Herb Gray

[Young Offenders Act, November 3rd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the government has brought forward legislation to tighten up the Young Offenders Act and provide more severe penalties. The law has been adopted. It will go a long way to responding to the kinds of concerns raised by my hon. friend.

At the same time, the justice committee of the House has been mandated to carry out an overall review of the work with respect to young offenders. I hope it will be able to take into account the understandable concerns of my hon. friend. I appreciate his raising this important point.

[Sexual Abuse, November 3rd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government is working with the Canadian Association of Volunteer Bureaus to carry out a program to educate voluntary organizations on the need for screening people who are seeking employment or volunteer positions working with children or other vulnerable individuals.

The program involves sending briefing books and videos to over 200 volunteer bureaus across Canada and to some 1,900 police services. There will also be a series of workshops conducted in over 200 volunteer bureau areas.

This will supplement the program I announced last year of using the Canadian police information system computers managed by the RCMP to provide a screening system to help prevent people involved in sex abuse from taking up positions as volunteers or employees when it comes to working with children or vulnerable individuals.

The program is a worthwhile one and responds to the objectives of all Canadians. I hope it will have the support of all members of the House.

[National Housing Act, November 3rd, 1995]

moved that Bill C-108, an act to amend the National Housing Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

[Business Of The House, November 2nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, when we resumed the session I said we had some 30 measures waiting on the Order Paper from the end of the session in June for debate. I said that we would be proceeding in an orderly fashion with those measures as a priority.

I do not know why our colleagues think we should have scrapped all those measures. I thought they wanted a measure to tighten up the parole and correction system, Bill C-45. Now they are on record as opposing that. I thought they wanted a measure to have a better witness protection system, Bill C-58. Now they are on record as opposing that.

Now that we have dealt with a bill to create an environmental auditor general, they are in effect saying that was not worth while. Now that we are dealing with measures on dangerous fuel additives, they are saying they did not want those measures to be debated. Now that we have debated a measure to update our transportation regulations, the Reform Party is saying that was not worth while.

I will conclude my remarks without your saying anything,Mr. Speaker. I can see your face; a tone of voice is not necessary. On each and every one of the measures they participated in the debate. They put down amendments. They called for votes. By their actions they are saying the House leader for the Reform Party simply does not know what he is talking about.

[Business Of The House, November 2nd, 1995]

It is our intention to continue with the list of items already being considered by the House today. I am referring to second reading of Bill C-95, the reorganization of the Department of Health; third reading of Bill C-94 relating to fuel additives; second reading of Bill C-96, the human resources development department reorganization, and report stage and third reading of Bill C-52, the Department of Public Works and Government Services reorganization.

Tomorrow we would like to deal with Bill C-108, the National Housing Act amendments. We would then resume the list I have just read out.

Finally, we will be in ongoing consultations with the opposition parties about the scheduling of other business, including opposition days.

[Business Of The House, November 2nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I want the record of the House to show I am speaking in a calm, measured tone of voice with no intention of sarcasm or innuendo.

[Business Of The House, November 2nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am speaking today as government House leader.

[Official Opposition, October 31st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the House has been dealing with important legislation presented by the government each and every day the House has been sitting. It has been dealing with private members' legislation, in some cases presented by the Reform Party.

The oddest thing about the rather odd question of the Reform Party House leader is that on a number of these occasions he has participated in the debates. He must be in a dream world more than he usually is.

[Business Of The House, October 26th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, we will continue this afternoon and tomorrow with consideration of report stage of Bill C-61 regarding agricultural penalties. We will then return to second reading of Bill C-99 on small business loans. If this is completed we plan to return to second reading debate on Bill C-88.

On Monday we will commence report stage of Bill C-7, followed by report stage of Bill C-103, followed by Bill C-94. We intend to schedule the third reading debates on these bills and Bill C-61 at the earliest time procedurally possible.

As soon as business permits next week we will call the second reading stages of Bill C-95 and Bill C-96. I expect that Thursday, November 1, will be an allotted day.

This completes my weekly business statement.

[Small Business Loans Act, October 24th, 1995]

moved that Bill C-99, an act to amend the Small Business Loans Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee.