Colleen Beaumier

[Petitions, February 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition with over 1,000 signatures calling on the government to introduce legislation that will ensure that individuals cannot use the intoxication defence to avoid prosecution for the commission of a crime.

My constituents are sending the message loud and clear. It is time for a change in the law. I wholly agree with my constituents.

[Questions On The Order Paper, February 7th, 1995]

When will the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Health seek the co-operation of provincial governments to enforce the post-sentence detention of child sex offenders who are likely to re-offend upon release, through provincial mental health legislation and what is the timetable for having the necessary agreements in place?

[Air India Flight 182, December 14th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, during this Christmas season my thoughts are with the families and friends of those who perished in the tragic bombing of the Air India flight 182 on June 23, 1985.

This will be the 10th Christmas since that tragic day on which 329 passengers and crew lost their lives as a result of the bomb blast aboard the airliner just 120 miles west of Ireland. Although some arrests have been made, this terrible crime remains shrouded in mystery.

As the families and loved ones of those who perished aboard Air India flight 182 face their 10th Christmas since this tragedy, I ask all members to join with me in expressing our deep sorrow at their loss which continues today.

Christmas is a time when we are sharing love. We should make them feel warm.

[Petitions, December 7th, 1994]

I have a third petition to present in support of compensating spouses working in the home and caring for preschool children.

[Petitions, December 7th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I am also tabling a petition from residents of Brampton South which calls on the government to take action with respect to excessive noise caused by aircraft using runway 24R at Pearson International Airport.

These residents have suffered a great deal because of the noise and are asking that the necessary changes be implemented so that it stops immediately.

[Petitions, December 7th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to table a petition with the signatures of 668 of my constituents. It calls on the government to introduce legislation which will ensure the post-sentence detention of child sex offenders who are likely to reoffend upon release. This brings the total number of signatures I have tabled in the House calling for such legislation to 6,840.

Canadians are concerned about the safety of their children. It is time we introduced legislation which responds to this very real fear.

[Justice, December 7th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the recent decision by the Supreme Court of Canada that drunkenness is a defence for rape has led to cries from Canadians for a change in these laws. These cries have grown louder in recent weeks as we have seen a number of cases in which individuals have successfully used the drunkenness defence to escape conviction for the horrendous crime of sexual assault.

I have been contacted by a number of my constituents who are upset and disillusioned with the Supreme Court of Canada's decision. I share their concerns and their outrage.

On behalf of my constituents I would like to inform all members of this House that the people of Brampton support the introduction of new legislation which will ensure that individuals who commit a serious crime serve the time, whether or not they have consumed alcohol.

It is up to every member of this House to ensure that the outrage which Canadians feel is promptly translated into new legislation.

[Violence Against Women, December 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I vowed I would never do this but I listened to the members across the way and I wondered if their lack of discomfort is really the issue.

I knew a young woman 25 years ago who was raped. She did not report it because 25 years ago women could run faster with their skirts up than men could with their pants down. I knew a woman 25 years ago who was beaten by her husband. She was sent to hospital. She did not report it because it was a shame that

she had chosen that poorly and obviously she was beaten because she deserved it; she must have irritated him.

Because of our actions, because of the noise and because of the circumstances of today, women can do that. This woman was not included in that survey. I was that woman. As much as I realize that we have to get a balance, it is also an issue we must address. We must stand together.

Does the hon. member think that today's incidents are perhaps recurring more frequently or that we have now lost our shame and are able to report them?

[Infrastructure Program, December 1st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, on November 21 the Queen's Square infrastructure project was launched in my riding of Brampton. This is a $15 million project funded under the Canada-Ontario infrastructure program which will result in many medium and long term jobs.

The project is being undertaken in conjunction with the project negotiated between the city of Brampton and a private contractor, John Cutruzzola of the Inzola Group. When construction is complete the downtown city core will have undergone a $50 million facelift, leaving residents of Brampton with a beautiful market style downtown core.

The national infrastructure program is putting Canadians back to work, and at the same time revitalizing communities. It is a model of how all three levels of government can co-operate for the public good. The Queen's Square project in my riding of Brampton is an example of the benefits of this co-operation when it extends to the private sector.

On behalf of my constituents, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the minister responsible for infrastructure for the swift and effective implementation-

[India, October 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Minister of Foreign Affairs met with the home affairs minister for India to discuss many important issues, including the human rights situation in that country.

Many Canadians are concerned with current human rights practices in India. After repeated refusals to co-operate with non-governmental organizations attempting to assess the human rights condition in India, the Government of India allowed Amnesty International to conduct studies in the city of Bombay earlier this year.

As Canadians we must be concerned when a human rights organization is restricted in its efforts to assess the human rights conditions of any country. I was pleased to learn during Question Period the other day that the Canadian government has made representation to the Government of India on behalf of Amnesty International so that more thorough studies may be conducted.

It is time that Canada took a definitive stand in its relations with India and called for an open policy in that country with respect to human rights. As the Indian economy continues to grow at a very rapid pace, Canadian trade relations with India will continue to grow closer. Now is the time to insist-