Debates of Nov. 18th, 2013

Foreign Investment

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour today to table two petitions from many constituents in my riding of Guelph with regard to the Canada-China investment treaty. My constituents continue to be concerned about the lack of public consultation and the secretive process by which the treaty was negotiated. The petitioners are also concerned that the treaty would provide state-owned enterprises with the ability to claim damages and to complain to federal governments about laws or regulations made at any level of government that reduce their expectation of profits.

The petitioners ask the government to take immediate steps to limit the influence of state-owned enterprises over our democracy in the interest of ensuring that the power over Canadian laws remains in Canadian hands.

Nuclear Weapons

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand in the House to introduce a petition signed by many people in Vancouver, including from Vancouver Kingsway, who are calling upon the Canadian government, and all governments, to negotiate a treaty banning nuclear weapons and leading to their complete eradication.

The petitioners point out their deep concern about the continuing threat posed by many thousands of nuclear weapons across the globe. They point out that any use of these ultimate weapons of mass destruction, whether by accident, miscalculation, or design, would have catastrophic consequences for humanity and the planet as a whole.

The petitioners plead with us to note that the only way to guarantee that they will never be used again is to outlaw and eliminate them, without further delay, around the globe.

Multiple Sclerosis

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the debate concerning CCSVI should be based on science, evidence, and improving the quality of life for Canadians with MS, who wonder how the government is going to judge the radically different CCSVI data from the east and west of Canada.

Canadians with MS ask, if the debate had been based on evidence, why the Minister of Health did not meet with CCSVI groups across the country and with Canadians who had been treated to learn about their experience, why she did not include experts in CCSVI in her expert working group, and why the decision to kill Bill S-204 was taken eight months before the Senate hearings.

The petitioners are calling upon the minister to consult experts, to undertake Phase III clinical trials on an urgent basis, and to require follow-up care.

Impaired Driving

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition representing thousands of people from beautiful British Columbia. The petition highlights that last year, Kassandra Kaulius was killed by a drunk driver. A group of people who have also lost loved ones to impaired drivers, called Families for Justice, says that the current impaired driving laws are too lenient.

The petitioners are calling for new mandatory minimum sentencing for people who have been convicted of impaired driving causing death. They also want the Criminal Code changed to redefine the offence of impaired driving to vehicular manslaughter.

Navigable Waters Protection Act

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table petitions signed by my constituents calling on the government to amend the Navigable Waters Protection Act in order to reprotect Canada's lakes and rivers, including the heritage river, the Humber River, in my riding.

Food and Drugs Act

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present today. Two of them deal with the same issue, which would be Bill C-257, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act with regard to mandatory labelling for genetically modified foods.

The petitioners come from communities across Vancouver Island, including Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Nanoose, Errington, Bowser, and Nanaimo. They would like us to address this issue so that Canadians know what they are eating.

Medical Expense Tax Credit

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the other petition is from Canadians concerned about the medical expense tax credit for vitamins, herbs, and nutritional supplements. They draw attention to the fact that nutritional supplements help Canadians with a whole range of conditions and that Canadians are spending millions of dollars and lowering health costs by looking after themselves.

The petitioners, with just short of a thousand signatures from across Vancouver Island, would like their investment in their health to be recognized through the Income Tax Act with an amendment.

Northumberland Ferries Limited

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on the Northumberland Ferries Limited, which is the link that connects Wood Islands to Pictou, Nova Scotia.

Petitioners are concerned about the new contract and are directing the Government of Canada to negotiate a new contract that is equal to or greater than the previous three-year contract with Northumberland Ferries Limited, taking into account the increase in the consumer price index, and to provide adequate public funding in order to ensure that the associated infrastructure meets or exceed the levels of today's standards.

Navigable Waters Protection Act

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition regarding my private member's bill, Bill C-498. The petitioners are asking that the Thames River be reincluded in the Navigable Waters Protection Act, granting heritage protection to the North Thames, Middle Thames, and Thames Rivers. This would ensure that any development that would impact its navigation would undergo a strict environmental assessment.

The petitioners want the government to realize the detrimental impact that reckless changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act have on these treasured waterways across all of southern Ontario and, indeed, across this country.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table a petition regarding CBC/Radio-Canada, which provide Canadians with a voice with which we are all able to take part in our national consciousness and cultural identities.

The petitioners are calling on the government to provide stable and predictable funding so that CBC remains a strong voice for all Canadians for all time.

Northumberland Ferries Limited

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I too, like my colleague from Malpeque, want to rise on behalf of a number of people who are concerned about the expiration of the contract for the Northumberland Ferries Limited, the ferry that connects the world to Prince Edward Island. The expiry date is March 31, 2014.

We want the government to proceed with negotiations and hopefully look at a contract that is equal to or greater than the previous three-year contract so that this service, which has an impact of about $27 million on the province of Prince Edward Island, is maintained to help this beautiful part of our country.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[Matthew Kellway, NDP, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting two petitions today, signed by citizens from within and around my riding of Beaches—East York in Toronto.

The first calls upon the government to support the New Democratic Party's plan to immediately stabilize CBC/Radio-Canada funding and to provide reasonable increases as economic conditions improve.

Toronto Island Airport

[Matthew Kellway, NDP, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls upon the Government of Canada to block any changes to the tripartite agreement that would allow jet airplanes or extensions of the Toronto Island airport runways, to stop subsidizing Porter Airlines, and to compel the Toronto Port Authority to pay millions of dollars in back taxes owed to the people of Toronto.

Democratic Reform

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition on fair electoral representation. The petition is to ensure that Canadians have a fair electoral system. The petitioners are saying that it is completely unfair when the number of MPs that party supporters elect does not reflect the number of voters who cast ballots for that party.

The petitioners pointed out to me in a number of town hall meetings at Christie Gardens that it seems exceptionally unfair that many more people voted against the governing party, which is ruling with a majority.

As fair voting systems better reflect the will of voters and let them vote for the candidate and party they prefer and give each community fair and accountable representation, the petitioners are calling upon the House of Commons to immediately undertake public consultations across Canada to amend the Canada Elections Act to ensure that voters can cast an equal and effective vote to be fairly represented in Parliament.

I am particularly honoured to present this particular petition in that it is signed by one of the real heroes of citizen engagement, my dear friend Ursula Franklin.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have several petitions here today.

One is identical to the petition just presented a moment ago by my colleague from St. Paul's, so I will not repeat the content of it.

Genetically Modified Alfalfa

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with genetically modified alfalfa and is similar to the petition presented earlier by my colleague from Nanaimo—Alberni, so I will not deal with the content of that, except to note that these are being submitted by people from across the country.

Mining Industry

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition relates to the regulation of Canadian mining companies operating abroad.

In a very lengthy petition, the petitioners draw to the attention of the House the fact that Canada is a very significant player, indeed the most significant player, in mining investment abroad, and therefore we have particular responsibilities to ensure that mining operations that are financed through our stock markets are carried out in a way that is sensitive to both environmental and human rights concerns abroad. This is a matter that we have studied in the human rights subcommittee that I chair.

Falun Gong

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as well there is a petition here relating to the Chinese government, its Communist regime, and the organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners that has gone on in that country. The petitioners draw attention to the fact that two prominent Canadians, David Matas and David Kilgour, have written extensively on this and provided very powerful evidence of this unspeakable human rights abuse.

National Urban Workers Strategy

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today we hear news that Walmart has embarked on a food drive for its own employees. That fact underscores the reality of the economy today. More and more workers are living in very precarious circumstances without access to a pension, benefits, or any modicum of job security.

I have a petition here on behalf of members of the city of Toronto who are calling on Parliament to support my national urban workers strategy. I would like to submit that.

Consumer Protection

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition here from members of my community who are increasingly concerned about extra fees on their phone, cable, and telecom bills, especially the $2 fee that is charged when they get their bill in the mail.

Many people in our country do not have access to the Internet. Many seniors who are on fixed incomes cannot afford the extra $50 or $60 a year that accumulates for these $2 fees. We want to see those fees gone from those bills, and this petition speaks to that issue.

Northumberland Ferries Limited

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to join my colleagues to present a petition to the Government of Canada from a large number of constituents and people from Atlantic Canada who are very concerned over the Wood Islands–Caribou ferry service. It has an enormous impact on Prince Edward Island and Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

The petitioners request that the Government of Canada ensure that the contract is signed and is equal to or more than that for the previous three years. If not, this will have, yet again, another financial impact on Prince Edward Island.

The Budget

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of hundreds of Canadians from Quebec who are denouncing the decision made by the government on Bill C-4 to terminate the tax credit on the labour-sponsored venture capital funds, which will clearly end a huge economic benefit and destroy a system providing retirement income for many.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.