Debates of March 22nd, 2013

Public Safety and National Security

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Does the chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motions?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

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

(Motion agreed to)

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

I move:

That, in relation to its study on the economics of policing, six members of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be authorized to travel to London and Manchester, United Kingdom, in the winter-spring of 2013, and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Does the chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

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

(Motion agreed to)

Health

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

I move:

That, in relation to its study on technological innovation, eleven members of the Standing Committee on Health be authorized to travel to Montréal, Quebec, in the winter-spring of 2013, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Does the chief government whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

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 Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

(Motion agreed to)

Parental Leave

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the people who signed this petition are asking the government to make the necessary changes to the Canada Labour Code to increase parental leave to a maximum of 72 weeks in the case of the birth or adoption of multiples.

They are also asking the government to amend the Employment Insurance Act to increase the maximum number of weeks during which parental benefits can be paid out at 70% in the case of the birth or adoption of multiples.

Several hundred people have signed this petition.

Sex Selection

[LaVar Payne, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present another petition from over 200 individuals.

The petitioners ask that the House condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination. They ask members of Parliament to support Motion No. 408 and condemn sex selection.

Animal Welfare

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have two sets of petitions to present.

The first petition has over 500 names from Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. The petitioners point out that horses are ordinarily kept and treated as sport and companion animals. They are not raised as food production. They are commonly administered drugs that are strictly prohibited from being used in the food chain.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons and Parliament to bring forth and adopt into legislation my bill, Bill C-322, an act to amend the Health of Animals Act and the Meat Inspection Act.

The second petition is from folks from B.C. and Ontario with over 300 signatures.

The petitioners are calling for stronger animal cruelty legislation. Canadians are tired of hearing about animals that are being abused, while their abusers walk free. As well, the link between cruelty to animals and cruelty to humans has been well documented.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to work with the provinces to ensure federal and provincial laws are constructed and enforced to ensure that those responsible for abusing, neglecting, torturing, or otherwise harming animals are held appropriately accountable.

Sex Selection

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present this petition signed by residents of the Lower Mainland, in British Columbia. The petitioners call upon Parliament to condemn discrimination against females that occurs through sex-selective pregnancy termination.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present three petitions.

The first is from Canadians who call on the House of Commons to support Motion No. 400, moved by the member for Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, to protect the water and public health of our rural communities.

Shark Finning

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from thousands of Canadians who call on the Government of Canada to immediately legislate a ban on the importation of shark fin to Canada.

Search and Rescue

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

Mr. Speaker, the final petition is to save the Kitsilano Coast Guard station. Whereas the recent decision by the federal government to close the Kitsilano Coast Guard station is a grave mistake that will undoubtedly cost lives of those in peril on shores and waters near Vancouver harbour, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to rescind its decision and reinstate full funding to maintain the Kitsilano Coast Guard station.

Sex Selection

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from some of the residents of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo who ask that the House condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.