Debates of May 27th, 2014

Public Sector Integrity Commissioner

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I have the honour, pursuant to section 38 of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, to lay upon the table the case report of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner concerning an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing.

This report is deemed permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.

Government Awareness Day Act

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-601, an act respecting a Government Awareness Day.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise to introduce two private members' bills today, with thanks to my seconder, the hon. member for Burnaby—New Westminster.

These bills are particularly special, because they owe their existence to the imaginations and hard work of three young people in my riding of Vancouver Kingsway: Matthew Ching, Liam Kynaston, and Alan Zhou. They are present in the House today. All three students are winners of my Create Your Canada contest, which invites high school students to develop and submit their ideas on how we can make Canada and the world a better place.

Matthew's idea is captured by this bill proposing to establish July 8 as government awareness day. July 8 is the day of Canada's first Parliament, which began in 1867. This would be a day for all Canadians to recognize our democracy, reflect on its importance, and think about ways we can improve it. It would encourage Canadians to take an active role in our democratic process, perhaps by writing letters on topics of interest to their local government MLA, MPP, or MP. In a time of low voter turnout and democratic challenges around the world, this is a positive and creative idea that would strengthen Canadian democracy and citizenship.

I would like to congratulate Matthew and these fine young students on their contributions to Parliament and our country and thank their teachers and all who entered my contest from Gladstone Secondary School, Eric Hamber Secondary School, Windermere Secondary School, and Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School in Vancouver.

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

Food and Drugs Act

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-602, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (sugar content labelling).

Mr. Speaker, once again, I am honoured to rise to introduce the second of my private members' bills today, which again is a product of the Create Your Canada contest in my riding. Again, it owes its genesis to the imagination and hard work of young students in my riding, Matthew Ching, Liam Kynaston, and Alan Zhou, who are present in the House today.

Alan and Liam's idea is enshrined in this bill called an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act, sugar content labelling. This legislation would require all prepackaged foods to prominently display the sugar content on the front of the product. This reflects their research revealing the harmful effects of sugar and its presence in high concentrations in many prepackaged foods, of which many consumers are unaware. This bill would improve the health of Canadians, especially young Canadians, and would provide increased information to Canadian consumers.

Once again, I would like to congratulate Alan and Liam and these fine young students on their contributions to Parliament and our country, and I thank their teachers and all who entered this contest from Gladstone, Eric Hamber, Windermere, and Sir Charles Tupper secondary schools in Vancouver.

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

Impaired Driving

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present four different petitions this morning signed by citizens from across Canada. In the interest of public safety, they want tougher laws and the implementation of new mandatory minimum sentencing for those persons convicted of impaired driving causing death. They also ask that the Criminal Code of Canada be changed to redefine the offence of impaired driving causing death as vehicular manslaughter.

Rail Transportation

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in the House to table four petitions.

The petitions are with respect to the Algoma Central Railway passenger train. This petition came into place when the government withdrew its subsidy to Algoma Central Railway passenger service. The government has actually reinstated the funding for one more year, which has given some relief to the stakeholders, but they are continually concerned about the future.

The petitioners are calling for consultation. They are concerned about the economy of their communities, their health and safety, accessibility to the area, and the impact this has on businesses.

The petitioners are calling on the government to look at maintaining passenger rail across Canada.

The petitioners are from Richards Landing, Sault Ste. Marie, Hawk Junction, Windsor, Tiny, Wawa, Thornhill, Hornepayne, Blind River, Batchawana Bay, Echo Bay, and Elliot Lake.

Agriculture

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to table today.

The first petition is from my constituents in Kingston and the Islands regarding Bill C-18. The petitioners are worried about the right to save, reuse, select, exchange, and sell seeds. They are calling on Parliament to enshrine those rights in legislation.

Democratic Reform

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition comes to me not from my constituents but from people in rural eastern Ontario and the outskirts of Toronto. Perhaps they wish their voices to be heard in the House of Commons.

The petition is with regard to the so-called fair elections act. The petitioners are calling on the government to amend or withdraw the act, because it has not been amended sufficiently. They feel that there has not been proper consultation with elections experts.

Victims of Violence

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of presenting a petition that condemns the lack of justice for children and women who are victims of violence. The petitioners are calling on the government to do more to protect them.

I would like to congratulate Aline Lafond from Maniwaki, who campaigned to get this petition signed. It is an important cause, and I am pleased to present this petition.

Criminal Code

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition from a number of residents of my riding who are concerned about child prostitution and violence towards women having increased in countries where prostitution has been legalized.

The petitioners are asking Parliament to amend the Criminal Code to decriminalize the selling of sexual services, to criminalize the purchasing of sexual services, and to provide support for those who desire to leave prostitution.

Canada Post

[Charmaine Borg, NDP, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting two petitions that have been signed by people from my riding of Terrebonne—Blainville.

The first petition is about cuts to services at Canada Post. Those who signed the petition are particularly worried about the fact that home delivery is being cancelled. They are urging the government to reject Canada Post's plans to reduce services and to look at other options for modernizing the crown corporation's business model.

Consumer Protection

[Charmaine Borg, NDP, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

The second petition I am presenting is calling for an end to unfair, excessive fees. This petition was also signed by people from my riding.

They are calling on the government to put an end to unfair fees, such as ATM fees, exorbitant rates charged by payday lenders and price-fixing at the pump. I am pleased to present these two petitions today.

Dementia

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. The first petition is with regard to the need for a national strategy on dementia. As we know, across this country, a great many folks, specifically seniors, suffer from dementia. The petitioners are calling on the government, saying that a strategy is indeed needed on a national scale, not just at a provincial level. Although some provinces are tackling the issue, we need a national strategy.

Canada Post

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by literally hundreds and hundreds of members of my riding and from across the Niagara Peninsula.

The petitioners are calling on the government to keep home mail delivery. Canada Post is an essential service for many across this country, specifically folks in my riding who either have mobility issues, may be seniors, or may simply be folks who need to get that mail and are not able to get to those so-called community mailboxes that are going to be who knows where across this country, especially in downtown areas.

The petitioners are calling on the government to make sure that Canada Post continues home mail delivery into the future and actually enhances that service.

Pensions

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to table yet another petition in regard to Canada's old age programs for pensions: OAS, GIS, and CPP. In particular, the petitioners ask the Prime Minister to recognize the importance of allowing Canadians to continue to be able to retire at age 65 and to collect their pensions. They are in great opposition to the increase in the retirement from age 65 to 67. Yet again, this is likely the most popular petition I receive from my constituents, and I provide it today for the Prime Minister and the government.

Citizenship and Immigration

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

Mr. Speaker, as you may recall, a terrible tragedy happened in London, Ontario last fall. Very clearly, the number of petitions I have received indicate how very deeply this cut into the community. It has to do with the loss of a family of three who were waiting for landed immigrant status. The community is concerned that public service jobs have reduced staffing levels to the point that people wait inordinate amounts of time for citizenship and landed status.

The petitioners call on the government to ensure that the Department of Citizenship and Immigration is properly staffed and resourced in order to reach decisions on applications in a fair and timely manner and that all immigration officers consider factors with regard to humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

International Trade

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to present two petitions. The first is from residents within Saanich—Gulf Islands from Pender Island, Brentwood Bay, North Saanich, Sydney, and throughout the riding. They call on this administration to cease its pursuit of the Canada-China investment treaty and to refuse to ratify it at the cabinet table. This is a treaty that, as the petitioners point out, presents significant threats to Canadian sovereignty because of the inability to leave the Canada-China investment treaty in less than 36 years should it ever be ratified.

Lyme Disease

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition comes from residents of Brampton, Kingston, and Caledon. I am grateful for their support for the private member's bill that will be going to the health committee this week, Bill C-442, my private member's bill on a national Lyme disease strategy. I am very grateful to all members of the House for their support and for this petition.

Agriculture

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present two petitions in the House today signed by residents in and around my riding of Beaches—East York. The first calls upon Parliament to refrain from making any changes to the Seeds Act or to the Plant Breeders' Rights Act through Bill C-18 and further to enshrine in legislation the inalienable rights of farmers and other Canadians to save, reuse, select, exchange, and sell seeds.

Genetically Modified Alfalfa

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls upon Parliament to impose a moratorium on the release of genetically modified alfalfa to allow proper review of the impact on farmers in Canada.

Blood and Organ Donation

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition under Standing Order 36. Petitioners request that sexual preferences of people not be an instant refusal of the right to donate. They request that the Government of Canada return the right of any healthy Canadian to give the gift of blood, bone marrow, and organs to those in need, no matter the race, religion, or sexual preference of a person. The right to give blood or donate organs is universal to any healthy man or woman.

Dementia

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning I have the honour to present petitions on behalf of people from all over the greater Toronto area who draw the attention of the Minister of Health and the House of Commons to the fact that the federal government needs a national strategy for dementia and the health care of persons afflicted with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia-related diseases.

The petitioners call for the passage of Bill C-356, an act respecting a national strategy for dementia. They outline multiple points, and I would like to read a few of them, if I may, Mr. Speaker.

They call for the initiation of discussions, within 30 days of the act coming into force, with the provincial and territorial ministers to develop a comprehensive national plan to address all aspects of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, ADRD. Furthermore, they ask for the encouragement of greater investment in ADRD research, discovery, and the development of treatment that would prevent, halt, or reverse ADRD.

Oil Industry

[Pierre Jacob, NDP, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have here a petition that was signed by about 30 of my constituents. They want the government to stop giving $1.3 billion in subsidies to the oil industry every year. They want the Prime Minister to follow through on the commitment he made at the G20 in 2009 to phase out the subsidies.

The petitioners point out that the subsidies are incentives for energy sources that produce high levels of greenhouse gas emissions and discourage investments in green and renewable solutions.

They are asking the Prime Minister to stop giving billions of dollars to oil companies and start investing in a sustainable economy.

Human Rights in Egypt

[Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe, NDP, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I present today an important petition about human rights relations in Egypt. People who signed this petition draw to the attention of the House the fact that the basic human rights, democratic freedoms, and the rule of law continue to be abused and repressed in Egypt.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon the Canadian government to condemn abuses of human rights in Egypt, urge Egyptian authorities to ensure that the basic human rights of all Egyptians are protected, regardless of partisan affiliation or personal beliefs, and demand that the rule of law and freedom of the press be observed and respected in all cases.

Canada Post

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this petition is regarding the changes to Canada Post. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to take the necessary legislative and regulatory steps to immediately reverse the implementation of the recently announced service rollbacks and cost increases proposed by Canada Post Corporation.

The petitioners further call upon the government to formally oppose any future steps to privatize Canada Post Corporation, its operation, or its services.

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.