Debates of May 11th, 2012

The Economy

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that the Conservative members who are speaking to this issue of the recent comments by the Leader of the Opposition are distorting what is a well-known term in economic literature. It should not be that controversial to recognize that since 2008, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned Canada that by distorting our policies in resource development, we are creating unnecessary impacts through something called “Dutch disease”.

I have heard there are people in the Conservative ranks who have studied economics. Could they please explain to their colleagues what the term means and that it is not calling any section of this country any derogatory term whatsoever? It is an economics issue. It is valid and it should be discussed.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the member opposite and her party would love to stop resource development in this country. The reality is that we now have the largest two-month job growth in decades. She should be standing up and congratulating us on that.

While the NDP member was attacking western Canadians, it turns out Canadians actually were not listening. Instead, they were going back to work.

There were 58,000 new jobs last month, 24,000 of them in the manufacturing sector that the member talks about. The problem on the other side is not Dutch disease, it is foot-in-the-mouth disease.

Oral Questions

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order to ask for unanimous consent that I am able to table the MERX documents that demonstrate on the DND website as well as on the public works website that there was ample information available on projects that were incorrectly being reported today when members opposite alleged information was not available. I would like to table proof positive that the information was available to all Canadians three years ago.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The minister does not need the unanimous consent of the House as long as it is in both officials languages.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed, and I would be pleased to provide that information.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

If it is in both official languages, the minister does not need unanimous consent. Therefore, it is so tabled.

On a point of order, the hon. member for Bourassa.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, is the document that we have just tabled bilingual?

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I have just been told it is in both official languages.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary 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 responses to 12 petitions.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the joint visit of the Committee on Civil Dimension of Security and the Sub-Committee on East-West Economic Co-operation and Convergence, held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from October 25 to 27, 2011.

Employment Insurance Act

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-422, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (elimination of waiting period).

Mr. Speaker, this is a private member's bill that amends the Employment Insurance Act to eliminate that two-week waiting period.

As we all know, young families suffer incredibly when they lose the job that sustains them. It is very traumatic. Low-wage single-parent families live from paycheque to paycheque. Therefore, the point of this bill is to make sure that those interminable two weeks are eliminated, because that waiting period can indeed put a great strain on any family.

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

Iran

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations between all parties and I believe you will find unanimous support for the following motion:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, a take-note debate on the subject of the horrific state of human rights in Iran take place pursuant to Standing Order 53.1 on Monday, May 14, 2012, and that during the debate no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Does the hon. Leader of the Government in the House of Commons have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

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, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

(Motion agreed to)

Business of the House

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, while I am on my feet, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4)(a), I would like at this time to designate Tuesday, May 15, for consideration in committee of the whole of all votes under Environment in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I am presenting two petitions. The first is from the students, parents and community of John Paul II Catholic Secondary School in London.

These community members ask Canada to draw attention to the situation in Attawapiskat. They ask the House to demand that the Government of Canada immediately act on the housing crisis there.

The petitioners also call on the Government of Canada to provide the first nations community of Attawapiskat with the financial supports to address short and long-term housing needs and pursue a functional working relationship with the first nation and to use measures and means other than third party management to achieve a better quality of life for the residents of Attawapiskat. They also ask the government to honour its commitment to provide the students of Attawapiskat with a new school.

Republic of Congo

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from a community in London, Ontario that is supportive of democracy in the Congo.

The petitioners draw the attention of the Parliament of Canada to the fact that the November 28, 2011 elections in the democratic Republic of Congo were fraudulent. They also draw the Government of Canada's attention to the continuous Congolese demonstrations taking place in major western cities around the world, including in Canada.

The petitioners wish to point out that Canada contributed $9 million over five years to the UN to help fund the election in the Congo. Six Canadians took part along with 118 observers. The petitioners want Canada to ask the tough questions about the electoral process there because they are concerned and want to put--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member knows that members are supposed to provide a succinct summary and she has had the floor now for almost two minutes. We better move on to accommodate everybody.

The hon. member for Kitchener--Centre.

Abortion

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition from my constituents in Kitchener Centre who point out that Canada is the only nation in the western world, and in the company of China and North Korea, without any laws protecting the rights of children before birth. They said that Canada's Supreme Court has said that it is Parliament's responsibility to deal with this issue.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to enact legislation to restrict abortion to the greatest extent possible.

I would be happy if we could just have an informed discussion about the rights of children before birth.

Multiple Sclerosis

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this petition is regarding CCSVI.

Yesterday marked the two year anniversary since I first asked for an emergency debate on CCSVI in the House. In two years, 800 Canadians died of multiple sclerosis. It is also two years since the member for St. Paul's and myself began asking for a registry and clinical trials for CCSVI. The government eventually committed to both but, unfortunately, neither has begun.

I remember all those we have lost and their families.

The petitioners call upon the Minister of Health to consult experts actively engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of CCSVI to undertake phase III clinical trials on an urgent basis in multiple centres across Canada and to require follow-up care.

Katimavik

[Charmaine Borg, NDP, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by Canadians who are very disappointed by the government's decision to stop funding the Katimavik program.

This petition calls on the government to acknowledge that approximately 600 young people, who were looking forward to July when their program was to begin, now they can longer participate in it.

The petition calls on the government to restore funding to that program.

Rights of the Unborn

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present two petitions today signed by constituents in the riding that h I represent and they are both on the same topic.

The petitioners are concerned that Canada's 400-year-old definition of human beings says that a child does not become a human being until the moment of complete birth, which, in their opinion, is contrary to 21st century medical evidence.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of the Criminal Code.