CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 139 Ï NUMBER 012 Ï 3rd SESSION Ï 37th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, February 17, 2004 (Part A) 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 643 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, February 17, 2004 The House met at 10 a.m. MARRIAGE Mr. Joe Comartin (Windsor—St. Clair, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the second one is again from the City of Windsor regarding the Prayers definition of marriage. THE ENVIRONMENT Ï (1000) Mr. Joe Comartin (Windsor—St. Clair, NDP): The third [Translation] petition is in regard to the use of sonar, and the disruption and damage it causes to wildlife in the ocean. This petition has come BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE from a good number of signatories in the province of British Columbia. Hon. Mauril Bélanger (Deputy Leader of the Government in OPERA HOUSE the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Discussions have Mr. Joe Comartin (Windsor—St. Clair, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the taken place among all parties and I believe you will find there is final petition is in regard to the destruction of a forest and the unanimous consent that the recorded division on the motion for building of an opera house here in Ontario. I am filing this petition second reading of Bill C-12 scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, on behalf of residents residing in that region of the province. 2004, be taken today at 5:30 p.m. Ï (1005) MARRIAGE The Speaker: Is it agreed? Mr. Janko Peric (Cambridge, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 it is my privilege to present to the House a Some hon. members: Agreed. petition dealing with marriage and signed by 110 concerned constituents. The petitioners wish to draw to the attention of the House that the institution of marriage has always been defined as the union of a man ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS and a woman. It was upheld as such by votes in this very House. [English] The petitioners pray and request that the Parliament of Canada PETITIONS respect and uphold the current understanding of marriage as a union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others. MARRIAGE Mr. Howard Hilstrom (Selkirk—Interlake, CPC): Mr. Speaker, Mr. Roy Bailey (Souris—Moose Mountain, CPC): Mr. Speaker, my petition is one more of millions that have come in from across I am pleased to present two petitions from different areas, not quite Canada in regard to marriage. worded the same, but dealing with marriage. The constituents call on the government to revisit the topic of what actually constitutes The petitioners from Manitoba, including Winnipeg and my own marriage. The petitioners are from across western Canada. They are riding, point out that marriage is the jurisdiction of Parliament. They pleading with the government to do what they are asking for in these ask that Parliament pass legislation recognizing marriage as a union petitions. between a man and a woman. Ï (1010) Mr. James Lunney (Nanaimo—Alberni, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I CRUELTY TO ANIMALS have three petitions on the subject of marriage. They represent approximately 1,050 signatures. Mr. Joe Comartin (Windsor—St. Clair, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I have several petitions. The first one is mostly from members of my The petitioners are calling on the government to recognize that riding in the City of Windsor with a couple hundred signatures in social policy should be decided by elected members of Parliament, support of Bill C-10B, which is the bill providing further protection not by unelected judges, that support of the legal definition of to animals in our society by way of amendments to the Criminal marriage as the voluntary union of a single man and a woman Code. remain, and that Parliament respect the vote in 1999. 644 COMMONS DEBATES February 17, 2004 Supply HEALTH QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER Mr. James Lunney (Nanaimo—Alberni, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I Hon. Roger Gallaway (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader have another petition with nearly 900 signatures. It is on the subject of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, of private member's bill C-420. I ask that all questions be allowed to stand. The Deputy Speaker: Is it agreed? The petitioners are calling on the government to respect the freedom of choice of Canadians in health care products. They Some hon. members: Agreed. suggest that herbs, dietary supplements and other traditional natural health products should be classified as food and not arbitrarily restricted as drugs. They also remind Parliament that the weight of GOVERNMENT ORDERS modern scientific evidence confirms the mitigation and prevention of many diseases and disorders through the judicious use of natural [English] health products. SUPPLY We hope that all members will support that bill. ALLOTTED DAY—USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS MARRIAGE Hon. Grant Hill (Macleod, CPC) moved: That, in the opinion of this House, the Liberal government has and continues to Mr. Grant McNally (Dewdney—Alouette, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I nurture a culture of corruption through the abuse of its influence and the use of public have petitions from about 600 constituents who are asking funds for personal benefit and to benefit friends, family and the Liberal Party of Parliament to pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage Canada. in federal law as the lifelong union of one man and one woman to the He said: Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform you that I will be exclusion of all others. dividing my time today with the member for Pictou—Antigonish— Mr. Randy White (Langley—Abbotsford, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I Guysborough. have several petitions. The first one asks that Parliament legislate an For those who are not familiar with the parliamentary process, this opposite sex requirement for the institution of marriage and that is a day when the official opposition gets to put forward an issue to marriage be restricted to be between one man and one woman. debate. This is a fairly significant issue. JUSTICE I want to start by asking, why does the sponsorship scandal Mr. Randy White (Langley—Abbotsford, CPC): Mr. Speaker, matter? the second petition asks Parliament not to amend the Human Rights I have received a number of letters over the last week. I want to Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act nor the Charter of Rights and put some of the statements on the record. Freedoms in any way that would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships, or of homosexuality, including amending the R.G.G. in Victoria, B.C. wrote: “If the Prime Minister were caught Human Rights Code to include the prohibited grounds of in a bank robbery he would claim he was innocent, as he was only discrimination and the undefined phrase “sexual orientation”. driving the getaway car”. FREEDOMOF RELIGION S.M. in Toronto wrote: “The fleecing of Canada, I am absolutely disgusted by what appears to be fraud perpetrated on the Canadian Mr. Randy White (Langley—Abbotsford, CPC): Finally, Mr. people with a view to coating the pockets of loyal allies of the Speaker, the last petition asks Parliament to protect the rights of Liberal government, if not the Liberal Party itself”. Canadians to be free to share their religious beliefs without fear of prosecution. C.T. wrote: “The consensus of my senior citizens group who meet most mornings for coffee in order to discuss the political highlights MARRIAGE of the day in order to solve the problems of the world, a modest goal, Mr. Dale Johnston (Wetaskiwin, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I have a strongly believe that an election should not be held, at least until a petition with in excess of 500 signatures, all from Albertans and first interim report is issued in order to be able to vote intelligently. mostly from my riding. The petitioners call upon Parliament to pass Anything less would be undemocratic”. legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as Someone in my own riding, E. and H.D. in High River wrote: being a lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion “Private citizens get jail and public restitution. As a heavily taxed of all others. Canadian with less write-offs than members of Parliament, I request Ï (1015) a cash penalty given to members who are responsible for their poor judgment while entrusted in their portfolios. I'll vote all right. I can CANADA POST hardly wait for the opportunity”. Mr. Dale Johnston (Wetaskiwin, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I also have B. and N.C. from Priddis wrote: “Outrage. This is inexcusable and a petition from the rural route mail cariers which calls upon the we trust persons will be prosecuted. The average Canadian would be Government of Canada to repeal section 13.5 of the Canada Post behind bars”. Corporation Act, the part that forbids rural route mail cariers from having collective bargaining rights. Those just reflect a little bit of what the public is saying to me. February 17, 2004 COMMONS DEBATES 645 Supply Let me quickly summarize this scandal. The sum of $250 million An editorial from the Ottawa Sun stated: was spent on increasing the visibility of the federal government in An abuse of power, tens of millions of tax dollars diverted to secret bank accounts Quebec. This of course followed the near loss to the separatists on concealed with forged invoices and laundered through politically-connected the Quebec referendum. The sum of $100 million plus of taxpayers' businesses.