CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 138 Ï NUMBER 150 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 37th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, November 4, 2003 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) All parliamentary publications are available on the ``Parliamentary Internet Parlementaire´´ at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 9111 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, November 4, 2003 The House met at 10 a.m. Because of this very commitment we have made, we as a committee put forward recommendations that I think will mitigate against these kinds of situations in the future, not necessarily to keep them from happening but certainly for us to be able to accommodate Prayers in the way we have this time and certainly encourage other countries to do the same. Ï (1005) [English] GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND ESTIMATES MEMBERS' EXPENDITURES REPORT Mr. Derek Lee (Scarborough—Rouge River, Lib.): Mr. The Speaker: I have the honour to lay upon the table a document Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, entitled “Public Disclosure of Members' Expenditures Report” for the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Government the fiscal year 2002-03. Operations and Estimates, entitled “Matters Related to the Review of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner”. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS The report was adopted unanimously and relates to an earlier [Translation] report, the fifth report, of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, and deals with a matter of privilege. I will GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PETITIONS be rising later today on that matter of privilege. Mr. Geoff Regan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Madam *** Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to nine petitions. [Translation] *** [English] FOOD, DRUGS AND NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS ACT COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE Mr. Bernard Bigras (Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, BQ) moved for AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD leave to introduce C-465, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (natural health products). Mr. Paul Steckle (Huron—Bruce, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour this morning to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, He said: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce today my private entitled “The Investigation and the Government Response Following member's bill amending the Food and Drugs Act so that, once and the Discovery of a Single Case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalo- for all, the real value of natural health products will be recognized. pathy”. Also, in presenting the report, we request that the government, within the normal 150 days, respond in its usual way to the committee. This bill would include natural health products as a separate class in the Food and Drugs Act. I might say that this single case of BSE, which is what we more commonly know it as, has certainly forever changed the beef industry in Canada, but because of the transparency and our Five years after the tabling of a report by the health standing identification systems we were able to have the countries with which committee, this bill is a response to the report, which suggested in its we normally do business, because we are an integrated industry, 53 recommendations that natural health products be recognized in allow us to get back into the export market. our legislation, because they are neither drugs nor food. 9112 COMMONS DEBATES November 4, 2003 Routine Proceedings (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) including in legislation, as defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, and they call *** upon the Government of Canada and the Parliament of Canada to [English] uphold its previous commitment to take all necessary steps to defend the traditional definition of marriage. I am most pleased and PETITIONS honoured to present these petitions. MARRIAGE FOREIGN AFFAIRS Mrs. Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, Cana- dian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pembroke, I present a petition to keep the traditional Mr. Peter Goldring (Edmonton Centre-East, Canadian definition of marriage as that being between one man and one Alliance): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to rise today to present woman to the exclusion of all others. The petitioners maintain that petitions signed by many Canadians from all across the country. marriage is an institution which pre-exists the state because it is They are calling upon Parliament and Canada to give continued based on a profound human need for having children and continuing support to the allied effort that is helping the people of Iraq to be the family from generation to generation and because marriage is a free. unique social institution that provides a supportive relationship between a woman and a man who together create the most successful HEALTH environment for the rearing of children. The petitioners also maintain that marriage is an institution so basic to the human condition and Mr. Philip Mayfield (Cariboo—Chilcotin, Canadian Alliance): common good that its nature is beyond that of the civil law to Mr. Speaker, I have petitions from my constituency, particularly change. Williams Lake. The petitioners are asking Parliament, particularly Ï (1010) the Standing Committee on Health, to fully examine and study a report of Parliament on whether or not abortions are medically TRADE necessary for the purpose of maintaining health, preventing disease, Mr. Svend Robinson (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP): Mr. Speaker, or diagnosing or treating an injury, illness or disability in accordance today I have the honour of presenting a petition signed by 55 with the Canada Health Act, and the health risks for women signatories from across Canada. Signatures were collected by undergoing abortions compared to women carrying their babies to Common Frontiers and represent over 61,000 Canadians who have full term. voiced their grave concern about the upcoming FTAA. MARRIAGE They suggest that it could pose a threat to the right of citizens across Canada and the Americas to health, an internationally Mr. Paul Szabo (Mississauga South, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I am recognized human right that includes the right to affordable medical pleased to present two petitions today. care and the right to a healthy environment. They are concerned that the FTAA could jeopardize universal medicare and the laws and regulations that protect public health through environmental The first petition is in regard to the notwithstanding clause in integrity. They have called upon Parliament to stop negotiation of relation to the issue of marriage. The petitioners simply want to draw the FTAA and all trade agreements that put profits before public to the attention of the House the fact that they disagree with the well-being, and to remove chapter 11 from NAFTA, which allows Ontario Court of Appeal decision that the definition of marriage is investors to sue governments for public policies that curb profits, unconstitutional. They also want to point out that the Constitution even those policies that protect public health or the environment. provides for an override, referred to as the notwithstanding clause, They point out as well that next month Common Frontiers will join section 33, and therefore the petitioners call upon Parliament to all of its signatures with millions collected from across Latin invoke the notwithstanding clause and pass laws so that the America and present them in Miami at the FTAA ministerial definition of marriage will be the legal union of a man and a meeting. woman to the exclusion of all others. The signatories represent people such as executive vice-president Barb Byers and Sheila Katz of the Canadian Labour Congress, Ken The second petition is with regard to the June 1999 position of Luckhardt of the Canadian Auto Workers, Molly Kane of Inter Parliament on the matter of the definition of marriage. The Pares, and Tony Clarke, director of the Polaris Institute. petitioners want to remind the House that on June 8, 1999, by a vote of 216 to 55, the House did ratify and reaffirm the definition of MARRIAGE marriage. The petitioners therefore would again call upon Parliament Mr. Pat O'Brien (London—Fanshawe, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I am to take all necessary means to maintain and support the above in receipt of petitions signed by 25,000 people from London, definition of marriage in Canada. Ontario, and across southwestern Ontario, and am in the process of certifying these petitions. Today I would like to present some 3,500 ELECTORAL SYSTEM signatures from the petition. These petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to reaffirm the traditional definition of Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I am marriage. They note that Parliament is on record several times, very pleased to rise in the House today to present two petitions. November 4, 2003 COMMONS DEBATES 9113 Government Orders The first petition is signed by residents of East Vancouver and QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER Vancouver who supported the NDP motion in the House to call for a referendum to see if Canadians want to change the electoral system. Mr. Geoff Regan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of The petitioners call upon the government to hold a referendum the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I within one year to establish if Canadians wish to replace the current ask that all questions be allowed to stand. system with a system of proportional representation. Ï (1015) The Deputy Speaker: Is that agreed? FOREIGN AFFAIRS Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the Some hon.