Debates of Nov. 28th, 2014

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's dairy and poultry and egg producers know that they can continue to count on our government to stand up for their interests. We are ensuring that the three pillars of supply management remain intact in all trade agreements that our government implements, including the agreements with Europe and Korea.

Our government is taking practical measures to stop products such as pizza topping kits from being imported into Canada. Our government has always stood up for Canada's supply management system and will continue to do so.

Oral Questions

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During the members' statement period, the member for Winnipeg Centre, like his colleague from Timmins—James Bay, displayed his contempt for how we are to behave in the House.

In his member's statement, he opened by making references to kings losing their heads, and then went on a tirade directed at the President of the Treasury Board. Following his S.O. 31, he sat down and immediately made slashing gestures across his neck to his colleagues.

That was an appalling display. Given the world that we are living in, I think the member probably regrets that and wants to make an apology.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I take my work very seriously in the House. I am shocked that as I do my work, I get some drive-by smear about something to do with kings and the Treasury Board. I have not ever spoken on kings. I have a lot of opinions on the uselessness of the historic monarchy, but I do not know why I am being subjected to this smear.

I would like the member to apologize.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

The Chair will take this under consideration and return if necessary.

The hon. member for Medicine Hat, on the same point of order.

[LaVar Payne, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I actually saw the member for Winnipeg Centre do the same thing as described by my colleague. I think that it is definitely deplorable.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

The Chair appreciates the point raised. As I said, it will review the matter and return if needed.

The hon. member for Hamilton Centre on a point of order.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order arising from the statements prior to question period. I rise on a matter of serious importance in terms of misleading the House.

The member for Calgary East stood and said as a fact that the Calgary Stampeders are going to win. They are not; the Ticats are going to win.

Would you please call on that member to correct the record?

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

The Chair presumes that this matter will resolve itself on Sunday.

Government Response to Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to four petitions.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, entitled supplementary estimates (B) 2014-2015.

Justice and Human Rights

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in relation to the study on supplementary estimates (B) 2014-2015.

Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B) 2014-2015: Vote 5b, under the Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada”.

I report that the committee has examined, in a very thorough and comprehensive way, the supplementary estimates put forward by the Office of the Privacy Commission and has voted, on division, to approve and recommend the option of proposed spending found therein.

Procedure and House Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 26th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs in relation to a study of the supplementary estimates (B) for the fiscal year 2014-15.

Government Operations and Estimates

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Carleton—Mississippi Mills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in relation to its study on supplementary estimates (B), 2014-15.

Asbestos

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to present a petition signed by tens of thousands of Canadians.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons and Parliament here assembled to take note that asbestos is the greatest industrial killer that the world has ever known. They point out that more Canadians now die from asbestos than all other occupational and industrial causes combined. They also note that Canada has never banned asbestos and continues to promote its use in our country.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to ban asbestos in all of its forms and institute a just transition program for asbestos workers in the communities they live in, to end all government subsidies of asbestos both in Canada and abroad, and to stop blocking international health and safety conventions designed to protect workers from asbestos, such as the Rotterdam convention.

Criminal Code

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present a petition from hundreds of Canadians to introduce legislation to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to include torture committed by non-state actors, private individuals and organizations as a specific and distinct criminal offence.

Canada Post

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of my constituents in Flin Flon and Thompson, as well as Canadians from Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The petitioners call on the federal government to change course, protect home delivery and protect our postal service, which is an integral service to all of our communities across this country.

Agriculture

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to present this petition calling on the government to respect the rights of small family farms to keep, trade and use their seeds.

The petitioners in my riding are calling on the Government of Canada and the House of Commons to commit to adopting international aid policies that support small farmers, especially women, and recognize their vital role in the struggle against hunger and poverty. They must also commit to ensuring that Canada's policies and programs are developed through a consultative process with the small farmers.

Sex Selection

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as B.C. caucus chair, I would like to present this petition from British Columbia as it calls upon all members of Parliament to condemn discrimination against girls occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.

Democratic Reform

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House today to present petitions from Vancouver regarding a fair electoral system.

The people who have signed the petition point out that our winner-take-all voting system results in a House of Commons where the number of MPs a party supports does reflect the number of voters who cast ballots for that party. They call 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 represented fairly in Parliament.

Impaired Driving

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by residents of British Columbia who believe that the current impaired driving laws are too lenient and need to be strengthened by the implementation of new mandatory minimum sentencing for those convicted of impaired driving causing death.

Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse

[Philip Toone, NDP, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I have the honour to present a petition signed by a hundred or so of my constituents. They are calling on the government to invest in the Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Canada, designated an historic site in 1974, but unfortunately deemed surplus by Fisheries and Oceans Canada last year.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada are trying to hand over the lighthouse to a third party, but no third party is crazy enough to buy it, since the department did not invest enough in maintaining the lighthouse. There are no buyers. It is high time Fisheries and Oceans Canada start investing in it.

Sex Selection

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from Canadians from the Langley, British Columbia, area who are concerned about the fact that the use of ultrasounds is causing many young girls not to be born into this world. It is creating a global gender imbalance, leading to the human trafficking of girls. Ninety-two per cent of Canadians believe that sex-selective pregnancy termination should be illegal

The petitioners ask all members of Parliament to condemn discrimination against girls occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination

Canada Post

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising in the House today to present a petition signed by hundreds of people from Montreal's south shore. They are extremely worried about the end of home mail delivery. They want to hang on to this public service and these good jobs for our mail carriers. They are worried about what is in store for seniors and people with reduced mobility. They do not accept that Canada is becoming the only country in the G7 that is unable to provide home mail delivery.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, Question No. 746 will be answered today.