Deborah Grey

[Human Rights, May 11th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, an Ontario provincial court judge has ruled that laws prohibiting adoption by homosexual couples are contrary to the charter of rights.

The Minister of Justice has frequently insisted that including sexual orientation in the Canadian Human Rights Act is in accordance with the wishes of Canadians. The courts and not the legislatures are now making the laws in this country.

In the face of the Ontario court judgment, how can this minister be so confident about how his legislation will be interpreted?

[Human Rights, May 11th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, today we have leaned that an Ontario provincial court judge has ruled that laws prohibiting adoption by homosexual couples are contrary to the charter of rights.

The Minister of Justice has frequently insisted that including sexual orientation in the Canadian Human Rights Act as he has promised to do will be in accordance with the wishes of Canadians.

The courts and not the legislatures are making the law in the country. In the face of the Ontario court judgment, how can the minister be so confident about how his legislation will be interpreted?

A recent Angus Reid poll demonstrates conclusively two-thirds of Canadians disagree with the Ontario court and do not wish to extend adoption rights to homosexual couples. The Ontario legislature refused to do this last year. In the same way, Canadians overwhelmingly oppose the minister's plan to amend the human rights act.

The Minister of Justice must reconsider his promise to add sexual orientation to the Canadian Human Rights Act and represent the wishes of Canadians, unlike the provincial court has done.

[Members Of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act, May 9th, 1995]

We have to pay tax on the 7 per cent.

[Points Of Order, May 9th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, this just arose while we were listening.

The whip hollered across: "You should be ashamed, but then again you probably do not know shame". I ask him to withdraw that. Perhaps that would help clean up the level of debate. He said it, he knows it. Perhaps you could ask him to withdraw it.

[Points Of Order, May 9th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say briefly that after I heard these interventions, it would seem to me that they are not being critical of my leader or

anyone who raised this question, but in fact they are calling your judgment into question. I think that is reprehensible.

[Members Of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act, May 4th, 1995]

Perrin Beatty is one of them.

[Members Of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act, May 4th, 1995]

None.

[Members Of Parliament Pensions, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask it now. Why will the government not open the doors to all 295 members of the House so they can make the same choice, do the right thing and opt out of this obscene plan?

[Members Of Parliament Pensions, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, that was my point. She is covered under the new plan and apparently seems to be proud of it.

The government has released me from its obscenely lavish pension plan. I am no longer trapped at the trough but I would like to take a few members of the class of '88 with me because they are also able to opt out.

Not only has the government allowed me but has also allowed anyone who was elected in the class of '88 to opt out. That means the ministers of finance, health, transport and industry can all take their trotters out of the trough, hold their snouts high and opt out-

[Members Of Parliament Pensions, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will not be fooled by the government's half hearted attempt at MP pension reform because really nothing has changed.

MPs pensions will still be unacceptably high and Canadians will still be forced to top up the trough to the tune of $7 million annually.

The President of the Treasury Board said these changes will save taxpayers over $3 million a year. That would just about cover the Deputy Prime Minister's pension under the new plan.

Why did the government not replace the entire MP pension scheme with a more realistic private plan such as others live with outside these walls?