House of Commons Hansard #144 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was aboriginal.

Topics

Rail Customer Protection ActRoutine Proceedings

3:20 p.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-441, An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (shippers' protection).

Mr. Speaker, the rail customer protection act would give every rail customer the right to have service agreements with rail companies, including performance standards, consequence for non-performance including penalties, proper notification for service changes and a requirement to use the dispute resolution process in the event of a disagreement.

Rail transport is the backbone of the Canadian economy. More than 70% of all service goods in Canada are shipped by rail, but the service is unreliable, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damages every year. With this rail customer protection act, rail customers would finally get reliable and predictable rail freight services that deliver products on time.

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

Parliamentary LibrarianRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

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

moved:

That pursuant to Standing Order 111.1, this House approve the appointment of Sonia L'Heureux as Parliamentary Librarian for a term of five years.

Parliamentary LibrarianRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

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

Parliamentary LibrarianRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Parliamentary LibrarianRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

(Motion agreed to)

National Public Transit Strategy ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you were to seek it, I believe you would find unanimous consent for the following motion.

I move:

That notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, the recorded division on the motion for second reading of Bill C-305, an act to establish a national public transit strategy, be further deferred until Wednesday, September 19, 2012, immediately before the time provided for private members' business.

National Public Transit Strategy ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

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

National Public Transit Strategy ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

National Public Transit Strategy ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

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?

National Public Transit Strategy ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

National Public Transit Strategy ActRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

(Motion agreed to)

Women, Peace and SecurityRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, I believe you would find unanimous consent for the following motion in response to an international campaign to stop rape, gender violence in conflict.

I move:

That this House condemns sexual violence and conflict and calls on the government to:

(a) reaffirm Canada's commitment to implement United Nations Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security and Canada's national action plan on women, peace and security;

(b) play a leadership role in international efforts to end sexual violence and bring about accountability and support survivors of sexual violence in conflict through Canadian diplomacy and development assistance;

and (c) support the efforts of organizations to draw attention to and denounce sexual violence.

Women, Peace and SecurityRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Does the hon. member have the consent of the House to propose the motion?

Women, Peace and SecurityRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Women, Peace and SecurityRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

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?

Women, Peace and SecurityRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Women, Peace and SecurityRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

(Motion agreed to)

Canada Periodical FundPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by over 3,000 members and supporters of the Franco-Manitoban community.

This petition is addressed to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages and reads as follows: “We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, wish to draw your attention to statements made in the House of Commons on May 3 in which you confirmed that your government has an ongoing, clear and firm commitment to protect periodicals throughout the regions of Canada wherever there are official language minority communities.” Unfortunately, we have noted that the new funding formula for the Canada periodical fund does not take into account the situation facing our French-language weekly paper, La Liberté, whose funding will be cut by 50% by 2013. This decision will have a severe impact on our [Franco-Manitoban] community and will lead to the slow and inexorable demise of La Liberté. La Liberté has been Manitoba's only French-language newspaper for 99 years. On May 3, you said, “If it raises concerns, we could look into the regulations for our programming and if these concerns are justified, we could address them.” That is why we are confident that you will take our concerns seriously and reinstate funding for our newspaper.

“Therefore, we the petitioners call on the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages...to reinstate funding and correct the funding formula going forward so that La Liberté, Manitoba's only French-language newspaper, can continue in future to offer the high level of service it has been providing for the past 99 years.”

Canada Periodical FundPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I see many members rising and I am sure that some members have more than one petition to present. I am going to strictly adhere to the rule regarding not making a speech when presenting a petition. So we will have brief summaries of the petitions and then move on very quickly.

The hon. member for Crowfoot.

Rights of the UnbornPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Sorenson Conservative Crowfoot, AB

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today with two petitions from 225 of my constituents from different parts of my riding in Alberta, such as Drumheller, Chestermere, Calgary, Okotoks, Rosebud, Morrin and Hussar.

According to current legislation, a child does not become human until the moment of complete birth. The lack of legislation in this area is a concern to these constituents.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to look into the definition of a human being. They would like to see an amendment to section 223--

Rights of the UnbornPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

CBC/Radio-CanadaPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Liberal

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to present a petition on behalf of 50 residents of Regina, Saskatchewan who want to save the essential services of their public broadcaster the CBC/Radio-Canada.

The petitioners state that the public consciousness of this country and the dialogue that we have from coast to coast to coast is maintained by the CBC. They want the government to invest--

CBC/Radio-CanadaPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

The hon. member for Mississauga--Brampton South.

Drive Change DayPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

Conservative

Eve Adams Conservative Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of residents and business owners across Canada who ask that August 21 be declared drive change day, a nationally recognized day when people show their support for positive change across Canada.

Inasmuch as Earth Day has become a global phenomenon where individuals come together to plant trees and conduct cleanups, these signatories are asking that August 21 be a day for social change.

Rights of the UnbornPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:30 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to present a petition that was signed by residents of my riding of Newton—North Delta. This petition is signed by 717 individuals who are calling for an amendment of section 223 of our Criminal Code.

I thank these residents for their engagement with the political process. I fully support the rights of all citizens to voice their opinions and to have their voices heard in this chamber through the process of petitions.

Therefore, I am pleased to table--