Leon Benoit

[Petitions, February 8th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present, on behalf of my constituents today, a petition dealing with the issue of protecting unborn children who are victims of violent crime.

In 2005 Olivia Talbot of Edmonton was killed and her 27-week-old unborn son, Lane Jr., also died as a result of that attack.

My petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation which would recognize unborn children as separate victims when they are injured or killed during the commission of an offence against their mothers.

[Western Economic Diversification, February 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, for 13 years, while the Liberal government funnelled the money of hard-working Canadians into its pet projects, often through political friends, the needs of western Canadians were neglected. Now we see the leader of the official opposition being critical of the west and particularly critical of Alberta.

Could the new Minister of Western Economic Diversification to tell us how the Conservative government supports and encourages development in the west?

[Petitions, December 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to present this petition on behalf of constituents and other Canadians.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation that would recognize unborn children as separate victims of crime when they are injured or killed during the commission of an offence against their mothers, therefore allowing two charges to be laid in such a situation instead of one.

This has stemmed from the situation with Olivia Talbot of Edmonton, who was shot and killed in November 2005, and her 27 week old unborn son, Lane Jr., who was also killed in that incident.

[Committees of the House, December 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I have the duty to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on International Trade. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), your committee considered the subject of the textile and clothing industry in Canada and agreed to present this report to the House.

[Petitions, December 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, in current criminal law, unborn children are not recognized as victims of crime. Last year, Olivia Talbot of Edmonton was shot and killed, and her unborn son, Lane Jr., 27 weeks old, was also killed as a deliberate target. The vast majority of Canadians support a law that protects unborn children from acts of violence against their mothers, acts that also injure or kill the unborn child. The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation that would recognize unborn children as separate victims when they are injured or killed when an attack is also being made on their mother.

[Business of Supply, November 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, what we are seeing is a really bad case of revisionist history. The member is so desperate to absolve the former Liberal government of cutting $25 billion in transfers to the provinces, she is so set on trying to do that in any fashion she can that she is trying to blame a government that came to office in 1984. She is trying to blame a government from more than 20 years ago for the problems in health care and for cuts in transfers when her government, the Liberal government, cut $25 billion in transfers to the provinces, much of that for health.

Why could the member not just answer the question that was asked of her before and explain how her government cut $25 billion in transfers to the provinces for health care?

[Petitions, November 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, my petitioners note that in federal criminal law right now an unborn child is not recognized as a victim with respect to violent crimes. When Olivia Talbot of Edmonton was shot and killed in November 2005, her 27 week old unborn son Lane Jr. also died. Because there is no legal protection for unborn children today, no charge could be laid in the death of baby Lane.

The petitioners have indicated that studies show that violence against women often begins or escalates during pregnancy. Therefore, the petitioners are calling on Parliament to enact legislation which would recognize unborn children as separate victims when they are injured or killed during the commission of an offence against the mother, allowing two charges to be laid against the offender instead of one.

[Committees of the House, November 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on International Trade.

In accordance with its order of reference of Wednesday, October 18, the committee has considered Bill C-24, An Act to impose a charge on the export of certain softwood lumber products to the United States and a charge on refunds of certain duty deposits paid to the United States, to authorize certain payments, to amend the Export and Import Permits Act and to amend other Acts as a consequence, and has agreed on Tuesday, November 7 to report it with amendments.

[Criminal Code, November 1st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I have listened this afternoon to members from the Liberals, the Bloc and the NDP. They all have something in common, something that separates them from the Conservatives.

When those parties are looking at criminal justice issues, they focus almost entirely on protecting the rights of the criminals. They forget there are victims in these crimes, and we are talking about some very serious crimes.

I suggest the members of these parties be more concerned with rebalancing the scales of justice so the rights of victims are put higher on their list of priorities. The rights of criminals are considered, but they are not the highest priority. I think that would be more in line with the thinking of Canadians.

Another thing I have noticed is that most of the members of the opposition do not see crimes, such as breaking and entering, as a serious crime. This is breaking into a sanctuary, supposedly a safe sanctuary for people, their homes. That differentiates the Conservative government from members of the opposition as well.

Until the thinking of the members opposite changes, they will never be on the same page as we are and as Canadians are. Would the member respond to that?

[Committees of the House, November 1st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I have two reports to table from the Standing Committee on International Trade.

The first report I have the honour to present, in both official languages, is the second report of the Standing Committee on International Trade.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee has considered the Canada-Central America Free Trade Agreement negotiations and agreed to present it to the House.

The second report I have the honour to present, in both official languages, is the third report of the Standing Committee on International Trade.

In accordance with the reference of April 25, the committee has considered the main estimates and agreed on June 5 to present them to the House.