Mark Warawa

[Health, November 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, prescription drug abuse is a serious issue that destroys families and lives every day. This is a complicated issue, and despite what the New Democrats and some provincial health ministers have tried to argue, politically interfering in science to ban one drug would do little to solve the problem.

Could the Minister of Health please update the House on what our Conservative government is doing to deal with this prescription drug abuse problem?

[Sex selection, November 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the CBC aired an investigation last June on private ultrasound clinics. It found that most of the clinics were revealing the sex of the baby, so that those who did not want a girl could end the pregnancy. Canadians were outraged. The MP for Kildonan—St. Paul is Canada's leading anti-trafficking activist. She said: “The world has created horrendous gender imbalance through the practice of sex selection. Devaluing women and girls has resulted in 200 million missing women globally, turning them into a commodity for human trafficking and prostitution. This violent form of discrimination needs to be condemned”.

I am proud of our Conservative government for condemning sex selection. I am pleased the official opposition has said sex selection has no place in Canada. I am proud this Parliament supported Canada's International Day of the Girl, opposing all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls. I am proud of Motion No. 408, a motion the House can support to condemn discrimination against women and girls occurring through sex selection.

[Petitions, November 8th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition on discrimination against females. The petition highlights the fact that CBC aired an investigation on gender selection, revealing that ultrasound clinics were revealing the sex of an unborn child, and that often, if it were a girl, the pregnancy were terminated. Gender selection has been strongly condemned by all parties within the House. Ninety-two per cent of Canadians believe that sex selection pregnancy termination should be illegal. Along with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, they vehemently oppose this practice. The petitioners call upon the House to condemn, not endorse, this type of activity.

[Petitions, November 1st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition signed by a number of people from beautiful Langley, British Columbia. They say that 92% of Canadians believe that sex selection should be illegal. They are saying that millions of missing women and girls as a result of sex selection is one of the main causes of human trafficking worldwide. They are calling upon the House of Commons to condemn this practice.

[World Food Day, October 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is World Food Day.

I am honoured to be able to tell the House about a wonderful event that is taking place in my constituency of beautiful Langley, British Columbia. Tomorrow at the Langley Events Centre, in the largest Canadian event of its kind, more than 1,600 people will come together, many of them local secondary school students, to bring attention to the needs of world food security.

World Food Day is a United Nations sanctioned day.

This incredible group of students and residents will be joining the Food for Famine Society to encourage all of us to do our part to end world hunger and poverty. This event will be livestreamed online at worldfooddaycanada.ca.

Please join me in encouraging this dedicated group of people for making a difference to end world hunger and poverty.

[Committees of the House, October 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

In accordance with its order of reference of Wednesday, September 19, 2012, your committee has considered Bill C-370, An act to amend the Canada National Parks Act (St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada) and agreed on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, to report it without amendment.

[Langley's Seniors of the Year, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to congratulate Langley's seniors of the year, Toots Tucker and David Esworthy.

These two people have been recognized in Langley for their cheerful spirits, generous hearts and countless hours of volunteering.

At age 83, David Esworthy has been inducted to B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. He is a past president of the Langley Chamber of Commerce and was awarded the chairman's award from the Vancouver Board of Trade.

Toots Tucker is 74 years old. She is a lady who has devoted her life to helping others. She volunteers with Langley seniors, the Langley Field Naturalists Society, the Canadian Blood Services, Cops for Cancer and many more.

These two incredible Langley residents have left a legacy for all Canadians to follow, giving back to their community.

We thank David and Toots for being who they are and for making Langley beautiful.

[Petitions, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present a petition from constituents of the beautiful Langley, British Columbia.

The petitioners ask Parliament to recognize Canadian law and amend section 223 of the Criminal Code to show that humans will be recognized as humans in such a way to reflect 21st century medical evidence.

[Special Committee on Subsection 223(1) of the Criminal Code, September 21st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to speak to Motion No. 312 that has been tabled by the member for Kitchener Centre calling for a study of Canada's 400-year-old definition of a human being. I am saddened by some of the comments I have heard falsely describing this man of honour. I have had the privilege of working with him in this House since 2008. He is a man of integrity, logic and a man people in this House respect. I think what he has asked for is reasonable.

It is important that we, as members of Parliament, do not exaggerate and turn to rhetoric but that we show one another respect, listen to one another and that we debate and build good laws. If laws need to be changed, that should be based on science and logic, not on rhetoric. We want a better Canada for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and for coming generations.

As I share my speech, I have questions that go to my heart. Why is Canada out of sync with the rest of the world? Why does Canada have legislation that is on par with North Korea? Why do we have 400-year-old legislation when the rest of the world has moved on? We have heard about going back to the dark ages.

The member for Kitchener Centre is saying that we should move into the future. We need to look at what is happening in the rest of the world and have a study based on science and all the best evidence. We need to protect women's rights but we also must protect everyone's rights, the rights of women, children, adults and all human rights.

I am saddened that the rhetoric is so strong at times and that it is not based on logic. Maybe they are afraid of the truth and what that study would reveal.

It is important to understand that the context of the motion is about Canada's 400-year-old definition of a human being. Remarkably, polls show that almost 80% of Canadians think that Canada's law already protects children in the last trimester before birth. Sadly, that is not true. There is no legislation in Canada protecting children until the point of complete birth. Is that in line with what is reasonable? The rest of the world, other than North Korea and Canada, have said that it is not reasonable and that is not what scientific evidence shows.

Section 223(1) actually strips away all recognition of humanity from children until the point of complete birth. Subsection 223(1) is a law that actually says that some human beings are not human. As parliamentarians, we have an important job to do with informing Canadians that our law does not protect human rights in any way before the moment of complete birth. It reads:

A child becomes a human being within the meaning of this Act when it has completely proceeded, in a living state, from the body of its mother, whether or not

(a) it has breathed;

(b) it has an independent circulation;

or (c) the navel string is severed.

A child whose little toe is still in the birth canal and has not fully proceeded from its mother's body is, therefore, not human in Canada and can be and is terminated. How can that possibly be right and just in a Canadian society when it is not in the rest of the world other than Canada and North Korea? Why does our law take such an unusual position in spite of all the recent advances in medical science about the development of a child before birth? Canada is a world leader in those sciences. Why does Canadian law say that a child is not a human being until the moment of complete birth when any parent knows that a child is there?

Most parents are able to hear their child's heartbeat and even see their child sucking their little thumb long before the moment of complete birth. Why does Canadians law decree that such children are not human before the moment of complete birth? That is a good question and the study would, hopefully, provide some guidance.

The study that is being requested would have no conclusions. It would be a study to find out the facts. Maybe the committee would make recommendations, maybe not. It would be up to the committee. Why would we be afraid of a study?

Why is it so important that Parliament recognize the fundamental human rights of every human being? The answer can be found in the sweep of history over the past 400 years since our definition of human being was enacted. We can look throughout history with horror. Tragedy after tragedy resulted when powerful people decreed that some people would not be treated as human beings. However, one after another around the world laws which stripped the vulnerable of fundamental human rights have been repealed.

History will look back on this moment when we members were debating this issue in the House. Maybe we will look back on our lives when we breathe our last breath. This summer I said good-bye to my father-in-law. I have said good-bye to my father and my mother. Those times have made me look back on my life. Will I have regrets or will I hold my head high on how I voted this coming Wednesday on this motion? Will I be afraid of the truth, or will I go for it and do the right thing? I hope all of us will do the right thing.

Apart from a diminishing number of states in the U.S., the only other country in the world that shares Canada's complete lack of recognition of human rights before birth is North Korea.

In Canada every year there are 40 to 50 infants who were born alive but died later due to injuries inflicted during pregnancy termination, when no human rights were recognized in Canadian law.

Canadian courts have repeatedly ruled that it is Parliament's duty, we members here in this sacred House, to decide at what point human rights for children should begin.

Should those rights begin at the age of viability? Should they be the same as the standard in Europe, which is approximately 12 weeks? Some governments in Europe identify it as being earlier than 12 weeks. The choice to end a pregnancy can be made a bit earlier than 12 weeks or not at all, but the standard in Europe is 12 weeks. Nothing can be done after 12 weeks; one has the choice up to 12 weeks. In the United States, it is the age of viability, which is about 20 weeks.

Why does Canada have the same policies as North Korea? A study would reveal that.

We need to make decisions and laws in this country that are based on logic, science and truth. I therefore will be supporting this motion.

I want to thank the member for Kitchener Centre for his integrity and his honesty, and for bringing this matter before the House.

[Petitions, September 21st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition from a number of constituents. I have received thousands of postcards on this issue.

The petitioners point out that Canada's 400-year-old definition of a human being, which says that a child does not become a human being until the point of complete birth, is contrary to 21st century medical evidence. They also point out that Parliament has the sole duty to reject any law that says some human beings are not human.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon the House of Commons to confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending section 223 of the Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.