Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to present two petitions from my constituents. The first petition calls upon Parliament to establish a department of peace that would reinvigorate Canada's role as a global peace builder and that would have the abolition of nuclear weapons as a top priority.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, the second petition is with regard to physician-assisted suicide. The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to allow sufficient time for broad and timely consultations on this issue and that any legislation passed be stringent and serve to minimize the occurrence of physician-assisted dying.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I would like to agree with the government House leader that this is perhaps not the most fruitful topic we could spend an entire day debating, but that said, I agree with the motion in that the appearance of a conflict of interest is as important as any real conflict.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague across the way for his speech. It is really good to hear that the government supports agriculture. I was also happy to hear the previous speaker talk about poultry and chickens and eggs. I have a few chickens at home, which I can assure members are outside the supply management system.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, as others have said before me, we are debating this evening one of the most important issues of our time. It is not just an important issue but a difficult issue. In fact, it is a real constellation of difficult issues and difficult decisions. It is an issue that has been a concern in Canada for decades, including the case of Sue Rodriguez more than 20 years ago.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, I was not here in the last Parliament, but it is my understanding that the special expert review panel that was set up was not really judged by many to be completely unbiased and perhaps was not really the best way to move forward. It took many months to even establish that panel.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, I would agree with my colleague across the floor. Given the situation we are in now, the best course forward is to bring this legislation through and make it as good as we possibly can through amendments at committee. If we do not do that and we miss the deadline, as others have mentioned, we will be without legislation.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, while advance directives are clearly wanted by many people in progressive illness conditions, the legislation must make these directives crystal clear. We have to ensure these people really want this, the same safeguards that are there for the present directives. It is something that we must face.

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, my colleague made the comment that he would be happier if we could take six years to create this legislation. I wonder if he would like to comment on what would happen in the interim. I have already had one of my constituents choose to end his life through legal means, before we had this discussion here, because that is what he has available to him through the Supreme Court decision.

Post-Secondary Education  Mr. Speaker, ever since the old Liberals slashed billions in funding for post-secondary education, the cost of tuition has skyrocketed. Now, according to the parliamentary budget officer, a majority of Canadian students are from higher-income families. The PBO also said that a majority of federal funding is benefiting these same wealthy families and the Liberals' recent budget will not significantly change the situation.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his cabinet have spent a lot of time south of the border, yet we have not seen real action on some of our biggest challenges. Softwood lumber is a crucial industry employing thousands of Canadians. The existing softwood lumber deal has expired, and Canadian companies could face massive duties and job losses.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I would just like to ask the member what she might think about the charter compliance of Bill C-14, which we are talking about today, the compliance with the Supreme Court decision, and whether it might save a lot of taxpayer money if the government referred the bill directly to the Supreme Court.

Migratory Birds  Mr. Speaker, this year marks the centennial of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, a landmark piece of legislation that was the beginning of effective conservation efforts in North America. Saturday is International Migratory Bird Day, celebrating one of the most spectacular events on earth.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there. During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year.

Forestry Industry  Mr. Speaker, 100 days have now passed and we still have no deal on softwood lumber. The American industry claims Canadian producers are unfairly subsidized. We have fought 4 expensive trade battles in the last 35 years. In spite of assurances by the Minister of Trade little has been done to fix the problem, leaving Canadian producers, including those in British Columbia, to fight to survive.