CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 140 Ï NUMBER 104 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 38th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, May 30, 2005 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 6305 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, May 30, 2005 The House met at 11 a.m. Similarly, the judiciary, another branch of our form of constitu- tional government, would not have any laws democratically passed. It would have no laws to adjudicate if this House did not create the laws and amend them from time to time. Prayers I review this only for the purpose of making the point that this House and its functions are important to the overall functioning of PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS our democracy. It is the lynchpin institution without which the rest of government would not function at all as we know it now. Ï (1100) [English] Over the years I have been struck by the degree to which members SYMBOL FOR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS of this House have borrowed other symbols in their day to day work. When we look at our business cards, our letterhead, our stationery Mr. Derek Lee (Scarborough—Rouge River, Lib.) moved, and our press releases we seem to want a symbol but we borrow seconded by the member for Edmonton—Sherwood Park: those symbols. One of those symbols is the Canadian flag. Many of That the House hereby commits to the adoption of its own institutional symbol which us use the flag and there is no problem in using it but it is not a will reflect its distinct constitutional role, heritage and authority, and for this purpose symbol unique to this House. requests our Speaker to develop a process which would involve Members and the public, invite and consider design proposals, allow the House to make its selection and take steps to protect and promulgate the symbol in the public work of Members The other symbol often used is the coat of arms. We find it and the House, all to be completed within one year from this date or such later time as this House or a successor Parliament shall allow. consistently in use right across government. If we go down the street to the Supreme Court of Canada we will find the coat of arms. When He said: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to lead off the debate on the we drop into any of the minister's office from time to time we find motion, a subject matter to which I have directed some attention over the coat of arms. The coat of arms is used by all of government. It is the years. I am hopeful the House will agree that it is time for us to used at Rideau Hall by the Governor General to represent the unity consider the adoption of a unique symbol for the House of of the Crown and all of Canada. Commons. Ï (1105) There is no harm in members using the coat of arms. In fact, it is placed right at the top of my own business card which I use as a I am pleased and want to thank the hon. member for Edmonton— member of Parliament. However it is not a parliamentary symbol as Sherwood Park from the official opposition for seconding the such. I say again that we borrow these symbols because we do not motion. Clearly nothing is terribly partisan in the motion. It is an have our own. attempt to bring together the will of the House on a matter that I have believed always is important for the House. It seems to me that just about all our historic partners in the The subject matter might seem narrow to some members when evolution of democratic government have adopted their own compared to other private members' business subject matters often symbols. I will refer to Westminster, the U.K. House of Commons. debated and raised in the House but it is one that looks at the House It has adopted a symbol called a stylized portcullis, the portcullis itself and not outwardly at the broader public interest. being the big gate that stands at the entrance to the castle, and it is unique to the British House of Commons. The House of Commons, as most members would accept, is a lynchpin in our constitutional form of governance. We are not the only part of government. The public sees the executive branch of Ï (1110) government in most of what it does. The executive branch carries on most of the functions of government but the executive and the As for our American neighbours, the symbol used by the House of thousands of public servants working in the executive would simply Representatives is a stylized seal. It is found on most of what have no legitimacy, no accountability if it were not for this House members of the U.S. House of Representatives do from time to time and the role played by this House. in their correspondence and communications. 6306 COMMONS DEBATES May 30, 2005 Private Members' Business Our own Speaker has his own symbol. Most members know what Speaker with consultations inside and outside the House. The it is. It is the mace. The Speaker has used that symbol for many consultations would produce one or more proposals which the House years. It is the symbol of the Speaker, not the House, although we could deal with and select from. I am hopeful that the symbol we find it from time to time on House documents wherein the Speaker choose will be here for Canadians long after we have left this place, has a role. Again let me note that even our own Speaker has a perhaps for centuries. symbol but we generally in the House do not. I want to underscore the importance of a symbol, a wordmark or I encourage members to look favourably upon the motion and to what is called a trademark in modern communications. I suppose I consider adopting it. It is possible for us to adopt this motion today do not have to make the point too strongly. I think most members without going into further debate, but if there is a vote, I would ask will accept that in our society, and in the world in general, members to consider voting in favour. trademarks, symbols and wordmarks are incredibly important in communications. Mr. Scott Reid (Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am speaking today in support of this motion. One can see corporate or institutional symbols everywhere. The The goal of establishing a formally agreed upon symbol for the CBC has its own trademark symbol, as do General Motors and all of House of Commons seems to be a worthwhile one. the television networks, including CTV and Global. I do not want to leave anyone out. The universities all have their symbols. My own high school has its own symbol, which is on a coffee mug that I still To some degree, institutions develop their own symbols in an use from time to time. All of these symbols are part of a global informal manner. Sometimes the informally chosen symbols are the industry in trademarks and wordmarks. They are all there for the most valuable. Part of my comments today will be an observation purpose of assisting with communications. about the informal symbols that we have adopted and their value, but there is no harm, indeed, perhaps there is a benefit, in attempting to We in the House do not have one. Even Canada itself adopted the formalize the symbols that we have informally started to adopt as a Canada wordmark approximately three decades ago. That is the part or as symbols of this place. word Canada with a small Canadian flag placed above the last “a” in the word Canada. That has been a very successful communications device used by Canada consistently over the years. I think I saw it on Perhaps I will start by talking a little about the symbols which on military aircraft not too long ago. Then there is the Canadian armed their surface I think people relate to the House of Commons. These forces, which is a very good example of the use of insignia, shoulder perhaps could serve as potential ideas to be thrown into the mill for flashes and badges, symbols of the Canadian armed forces. future reference. All of our institutions in society sooner or later get around to An obvious one is the mace, of course, which is already used. On adopting a symbol; we just do not have one here yet. I believe that all MPs' badges, which all members are assigned and which some of we need one for this institution to reflect our unique role as distinct my colleagues are wearing today, the mace is used to signal that one from that of the executive, the judiciary in our country and as distinct is a member of the House of Commons. So the mace is already used from the other organs and agencies of government. We should have as a method of identification elsewhere. The mace is used in other one. I think it will help us continue the role of making Canadians spots as the symbol of the Speaker's authority but also of the House better aware of the functions and purposes of the House of itself. Of course that authority is given to the Speaker by the House Commons.