CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 145 Ï NUMBER 057 Ï 3rd SESSION Ï 40th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, June 7, 2010 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 3445 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, June 7, 2010 The House met at 11 a.m. involved in crime. I pointed out in the past that today's type of organized criminal is not the biker guy out for a Sunday drive. Normally these people are living in million dollar houses and do not even drive a bike in many cases. We have to concentrate on making Prayers tough laws against white collar criminals and concentrate on these organized criminals. PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS One other point I want to mention once again is in regard to the pill making machines. The United States has told us that it is Ï (1105) concerned that a lot of the methamphetamine traffic is now [English] headquartered in Canada because we do not regulate pill making machines. We should be following the American example and CONTROLLED DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES ACT require these pill making machines to be registered and tracked when The House resumed from May 7 consideration of the motion that any repairs are made. This is just one more way that we could Bill C-475, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances control this issue. Act (methamphetamine and ecstasy), be read the third time and The member for Halifax mentioned the other day that the passed. Americans are controlling the supply of things to make metham- The Speaker: When the matter was last before the House the hon. phetamine. An individual can only buy a certain amount of supplies member for Elmwood—Transcona had the floor. There are three and and he or she must have a reason for buying any large quantity of a half minutes remaining in the time allotted for his remarks. I supplies. That is what we need to look at. therefore call upon the hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona. The Deputy Speaker: Resuming debate. There being no further Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood—Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, members rising, I will give the floor to the hon. member for West I am pleased to finish my address to Bill C-475. Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country for his five Once again, I want to congratulate the member for having gone minute right of reply. through a long and torturous experience with this bill. As I indicated Mr. John Weston (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to before, while this bill probably should have been a government Sky Country, CPC): Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise initiative, I am happy that he, as a private member, has been able to on third reading of a bill that represents an idea whose time has take it this far and hopefully finish the process. We should be doing come. more of this. The role of private members' in this House should be enhanced more so than it is even at this point, but there has been an Bill C-475, which deals the growing problem of crystal meth and improvement from what it was 20 or 30 years ago. ecstasy, is reaching the last lap of its marathon race, thanks to the unanimous support of all members of this House and of many Dealing with the whole drug issue in this country, it is really a Canadians from coast to coast. question of following the money. For too long we have concentrated our efforts on tracking down small time dealers at the street level It is often said that it is the journey and not the destination that is who sell little bits of drugs here and there. The reality is that the important. The destination remains critical, protecting Canadians money gets funnelled right back to organized crime in this country. from the aggressive assault on our society of highly addictive and It was not until the late 1950s that the Mafia was even recognized increasingly accessible methamphetamine drugs, but the journey has as such in the United States, and after that the RICO laws came into also been important, a journey which began with the work of my place. It took many years for the Americans to recognize that the colleague, the MP from Peace River, continued with the expert Mafia even existed and had to be controlled. The U.S. brought in the advice of senior law enforcement officials, gained momentum with RICO laws and have had some success in dismantling organized contributions from each of the justice critics of the other three crime groups. parties, and continued with wind under our wings with the support of all parties. When our Parliament manages to achieve this kind of We have to concentrate on dealing with issues like the proceeds consensus, Canadians smile, and the institution to which we from criminal activities. We have to seize the proceeds from crime so members belong rises in their respect. The destination is important we can take away the incentive for criminal organizations to be but the journey has been important too. 3446 COMMONS DEBATES June 7, 2010 Government Orders The change proposed in this bill addresses a lack of restrictions in only hope that our efforts as legislators will translate into practical the law against the gathering of precursors for two dangerous drugs: help for them, their families and their friends. crystal meth and ecstasy. The bill strikes a major blow against their Ï (1110) production. Throughout the journey of this bill, I have met many who have been working to help those who suffer from the plight of The Deputy Speaker: The question is on the motion. Is it the crystal meth and ecstasy. Each one of these persons gives cause for pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? this bill to target directly the producers of these drugs and not just the Some hon. members: Agreed. users, and while the bill is certainly a step in the right direction, clearly more measures are necessary than any government could ever Some hon. members: No. provide. The Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the motion will In the journey that I have taken with this bill, former and please say yea. recovering addicts in treatment facilities with whom I have met have advocated the approach that we are adopting in this House. Last Some hon. members: Yea. month, I visited the Orchard Recovery Centre on Bowen Island in the riding I represent, a marvellous place that gives hope and The Deputy Speaker: All those opposed will please say nay. practical help to recovering addicts. I ran into a person, whom we Some hon. members: Nay. will call Mary, who had a few comments to make about her education in the field of drugs. “Not even once” was the slogan that The Deputy Speaker: In my opinion the yeas have it. she recommends to anyone who even considers trying these drugs. Mary noted that it is hard to understand the real grip of addiction And five or more members having risen: until one is actually there. The best way to avoid the addiction, she The Deputy Speaker: Pursuant to Standing Order 98, the emphasized, is never to try the drug. recorded division stands deferred until Wednesday, June 9, 2010, I have also dealt with a treatment centre in Prince George, B.C., immediately before the time provided for private members' business. one of the places that is on the front line in the battle against drug SUSPENSION OF SITTING addiction. The Deputy Speaker: The House will now suspend until 12 Members will be asked later to vote on the third reading of this noon. bill. I ask members to continue the unanimous support they have (The sitting of the House was suspended at 11:15 a.m.) given the bill thus far. I hope they will join me once again in supporting Bill C-475, an idea whose time has come. We must send SITTING RESUMED a strong message to our friends in the Senate to ensure its quick (The House resumed at 12 p.m.) passage there. I would like to offer my special thanks to all the people who made it possible for us to come this far in enacting a law that will save untold numbers of Canadians from the plague of crystal meth and ecstasy. I thank the member for Peace River, my Conservative GOVERNMENT ORDERS colleagues, especially the justice minister, who helped me design the bill, and also the justice critics. I thank members of all parties who CANADA-COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT looked beyond their party loyalties to support a bill for the good of IMPLEMENTATION ACT all Canadians. The House proceeded to the consideration of Bill C-2, An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the I thank the endorsers who span our great country in their reach, Republic of Colombia, the Agreement on the Environment between endorsers such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canada and the Republic of Colombia and the Agreement on Labour Association of B.C. Police Chiefs, and various towns and cities in Cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, as the riding I represent. reported (with amendment) from the committee. I thank the recovery centres, such as the Baldy Hughes Addiction Ï (1200) Treatment Centre in Prince George and the Orchard Recovery Centre [English] on Bowen Island, which I mentioned. SPEAKER'S RULING Finally, I thank the victims of crystal meth, ecstasy and of other drugs.