Maurice Vellacott

[Petitions, October 30th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition with a number of names on it. These individuals maintain that it is unethical to harm or destroy some human beings in order to benefit others, i.e. destroying human embryos. They therefore ask that instead of embryonic stem cell research there be adult stem cell research, which holds enormous potential and does not pose the serious ethical questions of stem cell research using embryos and aborted fetal tissue. The petitioners ask that the Government of Canada ban embryo research and direct the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to support and fund only promising ethical research that does not involve the destruction of human life.

[Petitions, October 30th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, these several dozen petitioners remind us that modern science has unequivocally and irrefutably established that a human being begins to exist at the moment of conception. In view of that they ask that the government bring in legislation defining a human fetus or embryo from the moment of conception, whether in the womb of the mother or not, whether conceived naturally or otherwise, as a human being, and making any and all consequential amendments to all Canadian laws as required.

[Criminal Code, October 30th, 2002]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-276, an act to amend the Criminal Code to prohibit coercion in medical procedures that offend a person's religion or belief that human life is inviolable.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the summary stated by the Speaker, the bill simply seeks to ensure that health care providers will never be forced to participate against their wills in procedures such as abortions or acts of euthanasia.

Canada has a long history of recognizing the rights of freedom of religion and conscience in our country and yet health care workers and those seeking to be educated for the health care system have often been denied those rights in medical facilities and educational institutions. Some have even been wrongfully dismissed.

The bill would make those conscience rights explicit in law and would safeguard health care workers' fundamental human rights.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Canada Transportation Act, October 30th, 2002]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-275, an act to amend the Canada Transportation Act.

Mr. Speaker, the bill simply but significantly amends the Canada Transportation Act to address rail transportation inefficiencies primarily as they impact western farmers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Criminal Code, October 30th, 2002]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-274, an act to amend the Criminal Code (impaired driving).

Mr. Speaker, this third bill is simply meant to strengthen the penalty against those found guilty on more than one occasion of impaired driving or a failure to provide a blood or breath sample.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Correctional and Conditional Release Act, October 30th, 2002]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-273, an act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and the Criminal Code (truth in sentencing).

Mr. Speaker, I am endeavouring to move this along quickly and be very curt and to the point. I am also reintroducing this bill that amends the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to simply provide for truth in sentencing.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Supreme Court Act, October 30th, 2002]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-272, an act to amend the Supreme Court Act (appointment of judges).

Mr. Speaker, the bill is pretty straightforward and quite self-explanatory. I am simply reintroducing a bill that would provide parliamentary accountability for Supreme Court of Canada appointments.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Canadian Executive Service Organization, October 30th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the outstanding efforts of one of my constituents who recently returned from working overseas for the Canadian Executive Service Organization.

Dr. Kevin Falk went to Lhasa, Tibet to advise the Agricultural Institute of Tibet on improving the breeding techniques and quality of rapeseed.

After touring facilities and meeting with section breeders, Kevin passed on to the Tibetans helpful information acquired from work done at our Saskatoon Research Centre. The success of the program for improvement of breeding techniques and quality hinges on using adapted Tibetan land varieties crossed with canola quality germplasm from the Saskatoon Research Centre. Kevin trained about 20 persons, half of whom were women.

This is the Canadian Executive Service Organization's 35th year of exemplary service. Kevin is typical of their highly skilled volunteers.

We are proud of Kevin's effort to stimulate development in disadvantaged economies, and I commend these efforts by one of my Saskatoon constituents. Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Falk.

[Petitions, October 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, a number of petitioners draw to the attention of the House that hundreds of thousands of Canadians suffer from debilitating diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer and so on. They point out that Canadians do support ethical stem cell research but do not support embryonic stem cell research because of more apparent benefits from adult stem cell research.

The petitioners therefore call upon Parliament to focus its legislative support for adult stem cell research to find the cures and therapies necessary to treat the illnesses and diseases of suffering Canadians.

[Petitions, October 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, several hundred petitioners draw attention to the House that modern science has unequivocally and irrefutably established that human life begins at conception.

They therefore request that the government bring in legislation defining a human fetus or embryo from the moment of conception on, whether in the womb of the mother or not, and whether conceived naturally or otherwise as a human being, and making any and all consequential amendments to all Canadian laws as required.