanding how the environment influences the development and progression of human disease, particularly among vulnerable populations, children, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
The petitioners call upon the government to appoint a royal commission on the environment and health.
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from folks in my riding of Chatham-Kent--Essex. They are calling on the House of Commons and Parliament assembled to speedily enact legislation that restricts abortion to the greatest extent possible.