John Reynolds

[Modernization Of Benefits And Obligations Act, February 15th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I also congratulate the member for Scarborough East on a very well thought out speech. I do not think he will be the only member on his side with that point of view by the time we get through this debate. I agree with him that the bill is intellectually bankrupt. I will be the next member to speak for our party and will say more about that when I give my speech.

Would the member agree with me that it would be good if we just put the bill aside for a while and had a committee tour the country to talk about the dependency model? Literally tens of thousands of people will be discriminated against. It will not be too long before the bill goes before the supreme court because someone does not fall under the category of having conjugal sex. Then we will have to come back with some other kind of bill.

Would we not be saving the country a lot of money and a lot of effort if we had a committee tour the country and listened to all the different models? In her speech this morning the minister said that we had to start looking at these models. Why is there a big rush to put the bill through today? Why do we not do it right and when it comes to the House the next time it will be done properly for everyone who is dependent on someone in Canada and not just certain groups of society specified by conjugal sex?

[Petitions, February 15th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I have a second petition signed by approximately 100 people from my constituency and around that area with regard to rural route mail couriers who work today for less than the minimum wage in many areas.

They ask the government to allow them to have collective bargaining rights, which I think most Canadians would appreciate and want also.

[Petitions, February 15th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, it is my honour to present a petition today like that of my colleague from Wild Rose on child pornography. About 8,000 people ask the government to use the notwithstanding clause.

This now brings the petitions up to over half a million from across Canada asking the government to take action on the very serious issue of possession of child pornography in British Columbia.

[Justice, February 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, if Canadians think that the one billion dollar boondoggle at human resources smacks of political payoff, they should also know that questionable use of taxpayers' resources by way of grants is not exclusive to HRDC.

At a time when the RCMP has faced budgetary cutbacks of $169 million and some 430 frontline B.C. RCMP positions go lacking, affecting their ability to investigate and fight crime, the Minister of Justice has $32 million to spend on crime prevention. Guess where $2 million of this is going. It is going to none other than national lobby groups, no doubt with impeccable Liberal credentials.

The Minister of Justice gave $2 million to such crime fighters as the Canadian Bankers Association, the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, the Insurance Council of Canada and the Retail Council of Canada.

Maybe an audit should be conducted into the crimes they solved. Maybe the Liberal House leader has it in his binder.

[Questions Passed As Orders For Returns, February 8th, 2000]

With regard to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program: ( a ) how many CMHC offices administer the program across Canada, and in what locations; ( b ) how many grants were distributed by each office and in what amounts for each of the years 1995 through 1998; ( c ) what was the average amount of the grants, in dollars, awarded for each of the same years; ( d ) how many applications did each office receive for each of these years and how many of these applications received grants; and ( e ) what is the current waiting list or backlog of applications for each office administering these grants?

Return tabled.

[Questions On The Order Paper, December 16th, 1999]

With regards to the works of native art purchased by the department of Indian and northern affairs over the last 10 fiscal years: ( a ) what was the total amount spent on those purchases; ( b ) in what locations are those works of art displayed and ( c ) how many works of arts are displayed at each location?

[Rcmp, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is badly underfunded in Canada and the minister is planning to shut down seven detachments in the province of Quebec. The solicitor general has stated that organized crime is one of his number one priorities.

With biker wars taking place in Quebec and with one of our own members of parliament under 24 hour RCMP protection, can the minister tell us when he is going to stop slashing resources for the RCMP and increase its funding so we can go after organized crime?

[Prisons, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the solicitor general.

We agree with the solicitor general when he says that 70% of the people who end up in the prison system have a drug or alcohol problem. What we disagree with is that he says he has successful programs. Of his own staff, an internal report says, 70% say that the programs are ineffective in our prison system.

Can the minister explain to the Canadian people why he thinks his programs are a success when 70% of his staff in the prisons think they are not successful?

[Nisga'A Final Agreement Act, December 6th, 1999]

moved:

Motion No. 259

That Bill C-9 be amended by adding after line 29 on page 7 the following new clause:

“20.1 (1) On the expiration of six years after the coming into force of this Act, the provisions contained herein shall be referred to such committee of both Houses of Parliament as may be designated or established by Parliament for that purpose.

(2) The committee designated or established by Parliament for the purpose of subsection (1) shall, as soon as practicable, undertake a comprehensive review of the provisions and operation of this Act and shall, within two years after the review is undertaken, submit a report to Parliament.”

[Nisga'A Final Agreement Act, December 6th, 1999]

moved:

Motion No. 178

That Bill C-9 be amended by adding after line 29 on page 7 the following new clause:

“20.1 (1) On the expiration of nine years after the coming into force of this Act, the provisions contained herein shall be referred to such committee of both Houses of Parliament as may be designated or established by Parliament for that purpose.

(2) The committee designated or established by Parliament for the purpose of subsection (1) shall, as soon as practicable, undertake a comprehensive review of the provisions and operation of this Act and, shall within one year after the review is undertaken, submit a report to Parliament.”