Peter Stoffer

[Income Tax Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-222, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (physical activity and amateur sport fees).

Mr. Speaker, this bill has been around for a quite a while. I thank the government for introducing legislation in previous budgets that allows a very small deduction for amateur sports fees for children under 16 years of age. I would like that tax deduction for amateur sports fees to apply to all ages. For example, I pay annual dues to play on a soccer team. Some members in the House play hockey and they pay fees for that. There should be a tax deduction for people who join gymnasiums and various athletic associations.

Regardless of a person's age, the fee should be tax deductible to encourage further physical activity, not just for young children but for everybody in the country. This would result in a savings for our health care system down the road as well.

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

[Criminal Code, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-221, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (peace officers).

Mr. Speaker, when a peace officer pays the ultimate sacrifice and dies in the line of duty, it affects the entire country. We believe very strongly that the minimum sentence should be 25 years in jail with absolutely no chance of parole. Personally I would like to see it increased. The reality is that when a peace officer pays the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, the justice system should make it very clear, no ifs, ands or buts, that the criminal will serve a minimum of 25 years with no chance of parole during that period.

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

[Excise Tax Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-220, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (no GST on funeral arrangements).

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, there are two things hard to avoid and they are death and taxes, but when one has to pay tax on one's death, that is objectionable.

When the Conservatives introduced the GST in the 1980s, they put a tax on funeral and crematorium services. We think that is wrong. A grieving family should not have to pay tax for those services on the death of a loved one. We would like that tax removed from funeral and crematorium services and the sooner the better.

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

[Fisheries Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-219, An Act to amend the Fisheries Act (deposit in lakes).

Mr. Speaker, schedule 2 of the Mining Act allows mining companies to use freshwater aquatic systems of fish-bearing lakes as cheap waste disposal sites. We think that is absolutely wrong. We have seen three lakes in the great province of Newfoundland and Labrador now destroyed and four on Baffin Island are being destroyed. We also know that 16 across the country are slated for destruction.

Freshwater in this country is a fragile resource. Fish habitat must be one of the greatest priorities of the fisheries minister. We are asking that the government stop the practice, as was done in New Brunswick, of using freshwater habitat as toxic waste tailing ponds for mining companies.

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

[Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-218, An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act (increase of allowance for surviving spouse and children).

Mr. Speaker, this recommendation comes right out of the Royal Canadian Legion playbook from its last convention and the previous one as well.

The legion's members are concerned that when a veteran dies, unfortunately the surviving spouse only receives 50% of the veteran's pension, which means that most of the surviving spouses are living at or below the poverty level. They have asked that the amount be increased to up to two-thirds to offer more financial assistance to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran.

That recommendation comes from the Royal Canadian Legion. It is something this side fully supports. I know on an individual basis a few Conservatives support it as well.

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

[Employment Insurance Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-217, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (compassionate care benefits for caregivers).

Mr. Speaker, I worked on this bill for many years. This a reintroduction of a former bill. I give the previous Liberal government and the current Conservative government recognition for putting in a provision in a very small way into the Income Tax Act. However, the allowable leave is only for eight weeks.

We have asked that the Employment Insurance Act allow up to six months' leave. This would allow individuals to take time of work and stay at home to provide extreme rehabilitative care or palliative care to their loved ones.

We have a program which provides maternal and paternal leave for parents at the beginning of a child's life. We would like to have a complete program called eternity leave. This would allow people to care for their loved ones in their own homes for a period of up to six months. This would allow people who wish to die with dignity in their own homes the opportunity to do so under the care of their loved ones.

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

[Income Tax Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-216, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (services to a charity or public authority).

Mr. Speaker, there are many organizations, like legions and others, that do a great job in this country and yet the membership dues to those particular agencies are not necessarily tax deductible.

We are looking for more people to join things like the army, navy, air force veterans halls, legions, et cetera, but we think the membership dues they pay to join should be completely tax deductible.

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

[Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-215, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Sackville — Eastern Shore.

Mr. Speaker, a few folks would know that in my riding is the great community of Preston. It has the largest indigenous black population in Canada. They trace their roots back over 400 years.

The community of Preston is a very historic and wonderful community and it is geographically right in the centre of my riding.

I would like to change the name of my riding from Sackville—Eastern Shore to Sackville--Preston--Eastern Shore in recognition of that fabulous community.

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

[Tartan Day Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-214, An Act respecting a Tartan Day.

Mr. Speaker, this is in honour of our great friend and former colleague, Mr. Bill Blaikie, who is a very proud Scotsman.

Many Scots groups across the country, in just about every province and territory, have a tartan day on April 6. We ask that the federal government, in a non-monetary way, recognize April 6 as national tartan day to honour and recognize all those people from the great land of Scotland who migrated to Canada over the years and helped build this country.

Of course, being from Nova Scotia, new Scotland, we think it would be a wonderful gesture to honour and recognize their great sacrifice and service to our country.

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

[Financial Administration Act, November 21st, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-213, An Act to amend the Financial Administration Act and the Passport Services Fees Regulations (passports for veterans, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their spouses or common-law partners, and seniors).

Mr. Speaker, this bill comes from other countries. The United States, for example, allows its military and federal policing forces the opportunity to have their passports for free. They do not necessarily have to pay that charge.

We think this is something our country can adopt as well. It is a small, additional benefit to thank our serving men and women for their services. When they need a passport to travel, they will not have to pay anything for it, as they do now.

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