CANADA VOLUME 135 S NUMBER 017 S 1st SESSION S 36th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, October 21, 1997 Speaker: The Honourable Gilbert Parent 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 877 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, October 21, 1997 The House met at 10 a.m. D (1010 ) _______________ Most acutely, over the past few months, Canadians have wit- nessed in justified disgust how Canada’s courts automatically absolve murderers and rapists of all but their first offence through Prayers the very legal obscenity of concurrent sentencing. _______________ I would like to thank the member for Lambton—Kent—Middle- sex for seconding this bill and for joining the members of the House who place the rights of victims and the protection of ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS law-abiding citizens ahead of the interests of our most vocal predator protection industry. D (1005) (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) [English] * * * REFERENDUM ACT PETITIONS Mrs. Diane Ablonczy (Calgary—Nose Hill, Ref.) moved for IMPAIRED DRIVING leave to introduce Bill C-250, an act to amend the Referendum Act. Miss Deborah Grey (Edmonton North, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, in She said: Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to reintroduce a private accordance with Standing Order 36, I would like to present a member’s bill that I introduced in the last Parliament. It amends the couple of petitions on behalf of the people in Medley and Edmon- Referendum Act of Canada. Its purpose is to allow the people of ton, Alberta. Canada to actually do what democracy allows them to do and that is to rule. The petitioners state that there are profound inadequacies in the sentencing practices concerning individuals convicted of impaired In my view more mechanisms are needed for the people of driving charges. They think that Canada must embrace a philoso- Canada to have a direct say in the decisions which are made that phy of zero tolerance toward individuals who drive while impaired affect their future. This referendum bill sets out a mechanism that by alcohol or drugs. allows the people of the country to play a larger and more specific role in the legislative process. Therefore, the petitioners pray and request that Parliament proceed immediately with amendments to the Criminal Code that I look forward to debate on this bill and perhaps to it being will ensure that the sentence given to anyone convicted of driving passed by the House. while impaired or causing injury or death while impaired reflects both the severity of the crime and zero tolerance by Canada toward (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) this crime. The sooner we act on that the better. * * * CRIMINAL CODE CRIMINAL CODE Miss Deborah Grey (Edmonton North, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, I have another enormous petition which conforms to Standing Order Ms. Albina Guarnieri (Mississauga East, Lib.) moved for 36. It is signed by literally thousands of residents in the Edmonton, leave to introduce Bill C-251, an act to amend the Criminal Code Sherwood Park, northern Alberta area and by many other people and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (cumulative across Canada who are talking about the dreadful murder of Susan sentences). Klassen of Yukon. She said: Mr. Speaker, I stand yet again for the victims of This petition comes from her sister, Brenda MacDonald, in my multiple murderers and other serial predators to introduce for the constituency and from deeply concerned citizens. They believe that third time a bill to end volume discounts for rapists and murderers. the provocation defence as it is currently used in femicide and wife 878 COMMONS DEBATES October 21, 1997 Routine Proceedings slaughter cases inappropriately and unjustly changes the focus of These petitioners ask Parliament to consider changing the age of the criminal trial from the behaviour of the accused to the consent from 14 to 16, which could assist in the prosecution of behaviour of the victim who, from then on, is identified as the one adults who buy sex from young people because the adult could then responsible for the accused violence. It is shameful and it is not be charged with sexual assault. It would not be necessary to prove right. some of the other things that are necessary under the current Criminal Code. More specifically, it is not consistent with the constitutional rights of women, including their right to equal protection and The efforts of these people to try to make the streets safer for benefit of the law and the right to life, liberty and security. young people and to try to make it difficult for predators to prey on young kids are a laudable effort. I support their goal. Thousands of people pray that the defence of provocation be dealt with in the Criminal Code just as soon as possible. I urge the It is interesting that many of the people who signed their names justice minister to do that. here are teenagers who feel that the current law needs to be changed. GASOLINE PRICES NATIONAL UNITY Mr. John Solomon (Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, NDP): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, it is my pleasure to Mr. Peter Adams (Peterborough, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have a present a petition this morning from many constituents of Regi- petition from some hundreds of Canadians who pray that the prime na—Lumsden—Lake Centre and other parts of Saskatchewan. minister and the Parliament of Canada declare and confirm imme- diately that Canada is indivisible and that the boundaries of The petitioners are very concerned about the pricing of gasoline Canada, its provinces, territories and territorial waters may be in this country. They feel that the price of gasoline is set by all modified only by a free vote of all Canadian citizens or through the companies in an unjustified manner. They believe that since energy amending formula as stipulated in the Canadian Constitution. is a key component and the most fundamental component of our economy, there should be some control of its pricing. HUMAN RIGHTS They call on Parliament to set up an energy price review commission to keep gasoline pricing and other energy products in Mr. Peter Adams (Peterborough, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have check. another petition from 200 residents of the region of Peterborough who draw the attention of the House to the fact that women in NATIONAL UNITY Ontario can now appear legally in public bare breasted. Therefore these petitioners request that Parliament review and Mrs. Diane Ablonczy (Calgary—Nose Hill, Ref.): Mr. Speak- amend the charter of rights and freedoms and/or the Criminal Code er, it is a pleasure to present this petition which is a joint effort of Canada to include this practice as being illegal, except in special between Canadians from the province of Quebec and Canadians circumstances such as breast feeding. from across Alberta, my own province. This group of people are very concerned about the unity of our * * * country. They ask Parliament and the Prime Minister of Canada to confirm that Canada is indivisible and that the boundaries of [Translation] Canada may be modified only by a pre-vote of all Canadian citizens or through an amending formula stipulated in the Canadian QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER Constitution. Mr. Peter Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the I hope the Prime Minister is watching and will pay attention to Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I the prayer of these petitioners. would ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand. AGE OF CONSENT The Deputy Speaker: Is that agreed? Some hon. members: Agreed. Mr. Chuck Strahl (Fraser Valley, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, these petitions were originally sent to Sharon Hayes, the former member [English] from the riding of Port Moody—Coquitlam. Mr. John Nunziata (York South—Weston, Ind.): Mr. Speaker, D (1015) I rise on a point of order. I ask that you seek unanimous consent to revert to the introduction of private bills. It is my honour and privilege to present them on her behalf. There are some 500 signatures from her riding, another thousand I would like to apologize to the House. I was to introduce a bill from the lower mainland and several hundred from the prairie today but I was delayed at the session on parliamentary reform in provinces. It has to deal with the issue of age of consent. West Block. October 21, 1997 COMMONS DEBATES 879 Supply The Deputy Speaker: Is there unanimous consent? GOVERNMENT ORDERS Some hon. members: Agreed. [English] * * * SUPPLY CRIMINAL CODE Mr. John Nunziata (York South—Weston, Ind.) moved for ALLOTTED DAY—UNEMPLOYMENT leave to introduce Bill C-252, an act to amend the Criminal Code (judicial review). Ms. Alexa McDonough (Halifax, NDP) moved: He said: Mr. Speaker, this is the third time I am introducing this That this House comdemns the Government’s use of high unemployment to meet bill in the House. This bill would repeal section 745 of the Criminal targets on the deficit and inflation, its refusal to set targets and timetables for Code, and in the result all those convicted of murder would have to reducing unemployment, its failure to make adequate investments in health care, education, training, culture and the environment, and its pursuit of a monetary policy serve a minimum of 25 years in prison before having the opportuni- obsessed with future inflation and blind to the immediate human tragedy of 1.4 ty to seek parole. million unemployed Canadians. In the last House this bill passed at second reading and it went to She said: Mr.