Criminal Code  We need answers to these kinds of questions. The decision on hepatitis C was unanimous. Nobody voted against it. Everybody in this place was in favour of giving the victims of hepatitis C a cheque. Today they still have not received them, and I would like to know why. After eight months, the government cannot achieve that?

Criminal Code  They would not even back the memory of Chuck Cadman. Look at what they are doing. They are going to be voting against the bill. It is the essence of Chuck Cadman”. It is not the essence of Chuck Cadman. Chuck Cadman understood that while some of the parts of the bill are essential, truly the devil is in the details.

Criminal Code  Therefore, politicians should treat the theft of an automobile as a very serious crime. However, the Liberals and the NDP just do not get it. They voted against every attempt on the part of the Conservative Party to enact tough minimum sentences for car thieves. I do not understand that. How many times do people have to steal cars before they are considered a threat to the community?

Criminal Code  We saw the denial by members across the way who did not support the raising of the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16 years in order to protect youth from sexual predators. The Liberals voted against that bill. More and more as we listen to members on the other side, I think it is a travesty to use Mr. Cadman's name and not use his expertise. We have heard over and over what an honourable man Mr.

Criminal Code  Perhaps the member would comment on what we have seen to be a pattern of government behaviour in its opposition to mandatory minimums, its opposition to positive justice measures. The week before last, the government voted against changing the age of consent from 14 to 16. This is unbelievable. The Minister of Justice said he did not want to criminalize puppy love. I do not know how there can be puppy love between a 14 year old and a 50 year old.

Criminal Code  It saddens me because we have, as I said before, within these last few days had members opposite vote against raising the age of consent and talk about trafficking in persons. We have had nothing about the gun registry being shut down to put those much needed forces on the street, those front line police officers.

Criminal Code  It is a regrettable time in the House of Commons. Just a few short days ago, members opposite voted against raising the age of consent from 14 to 16. It is a regrettable time when justice issues are so watered down that in actual fact it renders things very ineffective, especially in memory of the member of Parliament for Surrey North, who spent so much of his time fighting for justice issues.

Canada Elections Act  The response also attempts to establish some government achievements that have been made in strengthening the role of Parliament, including the creation of an independent ethics commissioner reporting to Parliament. The Prime Minister sat on that promise for over 10 years. He even voted against an opposition motion that called on his government to implement that very promise which came straight from the Liberal red book. The Liberals had to be embarrassed into implementing that change and only after being pressured by the opposition for over 10 years.

Assistance to Hepatitis C Victims  She was one of those in the Liberal Party at the time, a backbencher at the time, who publicly wept because she was forced by the Prime Minister of Canada to vote against that package. That is not just a story that we are making up as we go along; it actually happened. There are other members from over there as well. I am sure there are cabinet members.

Assistance to Hepatitis C Victims  These are good people on the other side of the chamber, but they were forced to vote against their own conscience. That is the kind of government we have. What a disgrace. The point I just made strikes at the heart of the issue.The leadership of this Liberal government did not have the courage to support the opposition motion in 1998.

Justice  Speaker, after two years of this Liberal government, our per capita rate of auto theft has now surpassed the U.S. level. Last night, this government voted against a Conservative bill that would have given the courts the power to set mandatory jail sentences for car thieves. When, then, will the Minister of Justice acknowledge that mandatory prison sentences are justified?

Civil Marriage Act  In fact, if many of the members opposite take the opportunity to listen to debate and to contemplate the position that they themselves supported in the House six years ago, many members of the Liberal government, perhaps even the Prime Minister, may realize the benefit of the position put forward by the Conservative Party and vote against Bill C-38. At the very least, I would hope that we will not see a further erosion of democracy in this Parliament through the heavy-handed tactics of the Liberal government. The Conservative Party stance on this issue speaks to the majority of Canadians who are in the middle on this issue.

Criminal Code  The government is not doing anything about it. When the Liberals have the opportunity, they reject it. They vote against those rights. Now we are going to give them another chance. Collectively, my good friends from Lethbridge and Calgary and I are working together on this. We want this bill passed for the sake of the parents who are struggling with their kids and trying to save them from these very situations that they need not be in.

Criminal Code  The Liberals have something wrong with their heads. We have brought this before the House time and again. Who rejects it? Who votes against it? It is the people who are professing “rights” all day and all week long on another issue. It is double-talk, it is hypocritical and it is absolutely a shame that it continues day after day.

Civil Marriage Act  Madam Speaker, I will make my question for the member for Toronto—Danforth fairly short. One of the members from his caucus, the member for Churchill, last night voted against the legislation and presumably will do so again tonight. If that happens, considering how emphatically the member stated this is a matter of human rights, will he allow her to remain part of the caucus or will he stick with principle and say that people who are opposed to his idea of human rights must leave his party?