Debates of Feb. 25th, 2013

Financial Administration Act

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-473, An Act to amend the Financial Administration Act (balanced representation).

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House today to introduce a bill that will achieve balanced representation of women and men in financial administration.

At present, only 27% of senior positions on boards of directors of our crown corporations are held by women. I believe that it is about time that Canada follow the lead of a number of countries that have already adopted laws and implemented mechanisms to ensure better representation on the boards of directors of their crown corporations.

The bill I am introducing today will make Canada a leader in this area. I would like to build on the exemplary work of my honourable colleague from London—Fanshawe, who began this endeavour last year by proposing that the government ensure gender parity on the boards of directors of its crown corporation within six years.

I hope that all my colleagues in this House will give their enthusiastic support for this initiative.

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

Procedure and House Affairs

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 41st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier today, be concurred in.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

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

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

(Motion agreed to)

Business of the House

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip]

Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations and I believe if you seek it you will find consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order of usual practice of the House, on Thursday, March 28, 2013, the House shall meet at 10 a.m. and proceed to Government Orders; Members may make statements pursuant to Standing Order 31 at 11 a.m.; oral questions shall be taken up not later than 11:15 a.m.; the House shall proceed to the ordinary daily routine of business at 12 noon, followed by Government Orders; Private Members' Business shall be taken up at 1:30 p.m.; and the House shall, at 2:30 p.m., stand adjourned until Monday, April 15, 2013.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Does the hon. chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this 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)

Sex Selection

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present signatures from within my constituency of Brandon—Souris, calling upon the House of Commons and Parliament assembled to condemn discrimination against girls through sex-selective abortion and do all it can to prevent sex-selective abortions from being carried out in Canada.

Search and Rescue

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present three petitions. The first petition is calling on the Government of Canada to rescind the decision and reinstate full funding to maintain the Kitsilano Coast Guard station.

Shark Finning

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, petitioners from all across Canada call on the Government of Canada to immediately legislate a ban on the importation of shark fin to Canada.

Experimental Lakes Area

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, finally, petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to reverse the decision to close the ELA research station.

Rare Disorders

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there are between 6,000 and 8,000 rare diseases that affect one in twelve Canadians. Canadians with rare disorders lack access to clinical trials and new drugs that are available in other countries. It is essential that Canadians have equal and timely access to therapies for debilitating and life-threatening diseases. The petitioners request that a rare disorder be defined as being a chronically debilitating condition or disease with a prevalence of fewer than 1 in 2,000 people and that a national drug policy regarding rare disorders be implemented.

Sex Selection

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by a number of people from the riding of Guelph. These people are calling to the attention of Parliament that millions of girls have been lost through sex-selective pregnancy termination, creating a global gender imbalance causing girls to be trafficked into prostitution. The petitioners are calling on Parliament to condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.

Human Rights

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions. The first one is regarding hate crimes.

Abortion

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition is regarding a woman's right to choose.

Housing

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition implores that we bring in a national housing strategy.

The Environment

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition is to stop the expansion of oil supertanker traffic through B.C. coastal waters.

National Parks

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition from my constituency. The petitioners are requesting that the Government of Canada restore four-season status to all three-season national parks within Canada, reinstate grooming of winter trails and allow local park managers to determine the appropriate level of winter activities in consultation with their adjacent local communities and people.

Library and Archives of Canada

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to present a petition signed by members from my riding of Sudbury. They are asking Parliament and the government to preserve funding for Library and Archives Canada.

Petitioners are calling on the Minister of Heritage to restore archival services to previous levels equal to that of the 1980s so that historians and interested parties have access to the great multitude of documents housed at the archives.

41st General Election

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions. The first is from residents of Saanich, in my riding, as well as from Tofino and Vancouver. They are calling on the Government of Canada to launch a full investigation, a commission of inquiry, into allegations of voter suppression and robocalls in the 2011 election.

Lyme Disease Strategy

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

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to present petitions from residents across Canada—from Toronto, Vancouver and other locations—in support of my bill, Bill C-442, on a national Lyme disease strategy to deal with improving and sharing best practices in prevention, diagnosis and treatment.