House of Commons Hansard #252 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

Topics

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With DisabilitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Speaker NDP Joe Comartin

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With DisabilitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With DisabilitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Speaker NDP Joe Comartin

All those opposed will please say nay.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With DisabilitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With DisabilitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Speaker NDP Joe Comartin

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And five or more members having risen:

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With DisabilitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

Conservative

Gordon O'Connor Conservative Carleton—Mississippi Mills, ON

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the vote be moved to after government orders.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With DisabilitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Speaker NDP Joe Comartin

The recorded division on the motion stands deferred.

GE HitachiPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6 p.m.

NDP

Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have a two petitions. The first is in respect to the GE Hitachi nuclear fuel processing facility in my riding. A few months ago the people of Davenport awoke to the news that this facility had been operating for 50 years in the riding. They were to have engaged in a very broad and important public engagement process over the course of those 50 years and had not.

The petitioners call on the Nuclear Safety Commission to reopen the licence so the public can have its rightful moment to participate in a discussion about the facility. I am honoured to present this on behalf of the people in my riding.

Consumer ProtectionPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is with respect to the fact that many companies, phone companies, now banks and telecoms of all sorts, are charging their customers $2 and up just to receive their paper bill in the mail. This negatively affects seniors and those who do not have access to the Internet. It negatively affects those who are in a fixed income situation.

The petitioners call on the government and relevant agencies to take the issue seriously as it is an issue of fairness, especially for those on the margins of our society, and to call on companies to stop this practice.

Violence Against Bus WorkersPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ray Boughen Conservative Palliser, SK

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present four petitions from my riding.

The first petition comes from residents of Regina who express concern about violent assault against public bus drivers. The petitioners feel the bus drivers face increasing risk of being assaulted and deserve stronger protection under the law.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to amend the Criminal Code to recognize the incidents of violence against bus workers in the same way as peace officers are recognized in the code.

Experimental Lakes AreaPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ray Boughen Conservative Palliser, SK

Mr. Speaker, the next petition is also from Regina residents.

The petitioners draw the attention of the House to the Experimental Lakes Area. They are asking the government to recognize the importance of the Experimental Lakes Area and to reverse its decision on the Experimental Lakes Area, as well as to continue to staff and provide financial resources.

Genetically Modified AlfalfaPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ray Boughen Conservative Palliser, SK

Mr. Speaker, my next petition is from the residents of Regina. It pertains to the introduction of genetically modified alfalfa before variety registration.

The petitioners are concerned about this issue for a number of reasons, including contamination, new clusters, testing and cleanup and possible loss of farm safe seed.

The petitioners are asking for a moratorium on the release of genetically modified alfalfa to allow for a review of how it affects Canadian farmers.

Sex SelectionPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Ray Boughen Conservative Palliser, SK

Mr. Speaker, my final petition is from residents of Moose Jaw.

The petitioners state that the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada oppose sex selection. Millions of girls have been lost through sex-selective pregnancy termination.

The petitioners ask Parliament to condemn this form of discrimination against females.

Lyme DiseasePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

May 21st, 2013 / 6:05 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions.

The first petition is from residents of Vancouver, Alberta, as well as within my riding, in Sidney, Salt Spring Island and Victoria, in support of private member's bill, Bill C-442. This is my bill calling for a national lyme disease strategy.

I am very gratified by hearing from so many members that they are also concerned in hearing from lyme disease patients in their own communities. I hope there will be full-party support for this private member's bill.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I am bringing forward today is from residents of the Vancouver area, as well as some from Saanich.

The petitioners are calling for the government to reassess its commitment and support for the Enbridge northern gateway project, but rather to assume a neutral stance and allow the evidence to be collected.

Sex SelectionPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present.

The first one is from residents all across the country. The petitioners ask that the House condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination. They say that this is the worst form of discrimination against females and want Parliament to take action on it.

Criminal CodePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

Conservative

Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB

Mr. Speaker, the next two petitions are on the target the market model.

Petitioners are requesting that Parliament amend the Criminal Code to decriminalize the selling of sexual services and criminalize the purchasing of sexual services and provide support to those who desire to leave prostitution. This is a result of the Swedish and Nordic models to target the market. Those are the people who buy sex and victimize young victims.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:05 p.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions.

The first petition is from residents of Edmonton, Leduc, Cold Lake, Valleyview, basically from across Alberta. The petitioners state that the decisions made by the federal government should be based on sound and objective science data, that cancelling research projects and monitoring has a negative impact on the environment, that scientists should be allowed to express themselves freely and that laying off hundreds of scientists threatens Canada's ability to monitor.

Therefore, they call on the Government of Canada to end its muzzling of scientists, to reverse the cuts to research programs at Environment Canada, DFO, Library and Archives, the National Research Council, Statistics Canada, Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council of Canada and to cancel the closures of the National Council of Welfare and First Nations Statistical Institute.

Health CarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:10 p.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, is from residents from across Alberta, from Devon, Edmonton, Cold Lake and a variety of other places.

They petition the House of Commons to support public health care. They say that they support the public health care system to ensure every Canadian has access to the same high-quality health services wherever they live. To achieve this goal, they call for a pan-Canadian prescription drug strategy, funding transfers to the provinces and territories to enable consistent high-quality home and long-term care, a pan-Canadian health human resources strategy for primary care and improved living conditions, including access to food, housing, living wages, social and mental health services and better living conditions for aboriginal peoples.

Shark FinningPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

6:10 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions signed by Canadians across the land.

The petitioners call on the government to ban the importation of shark fin to Canada. They talk specifically about the practice of shark finning that results in an estimated 73 million sharks a year being killed for their fins alone and that over one-third of all shark species are threatened with extinction as a result of shark finning.

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

6:10 p.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 1266, 1274, 1279 and 1293.

Question No. 1266Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

6:10 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

With respect to the organizations that officially requested the attendance of the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism at an event since January 1, 2011: (a) what were the names of the organizations, the names of the events, the organizers, the dates, times, and locations; (b) did the Minister attend the event and, if not, what is the name of the government representative who attended the event in lieu of the Minister; and (c) what were the costs of any government advertisements in event publications or greetings, and the description and costs of any gifts to the event or organizers?

Question No. 1266Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

6:10 p.m.

St. Catharines Ontario

Conservative

Rick Dykstra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, with regard to section (a) and section (b), a comprehensive response would require an arduous and time-consuming manual search of all of CIC’s reports and is not feasible in the requested time frame.

With regard to section (c), the information requested is not readily available through CIC’s financial system.

Question No. 1274Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

6:10 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

With regard to the costs of the July 16, 2010, press conference in Ottawa, Ontario, at which the Minister of National Defence announced the government’s intention to procure F-35s for the Royal Canadian Air Force, what were the costs incurred by the government (not including the cost of $47,313 related to the model F-35 used at the conference and described in Order Paper question Q-596) for: (a) flying in a Canadian CF-18 as part of the press conference, including fuel, maintenance, storage, Departmental personnel, and transportation; (b) all personnel, including those from Department of National Defense or other Departments involved in the press conference; (c) audio-visual support, including Departmental personnel, equipment rentals, translation, and any contracting services provided; (d) venue setup and dismantling, including costs related to seating, catering, lighting, and accommodating media; and (e) the entire press conference inclusive, including those related to the model F-35 described in Order Paper question Q-596?

Question No. 1274Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

6:10 p.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Conservative

Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the costs related to the flight of a CF-18 during the press conference on July 16, 2010, were approximately $200 for the pilot’s hotel and per diem expenses. There were no costs associated with the aircraft itself, as it was using allocated annual flying hours related to the pilot’s training activities.

With regard to (b), the cost for personnel was $13,298, based on 230.25 hours of overtime that Department of National Defence civilian staff worked in support of, or in relation to, the conference. The temporary duty expenses for Royal Canadian Air Force personnel at this event were $5,362.

With regard to (c), audiovisual support for the press conference cost $22,603.

With regard to (d), the cost of a working lunch for subject matter experts totaled $113. Other venue costs included electricity at $2,178 and water and fruit platters at $236.

With regard to (e), the entire event cost the Government of Canada $47,513.