Criminal Code  moved that Bill C-293, an act to amend the Criminal Code (theft of a motor vehicle), be read the second time and referred to a committee. Madam Speaker, it is an exciting day for me in being able to have this debate on Bill C-293. I would like to thank my colleague from Wild Rose, Alberta, a good friend and a good Canadian.

An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for sharing with us his perspective on Bill C-48. He brought up very good points. Canadians are overtaxed, they want to have some relief and the Conservative Party will offer that. Bill C-48 is not what was originally presented to the House. It has been modified.

An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments  Madam Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to ask a question of the member across. I believe that the budget bill, Bill C-48, does not deal with the concerns of Canadians. I think it misses opportunities. It is a lot of misdirected talk but no action. For example, we have heard about the Liberals' desire to focus on clean air and clean water, but it is only the Conservatives who, in action, have been fighting for clean air, clean water and a clean environment.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I rise to present another petition also dealing with marriage. It says that marriage is the best foundation for families and for raising children and that marriage is the exclusive jurisdiction of Parliament to decide. The petitioners ask that Parliament pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being a union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

Conservative Party of Canada  Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party is the government in waiting and stands for what Canadians want. Conservatives believe in honesty and accountability, not Liberal corruption and scandal. Conservatives believe in the Canada Health Act and the right to access publicly funded health care, not a Liberal health care mess created by 12 years of Liberal mismanagement.

Message from the Senate  Mr. Speaker, this is the third fiscal year that we are in regarding compassionate care. It is not a brand new program. The review has been going on for a year now. The appeal board said that the minister needs to review this issue as an urgent and critical matter because time is sensitive.

Message from the Senate  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the government to give an account regarding the compassionate care program. As we know, the compassionate care program is a program that was established and announced in the Speech from the Throne in 2002 and again in the budget speech of the following year.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from the wonderful people of Langley, my riding. The petitioners state that marriage is the best foundation for families and for raising children, that the institution of marriage is being challenged and that it is in the jurisdiction of Parliament to decide the definition of marriage.

Petitions  Madam Speaker, I rise today to present petitions from across Canada. I have 13 petitions which contain hundreds of signatures. The petitioners ask that Parliament use all possible legislation, and administrative measures if necessary, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, if I bought a toaster or another electrical appliance, I would know it would not electrocute me because it would have a ULC sticker on it. It is a safety standard. It is the same with immobilizers. Canadians are trusting that when we have immobilizers, they will be effective.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, I am here to talk about immobilizers. An immobilizer is an electronic device in motor vehicles, in cars and trucks, that keeps them from being started unless one has the proper key. About 65% of the vehicles manufactured and sold in Canada now have immobilizers. This is something I have been working on for about the last five years.

Civil Marriage Act  Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to speak again on behalf of my constituents of Langley on the government's plan to change the historic definition of marriage. Thousands of Langley residents responded to my request for input and 96% said they want me to vote to uphold the traditional definition of marriage being between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I have two sets of petitions. The first is from a number of residents from Langley in the greater Vancouver area. They are petitioning Parliament to consider autism therapy for children with autism as a medically necessary treatment. They are also asking for the creation of an academic chair at a university in each province to teach treatment to deal with autism.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I also have five petitions dealing with marriage. The petitioners are asking Parliament to use all possible legislative and administrative measures, including invoking section 33 of the charter if necessary, to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

Employment Insurance Act  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill C-280. The purpose of the bill is to address the EI surplus that has been accumulating over the last six years since the Liberals set aside the rate setting process. Bill C-280 contains two key elements: first, to establish a separate account to ensure that access to funds raised through premiums do not go to general revenue; and second, to ensure that the government cannot set aside the rate setting process without House approval.