House of Commons Debates
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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 146 Ï NUMBER 248 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 16379 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, May 7, 2013 The House met at 10 a.m. EXPANSION AND CONSERVATION OF CANADA'S NATIONAL PARKS ACT Hon. Peter MacKay (for the Minister of the Environment) moved that Bill S-15, an act to amend the Canada National Parks Act Prayers and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act and to make consequential amendments to the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, be read the first time. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS (Motion agreed to and bill read the first time) Ï (1005) *** [English] PETITIONS GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PETITIONS GENETICALLY MODIFIED ALFALFA Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of Mr. Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I rise today the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, to present a petition regarding genetically modified alfalfa. It is pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both signed by constituents in my riding and the surrounding area. official languages, the government's response to 13 petitions. NUCLEAR FUEL PROCESSING LICENCE *** Mr. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I have two NAVIGABLE WATERS PROTECTION ACT petitions to present today. Mr. Craig Scott (Toronto—Danforth, NDP) moved for leave to Several months ago, the people in my riding of Davenport in introduce Bill C-506, an act to amend the Navigable Waters Toronto awoke to the fact that for 50 years now, GE Hitachi has been Protection Act (Don River). operating a nuclear fuel processing facility right in the middle of the riding, right in the middle of one of the most densely populated parts He said: Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce this bill to restore of the country. Its operating licence states that it is to engage the protection of the Don River in Toronto, running as it does from the public in a public information program, which it clearly has not Port Lands in Toronto—Danforth all the way to the Don's source, 28 done, and in fact has not done for 50 years. kilometres north in the Oak Ridges Moraine. This bill, which is seconded by my colleagues from Toronto from Beaches—East York, The petitioners are asking the government to reopen the licence so Trinity—Spadina and Davenport, is part of the NDP's effort to urge that the people in my riding and in the city can have their due course the Conservatives to reverse reckless changes to the Navigable of public engagement on this issue. Waters Protection Act in their last budget and to restore protection of Canada's lakes and rivers. CONSUMER PROTECTION Mr. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the second The historic Don and the Don Valley through which it flows are petition I present today comes from members of my riding who are iconic symbols of Toronto and are valued parts of our community very concerned, if not angry, over the fact that many people are history and environmental culture. Over the years, the rejuvenation being charged money, $2.00 and more, just to get their paper bills in of the Don River has been a stellar example of community-building the mail. and of the dedication of hundreds of volunteers and community organizations conscious of our need for green spaces and a healthy The petitioners call for the government to take measures to stop environment. this practice. The bill would seek to continue to protect and enhance the Don's SEX SELECTION natural heritage for the city of Toronto. Mr. Leon Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright, CPC): Mr. Speaker, (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) I have two petitions to present. 16380 COMMONS DEBATES May 7, 2013 Government Orders The first petition is signed by Canadians who recognize that CBC [English] revealed some time ago that gender selection pregnancy termination is happening in Canada. LYME DISEASE Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP): Mr. Speaker, The petitioners point out that 92% of Canadians oppose this I rise to present two petitions. gender selection abortion and that all parties in the House condemned this practice. The first is from residents of Winnipeg supporting my private member's bill, BillC-442, calling for a national Lyme disease The petitioners call upon the House of Commons, as a House, to strategy. It is particularly timely, as this Saturday, May 11, is World condemn it so the world can see that we simply do not accept that Lyme Disease Day. here in Canada. THE ENVIRONMENT RIGHTS OF THE UNBORN Mr. Leon Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright, CPC): Mr. Speaker, Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP): Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by petitioners who point out that the second petition is from residents of the Vancouver area who are Canada's definition of a human being is 400 years old. calling on the government and this House to support a permanent, legislated moratorium on supertanker traffic on the coast of British The petitioners call upon Parliament to take into account the Columbia. science of the last 400 years to redefine when life starts. IMPAIRED DRIVING GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS Mr. Mark Warawa (Langley, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am Mr. Mike Sullivan (York South—Weston, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I honoured to present two petitions. have a petition from numerous people in my riding and beyond. The petitioners are calling attention to the issue of genetically modified The first is about the sad fact that last year 22-year-old Kassandra organisms. They are calling on the government to conduct an Kaulius was killed by a drunk driver. A group of people, Families for independent inquiry on the safety of genetically modified organisms Justice, who have also lost loved ones to impaired drivers want to and to provide clear evidence that genetically modified organisms in see tougher laws and the implementation of a new mandatory food are not a risk to humans or the environment. minimum sentencing for those persons convicted of impaired driving causing death. They also want to see the Criminal Code changed to [Translation] redefine the offence of impaired driving to be vehicular manslaugh- TELECOMMUNICATIONS ter. Mr. Pierre Dionne Labelle (Rivière-du-Nord, NDP): Mr. SEX SELECTION Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by residents of Mr. Mark Warawa (Langley, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the second Prévost who are opposed to Vidéotron erecting a telecommunica- petition is regarding sex-selective pregnancy termination. The tions tower in their community. They feel as though the rights of petitioners highlight that there are over 200 million missing women residents and people in neighbouring communities were not and girls in the world right now because of the gendercide. They are respected. asking Parliament to condemn this practice. CANADA POST *** Ms. Françoise Boivin (Gatineau, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to table. The first, which is signed by hundreds of QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER Gatineau residents, pertains to the potential closure of the post office Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of located at 139 Racine Street in Gatineau. These people are opposed the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I to the closure of their post office, which is the only post office in the ask that all questions be allowed to stand. riding of Gatineau. The Speaker: Is that agreed? Ï (1010) TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION Some hon. members: Agreed. Ms. Françoise Boivin (Gatineau, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the second petition is in support of Bill C-452, which seeks to combat trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation. GOVERNMENT ORDERS HEALTH [English] Ms. Françoise Boivin (Gatineau, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the third petition can be found on my website. I am not surprised, because ECONOMIC ACTION PLAN 2013 ACT, NO. 1 health is a priority for Gatineau residents. They are calling on the The House resumed from May 6 consideration of the motion that Government of Canada to fully co-operate with the provinces and Bill C-60, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget territories to negotiate a new health accord by 2014. This is tabled in Parliament on March 21, 2013 and other measures, be read extremely important to the people of Gatineau. the second time and referred to a committee, and of the amendment. May 7, 2013 COMMONS DEBATES 16381 Government Orders Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister taxpayers, of course. They never authorized it and they cannot hold of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and for the to account the unelected officials who did. Politicians can claim Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, innocence, for it was an arm's-length body that did it. Sure, the arms CPC): Mr. Speaker, let us speak of kings and queens and crowns. had enough length to reach into the pockets of taxpayers, but never mind; these crown corporations are independent. Actually, they are At the culmination of the Glorious Revolution in 1689, the British dependent on the same taxpayers they are independent from. In fact, Parliament allowed William III and Mary II to ascend to the throne, we are told their very independence depends on their right to be but there was a catch: they would need to accept the convention of dependent on the people they are independent from. Simply put, they the right and the Bill of Rights, which established Parliament as the are independently dependent.