Debates of Feb. 18th, 2015

Public Safety

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, we reject the argument we hear every time we talk about security that our freedoms are threatened. Canadians understand that their freedom and security go hand in hand. Canadians expect us to protect both, and there are protections in this legislation to do that. I invite the member to take part in the debate and eventually support the bill. It is important for our country.

Canadian Heritage

[Gord Brown, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in relation to Bill S-218, an act respecting National Fiddling Day. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House without amendment.

Canada Water Act

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-653, An Act to amend the Canada Water Act (recycling, conservation and efficiency).

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to introduce this bill, an act to amend the Canada Water Act. I call the bill the water efficiency bill.

The bill would allow the federal government to create water efficiency standards for products and processes in Canada that are sold in Canada and that use water. It would also allow the government to recognize water efficiency standards for devices and the like that were developed elsewhere, like in the United States or at the international level.

The bill would also require the government to report on the impacts of the measures on water consumption.

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

Anti-Semitism

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Mount Royal:

That a take-note debate on the subject of the troubling rise in anti-Semitism around the world, as discussed at a special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on January 22, 2015, take place pursuant to Standing Order 53.1 on Tuesday, February 24, 2015.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The question is on 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)

Abortion

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present two petitions to the House today.

The first petition highlights that Canada is the only western nation along with China and North Korea that has no restrictions whatsoever on abortion. The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to speedily enact legislation that would restrict abortion to the greatest extent possible.

Impaired Driving

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the other petition I have highlights, sadly, that Donald McCron, a 49-year-old single dad, was tragically killed by a drunk driver. The drunk driver was driving while his license was suspended. After serving seven months in prison, the drunk driver was released back into the community right near the victim's family.

Families for Justice is a group of Canadians who have lost loved ones killed by an impaired driver. It believes that Canada's laws for impaired driving are much too lenient.

The petitioners want the crime called vehicular homicide, which it is. Over 12,000 Canadians are killed every year by a drunk driver. They also want mandatory sentencing from the government.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Jonathan Tremblay, NDP, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to the House of Commons a petition signed by hundreds of people who are calling on the government to respect the right of small family farmers to store, trade and use seed.

Canada Post

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition, which is one of many hundreds of others that I have received in my office.

The petitioners call upon the government to reverse the cuts to Canada Post.

Sex Selection

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present to the House today.

With respect to the first petition, the petitioners call upon the Canadian Parliament to end discrimination against girls and condemn discrimination against girls caused through gender selection of pregnancy termination.

Genetically Modified Alfalfa

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petition, the petitioners call upon Parliament to put in place a moratorium on GM alfalfa.

Impaired Driving

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the petitioners who signed the third petition call for tougher action on impaired driving. They call for a new mandatory sentence for those persons convicted of impaired driving causing death. They also want the offence under the Criminal Code to be redefined from impaired driving causing death to vehicular manslaughter.

Anaphylaxis

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from a number of Canadians who ask the House of Commons to honour and support a motion that was unanimously voted on in regard to Motion No. 230 on anaphylaxis.

Those who suffer from anaphylaxis are very vulnerable, particularly when they are travelling. In an airplane, at 35,000 feet, it is very difficult to get emergency medical care.

The petitioners ask that Parliament enact policy to reduce the risk of anaphylactic passengers when they are on public transportation.

Agriculture

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition today signed by a number of people from Regina and across Saskatchewan.

The petitioners express concern about small family farmers, particularly women farmers. They call upon Parliament to protect the rights of small family farmers to preserve, use and freely exchange seeds.

[James Rajotte, Conservative, Edmonton—Leduc, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I stand to present a petition on behalf of hundreds of Canadians in the Edmonton area.

The petitioners ask that the Government of Canada and the House of Commons commit to adopt international aid policies that support small family farmers and ensure that Canadian policies and programs protect the rights of small family farmers in the Global South to preserve, use and freely exchange seeds.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition from dozens of residents of Sudbury.

The petitioners also ask the government to ensure that Canadian policies and programs are developed in consultation with small family farms and to preserve the right to freely exchange seeds.

Recently I held a round table in the community of Verner with the member for Welland. All farmers at the table were very worried about the policies of the government.

Autism

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, autism spectrum disorders are characterized by social and communication challenges and a pattern of repetitive behaviour and interests. They are lifelong, effect development and life experience, and exert emotional financial pressures on families.

The petitioners call on the government to work with the provinces, territories and stakeholders to develop a pan-Canadian strategy for autism spectrum disorder.

Fisheries and Oceans

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions today.

The first petition I am honoured to present is from residents of Saanich—Gulf Islands, particularly from Sidney and Victoria areas.

The petitioners call on the government to immediately implement all 75 recommendations of the royal commission inquiry into the fate of British Columbia's Fraser River sockeye in 2009. Mr. Justice Cohen's report has still not had an official response.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition comes from residents of St. Catharine's, Ontario.

The petitioners call on the government to act to protect the Kipawa Lake system and its important environmental studies against the threat of Matamec Explorations.

Sage Grouse

[LaVar Payne, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions to present today.

The first petition is on the recovery strategy for the greater sage grouse. The petitioners ask the government rescind the strategy.

The second petition is also on the protection of the greater sage grouse. The petitioners would like the government to rescind the emergency protection order.

The third petition is also on the emergency protection order. The petitioners also ask that the emergency protection order be rescinded.

Species at Risk Act

[LaVar Payne, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the fourth petition asks the Government of Canada to rescind the Species at Risk Act and replace SARA with an act that encourages voluntary implementation.

Veterans

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure and honour to present a petition regarding support for veterans. Residents of my riding are calling on the government to implement a plan to stop the unfair cuts to pension benefits, reopen the Veterans Affairs Canada offices that were closed and improve access to home care, long-term care and mental health services.

Falun Gong

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table six petitions today on behalf of some 3,000 Canadians who are concerned about the cruel practice of forced organ harvesting by the Chinese Communist regime on prisoners, including Falun Gong practitioners, resulting in the deaths of some tens of thousands, as documented by David Matas, David Kilgour and Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting.

The petitioners call on the government to take measures to end the Chinese regime's practice of killing Falun Gong practitioners for their organs, to amend Canadian legislation to combat forced organ harvesting and to publicly call on China to end its persecution of the Falun Gong.

Having introduced Bill C-561 to further restrict organ trafficking and hearing testimony of this practice at our foreign affairs subcommittee on international human rights, I am pleased to stand in solidarity with these petitioners.