CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 145 Ï NUMBER 029 Ï 3rd SESSION Ï 40th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, April 20, 2010 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 1701 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, April 20, 2010 The House met at 10 a.m. PETITIONS AIR PASSENGERS' BILL OF RIGHTS Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood—Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, Prayers I have two petitions to present to the House today. The first petition is signed by thousands of Canadians who are ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS calling on Parliament to adopt Canada's first air passengers' bill of rights, Bill C-310, which would compensate air passengers travelling Ï (1000) on all Canadian carriers, including charters, anywhere they fly in the world. [English] COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE The bill would provide compensation for overbooked flights, cancelled flights and long tarmac delays. It addresses such issues as CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION late or misplaced baggage. It would require all inclusive pricing by the airlines in all of their advertising. Airlines would need to inform Mr. David Tilson (Dufferin—Caledon, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I passengers of flight changes, delays or cancellations. The new rules have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third must be posted in the airport and airlines must inform passengers of report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in their rights and the process to file for compensation. relation to the citizenship guide. If the airlines follow the rules, it will cost them nothing. In fact, *** legislation of this type has been in Europe for over five years. Why ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE ACT should Air Canada passengers be treated better in Europe than they are in Canada? Mr. Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt, NDP) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-514, An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted The petitioners call upon the government to support Bill C-310, Police Act (lump sum). which would introduce Canada's first air passengers' bill of rights. He said: Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to table my private Ï (1005) member's bill. EARTHQUAKE IN CHILE RCMP officers put their lives in danger in the service of Canada and no amount of money to their beneficiaries could ever Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood—Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, compensate for their loss but a payment of $300,000 would at least the second petition is signed by dozens of Canadians calling on the ensure that these families are not left in a vulnerable financial Canadian government to match funds personally donated by the situation while they deal with their grief. citizens of Canada for the victims of the Chilean earthquake. This bill would also ensure payment is made to the beneficiary of On February 27, a huge 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit southern every officer killed in the line of duty irrespective of their time in Chile and the Canadian Chilean community has mobilized itself and service. has been raising money non-stop since then. They keep asking why the Prime Minister does not give the same treatment to the victims of I also wish to point out that this bill is consistent with one of the the Chilean earthquake victims as he did for the victims of the key priorities of members of the Canadian Police Association who Haitian earthquake and match funds personally donated by are on the Hill this week to bring their concerns directly to Canadians to help the victims of the Chilean earthquake. parliamentarians. EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE My colleague from Vancouver Kingsway is pleased to second this Mr. Mark Warawa (Langley, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I have two bill. petitions to present today. The first petition deals with medical (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) benefits. 1702 COMMONS DEBATES April 20, 2010 Routine Proceedings The petitioners are concerned that a number of severe, potentially [Text] life-threatening conditions do not qualify for disability programs because they are not necessarily permanent, that the current medical Question No. 123—Mr. Dennis Bevington: EI benefits of 15 weeks do not adequately address the problem and With respect to aviation security: (a) what are all terms of the agreement which that residents find themselves losing their homes and livelihoods Canada signed with Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Panama, the Dominican while trying to fight these severe medical conditions. Republic and the United States in Mexico City on February 17, 2010; (b) what steps will be taken to ensure the personal information of Canadians shared with these countries is protected and not used for any other purpose; and (c) when will this They are calling upon Parliament to enact specific legislation to agreement be presented to Parliament for review and debate? provide additional medical EI benefits to at least equal to maternity EI benefits. Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows: a) ASSISTED SUICIDE On February 17, 2010, Ministers and high-level officials from Mr. Mark Warawa (Langley, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the second Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, United States, Mexico, Panama petition is regarding counselling someone to commit suicide. and Dominican Republic, jointly with the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, issued a joint The petitioners state that people who experience depression and declaration recommending that States, in collaboration with ICAO mental illness need to be protected by the law, that youth in Canada and pursuant to international law and domestic law, regulations and are just as vulnerable as youth from around the world, that predators programs, establish procedures to strengthen their capacities to are both encouraging and counselling suicide without penalty assess and face civil aviation security risks and threats, thereby through the Internet and that predators can do this without fear of facilitating legitimate passenger and air cargo flows. prosecution. To this end, governments represented in the meeting signaled their The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to enable the intent to promote the implementation of measures to strengthen prosecution of those who encourage or counsel someone to commit travel document security, passenger screening procedures and suicide by updating the Canadian Criminal Code to reflect the new biometric information, to broaden existing cooperation mechanisms, realities of the 21st century, and to fund educational programs that to share best practices related to civil aviation, and to utilize modern empower people who experience depression and mental illness and technologies to detect and prevent the carriage of prohibited Canada's vulnerable youth to protect themselves from online materials. predators and to find appropriate community support resources. Furthermore, attending governments aim to systematically NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES collaborate within ICAO with a view to convening both international Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP): Mr. expert and intergovernmental meetings to agree upon actions in the Speaker, I have a petition signed by hundreds of residents of following fields: aviation security standards, information exchange, Toronto, Richmond Hill and Thornhill, Ontario. All of these research and development, and international cooperation. Canadians are calling upon the House of Commons and the b) Canada has not committed to sharing any personal information Government of Canada to support my motion, Motion No. 383, through this joint declaration. Plans for any future information and to vigorously participate in an international effort to push the exchange mechanisms will be developed with full respect for all Government of the People's Republic of China to ensure safe domestic laws on protection and confidentiality of personal passage for North Korean refugees to South Korea. information. As members know, the conditions in North Korea are absolutely appalling with famine and a brutal regime of thugs who persecute, c) By signing this declaration of intent, the Government of Canada torture and kill routinely the citizens of North Korea. Many North has simply reconfirmed its long-standing commitment to the Korean refugees manage to escape North Korea and they are continued strengthening of global aviation security, through returned by the Government of China back to North Korea, back to cooperation with other like-minded member states of the United certain death, torture and persecution. Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organization. These many residents of southern Ontario, hundreds of them, are *** calling upon the Government of Canada to push the Government of [English] the People's Republic of China to ensure safe passage for all of those refugees from the torture, persecution and physical violence that they QUESTIONS PASSED AS ORDERS FOR RETURNS are victim to every day. Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, *** if Questions Nos. 80, 81 and 90 could be made orders for return, QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER these returns would be tabled immediately. Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of The Speaker: Is that agreed? the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, Question No. 123 will be answered today. Some hon. members: Agreed. April 20, 2010 COMMONS DEBATES 1703 Business of Supply [Text] GOVERNMENT ORDERS Question No. 80—Ms. Jean Crowder: