Tom Wappel

[Privilege, March 10th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the hon. member very carefully. He made mention of the witness protection bill which happens to be my bill. I did not even know it had been chosen to be votable.

However, I want to tell the hon. member and other members in the House that I too committed to my constituents during the election that if I were re-elected I would attempt to bring forward a national witness protection plan. I told tens of thousands of people who signed petitions across the country, which I presented to the House, that I would do so. I take great personal umbrage in the member's comments disparaging the bill.

[Privilege, March 10th, 1994]

It is and it affects me personally. It arises out of the comments the hon. member made and it relates to them specifically.

[Privilege, March 10th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, really the only-

[Privilege, March 10th, 1994]

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

[Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, February 9th, 1994]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-213, an act to amend the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very specific bill to amend a particular section, section 52, of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act. It would provide that the recommendations of the Security Intelligence Review Committee are to be implemented unless overruled by the minister concerned.

In that event the minister would be required to report to Parliament the reasons for overruling the decision of the committee and if the reasons were secret the minister would be required to report to Parliament why they are deemed to be secret.

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

[Witness Protection Act, February 1st, 1994]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-206, an act to provide for the relocation and protection of witnesses.

Mr. Speaker, thousands upon thousands of people have signed petitions asking this House to set up a witness protection program that has been mandated and is the responsibility of this House through the minister in charge. That currently is not the practice.

There are ad hoc witness protection plans across the country run by various police forces, including the RCMP. This bill proposes to formalize the arrangement and have it administered by the federal government.

I urge the Solicitor General and the Minister of Justice to proceed with the witness relocation plan immediately.

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

[Criminal Code, February 1st, 1994]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-205, an act to amend the Criminal Code (human being).

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill is to add a definition of the term human being to the Criminal Code. The purpose of that definition is to focus the debate on the vexing issue of abortion and the question that has heretofore not been addressed, whether society wishes to extend protection to the unborn child.

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

[Consumer Packaging And Labelling Act, February 1st, 1994]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-204, an act to amend the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (nutritional value of food).

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill is to amend the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act to provide that foods sold to consumers across Canada have certain nutritional information stated on the label, including the vitamin content, carbohydrate content, the fat content and the caloric amount per portion. This information is very common in the United States but is voluntary in Canada. This bill would make it mandatory.

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

[Foreign Affairs, January 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, there are five very brief points I want to make. The motion we are debating today asks us to take into account the political, humanitarian and military dimensions of the possible future direction in Canadian peacekeeping policy and operations.

The five points I wish to commend to our government and to the minister are as follows:

First, Canada is a small country comparatively speaking, with limited resources. As such we cannot act alone. We do know however that there is strength in unity. We can support each other. Therefore, we must in my view maintain our membership in international organizations, including the United Nations and NATO.

Second, we must work to cleanse the hypocrisy of these organizations. What do I mean by that? Contrast the swift action of the coalition forces in the gulf and the billions upon billions of dollars spent in the gulf in a very short period of time with the inaction in Yugoslavia where children are being killed daily, with the inaction in East Timor where Roman Catholics are being slaughtered by Muslim extremists, and the inaction in Tibet where China is committing cultural genocide against the people of Tibet. What about the countries in Africa where tribes are slaughtering each other by the tens of thousands? These organizations are doing nothing in these tragic places.

Third, we must continue to speak out forthrightly and forcefully on behalf of human rights, dignity and the inherent worth of all human life.

Fourth, we must lend our military expertise and reputation where warranted. We cannot be in all places at all times.

Fifth, our military are in the business of warfare. They know the risks. They have chosen their profession. But we cannot ask our military to put their lives on the line unless we are prepared to ensure they are adequately equipped, supplied and supported. As we would not send our children into a full contact hockey game dressed only in pyjamas, we cannot send our sons and daughters into the world's most dangerous and volatile areas without proper protection, training and equipment. Anything less is irresponsible. Anything less is indefensible.