Debates of Sept. 26th, 2012

Abortion

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, with some coincidence, I have a petition from some of those very same places. The petition is signed by Canadians from across the country, including Kitchener, Waterloo, LaSalle, Québec, Windsor and Essex County.

The petitioners urge the government and all parliamentarians to vote against Motion No. 312 presented by the Conservatives, which would reopen the debate on abortion. They note that the Prime Minister made a promise and has since broken it with this issue now being debated on the floor of the House of Commons and being voted on this evening.

International Aid

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present to the House today. The first petition is from Development and Peace.

The petitioners take note of Canada's decline in absolute and percentage terms of its commitments to official development aid. They also note that several NGO's have suffered as a consequence of the cutbacks, particularly D and P. They take note of the better aid bill, which would take into account the perspectives of the poor, that our aid be directed to poverty reduction and only poverty reduction and be consistent with international human rights standards.

The petitioners ask that the funding to CIDA be restored, that we go back to 0.7% and that the funding for D and P be restored.

Terrorism

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition has to do with former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and numerous terrorist organizations.

The petitioners call on the government to chastise the Pakistani government for providing safe harbour for—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I will have to stop the member there. There are quite a lot of members rising and we only have about 12 minutes left. Perhaps we can have very succinct summaries. If members have multiple petitions, perhaps they could group them together as much as possible.

The hon. member for Ottawa—Orléans.

Rights of the Unborn

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for the past few months, we have been reflecting on Motion M-312. I have received a number of petitions regarding our consideration of that motion, all calling on Parliament to reject any law that suggests that some humans are not humans.

I have received petitions from across the country indicating that Parliament has the solemn duty to reject any law that says that some humans are not humans.

Saint-Lambert Train Station

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to present a petition signed by over 1,000 people in my riding who oppose VIA Rail's plans to close three customer service counters at the Saint-Lambert train station and replace them with automated kiosks. This will seriously reduce the quality of service at the station.

The petitioners are calling on this House to intervene with VIA Rail and convince that organization to reverse its decision to eliminate three customer service counters at the Saint-Lambert train station.

Rights of the Unborn

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition which supports Motion No. 312. The petition contains about 150 signatures from the people of Sydney—Victoria and visitors to my area.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to affirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as a human being by amending section 223 of our Criminal Code.

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present 11 petitions representing hundreds and hundreds of Canadians from across southern British Columbia, southern Ontario and communities across my riding of Essex.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of our Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.

Abortion

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition against Motion M-312, which, as everyone knows, is merely a veiled attempt to reopen the abortion debate, one that has been over for quite some time. In presenting this petition, I am also honoured to acknowledge a women's centre in my riding, the Centre de femmes l'Essentielle de Beloeil, which was extremely supportive of our efforts to halt this attempt.

Rights of the Unborn

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition on behalf of my constituents.

The petitioners note that Canada's 400-year-old definition of human being says that a child does not become a human being until the moment of complete birth. They call upon the House of Commons to amend section 223 of our Criminal Code.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I, too, have a great number of petitions from Canadians across the country who want Parliament to recognize that every human being has an inherent worth and dignity.

In particular, I have another 1,300 signatures to add to the 1,200 or so I filed yesterday, from people in the area of Scarborough—Rouge River, 100 from the area of Willowdale, 625 from Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca and another 700 from everywhere across Canada in 10 petitions. They just keep flooding in.

Motor Vehicle Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to present a petition in support of my Motion M-405, which calls on this House to examine the possibility of amending the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations to equip all household utility trailers with a wheel locking device.

Several fatal accidents have occurred as a result of trailers that became unhitched. As parliamentarians, it is our duty to examine this matter and try to come up with a solution to prevent further loss of life.

Rights of the Unborn

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present hundreds of signatures on petitions in support of Motion No. 312 to change section 223 of the Criminal Code to reflect 21st century medical evidence. I note that they are from Vancouver, Richmond, Newwest, Langley and Surrey.

Abortion

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present another petition signed by men and women from across Canada who are opposed to Motion M-312 and this attempt to reopen the abortion debate.

Rights of the Unborn

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition on behalf of the constituents of Mississauga East—Cooksville, the riding I represent.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human beings and to amend the section 223 of the Criminal Code in a way to reflect 21st century medical evidence.

Abortion

[Marie-Claude Morin, NDP, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present a petition from people across Quebec who are strongly opposed to Motion M-312, which reopens the abortion debate

At the same time, I would like to mention women's centres. There are many in my riding that fight for women's rights year after year.

The Environment

[Bruce Hyer, Independent, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting petitions from across Ontario concerning the Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario.

The petitioners say that closing the world-renowned science facility would jeopardize unique research on lakes, river and fish, cost the government very little money and the world immensely in the long run.

Rights of the Unborn

[Larry Miller, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions from my riding of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound. The petitioners urge all members to support Motion No. 312.

Dementia

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of rising to table a petition calling for support for Bill C-356, tabled by the member for Nickel Belt, who has requested a national dementia strategy.

Rights of the Unborn

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have 14 petitions that call upon the House of Commons to amend section 223 of our Criminal Code, many of them signed by young women. I would point out that five petitions are from my riding, six from across Saskatchewan and three from the rest of Canada.

HIV-AIDS

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by hundreds of constituents of my riding put together by the Grandmothers Advocacy Network.

The petitioners point out that millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa are dying of HIV-AIDS and that Canada's Access to Medicines Regime has been stalled and is not operative.

Therefore, they call upon Parliament to pass Bill C-398, which is currently before the House, to make necessary amendments to the Canada's Access to Medicines Regime to get drugs flowing to HIV-AIDS victims of sub-Saharan Africa.

Rights of the Unborn

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have petitions on two issues.

Again, as many colleagues, I have a petition from British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. The petitioners call upon the House to confirm that every human being is recognized as by Canadian law.

Abortion

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I also have several petitions, again, from across the country.

The petitioners call upon the government to defund the International Planned Parenthood Federation for its aggressive funding of abortion abroad.

Rights of the Unborn

[Sana Hassainia, NDP, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to present a petition signed by Canadians across the country who are opposed to Motion M-312 introduced by the Conservatives.

This debate has been closed for decades. Many women in Canada are stating their clear opposition and are hoping that all members will support a woman's right to choose and will not revisit an issue that has already been dealt with.

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I present petitions on behalf of Canadians who challenge the 400-year-old definition of when life begins, due to 21st century medical advancements. I was three weeks premature. I thank my mother and the hospital staff for choosing life.