CANADA VOLUME 135 S NUMBER 138 S 1st SESSION S 36th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, October 20, 1998 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 9135 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, October 20, 1998 The House met at 10 a.m. Criminal Code sentencing provides that a court must, in impos- ing a sentence, take into consideration various things including _______________ whether the offender is aboriginal. Prayers I believe that all offenders should be treated equally. With this enactment the court would no longer be mandated to give special _______________ consideration because of race or ethnic origin. I am happy to submit this bill on their behalf. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) D (1000 ) * * * [English] PETITIONS NUCLEAR AMENDMENT ACT, 1998 YOUNG OFFENDERS ACT Mr. David Chatters (Athabasca, Ref.) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-443, an act to amend the Nuclear Energy Act and Mr. David Chatters (Athabasca, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, I would the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. like to present a petition this morning on behalf of Kay Malmas, a He said: Mr. Speaker, my bill attempts to correct a longstanding constituent of mine in Westlock, who happens to be the mother of and I think outrageous conflict of interest in that the same minister Barbara Denelesko who was senselessly murdered by three young of the government responsible for protecting public interest and offenders. These three young offenders are currently back on the public safety is also responsible for the sale of nuclear technology street, only two years after the murder of Barbara Denelesko, around the word. which disturbs and outrages not only Mrs. Malmas but many other of my constituents. I do not believe it is possible for the same minister to fulfil both of those roles without being in conflict of interest, so we are I would like to present this petition demanding tougher penalties attempting to correct that situation. under the Young Offenders Act on behalf of Mrs. Malmas. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) MARRIAGE * * * Mr. Myron Thompson (Wild Rose, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of Canadians living in my D (1005 ) riding from Chestermere Lake and in and around the Calgary area. CRIMINAL CODE The petitioners request that the House of Commons support and enact Bill C-225 which would prohibit the definition of spouse to Mr. Myron Thompson (Wild Rose, Ref.) moved for leave to be changed from its traditional status and that the definition of introduce Bill C-444, an act to amend the Criminal Code. marriage be as between a single male and a single female. He said: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be able to introduce this private member’s bill today. CHILDREN The concept for it began when Craig Powell, Amber Keuben, Mr. Eric Lowther (Calgary Centre, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, I Brandy Kueben and Stephanie Smith were all instantly killed by a would like to present three petitions. drunk driver on June 23 near Morley, Alberta as they were The first petition comes from residents of my riding who are returning from a camping trip. concerned about sexual offences against children. The petitioners The drunk driver in this case was Christopher Goodstoney. He support Bill C-284, which is currently on its way to committee. was charged with four counts of criminal negligence causing death This bill would allow parents to make informed decisions on the and one count of criminal negligence causing injury. hiring of those who care for children. 9136 COMMONS DEBATES October 20, 1998 Supply ABORTION FOREIGN AFFAIRS Mr. Eric Lowther (Calgary Centre, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, I have Ms. Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West—Nepean, Lib.): Mr. two additional petitions that I would like to present which relate to Speaker, I have a petition from Canadians of Serbian descent abortion. These citizens point out that the legal rights of the unborn criticizing the actions of the Canadian ministry of foreign affairs are protected under the United Nations charter on the rights of the with regard to Serbia. child. The petitioners ask the House of Commons to consider the best interests of all citizens in Serbia for peace and democracy in the These citizens are calling for a national referendum to determine Kosovo crisis and to act on the above with honesty and integrity. whether people are in favour of government funding for abortions on demand. * * * [Translation] MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT ON INVESTMENT QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER Mr. Svend J. Robinson (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP): Mr. Mr. Peter Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition which is signed by Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I many residents of my constituency of Burnaby—Douglas, the would ask that all questions be allowed to stand. Vancouver area and elsewhere in British Columbia that notes with concern that the Government of Canada continues to be at the table The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland): Is it agreed? to negotiate an international trade agreement called the multilateral agreement on investment, or the MAI, and I might add, despite the Some hon. members: Agreed. fact that France has pulled out of this particular discussion. _____________________________________________ They note that the MAI is the latest in a series of regional and global agreements which in the name of liberalizing trade and investment expands the powers of multinational corporations at the GOVERNMENT ORDERS expense of the powers of governments to intervene in the market- place on behalf of our social, cultural, environmental and health care goals. [English] SUPPLY D (1010 ) ALLOTTED DAY—APEC INQUIRY The petitioners point out that the MAI is undemocratic. There- fore they call upon parliament to reject the current framework of Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg—Transcona, NDP): moved: MAI negotiations and instruct the government to seek an entirely That this House urges the government to agree to the request of the RCMP Public different agreement by which the world might achieve a rules based Complaints Commission inquiring into incidents at the Vancouver APEC summit global trading regime that protects workers, the environment and that the government provide separate funded legal representation for the the availability of governments to act in the public interest. complainants in the inquiry. He said: Mr. Speaker, before I begin I would like to indicate that Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg—Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I I will be sharing my 20 minutes with the hon. member for too have a couple of petitions concerning the MAI in which the Burnaby—Douglas. petitioners call upon parliament to reject the current framework of MAI negotiations and instruct the government to seek an entirely This motion is certainly a timely motion, given the decision by different agreement by which the world might achieve a rules based the government last week not to provide funding for the students global trading regime that protects workers, the environment and who are appearing at the RCMP Public Complaints Commission. the ability of governments to act in the public interest. We believe that justice demands that they be given this funding. We believe that this demand is justified not only by an elementary sense of fairness in this respect, but also by the demands and the This is almost exactly what the prime minister of France said requests of the commission. should be sought when he rejected, on behalf of France, the current negotiations at the OECD. I am sure that these petitioners would As you know, Mr. Speaker, we have been debating this in the want the Canadian government to follow suit, pull out of the House for some days now. The point that the government seems not negotiations at the OECD and seek an entirely different table at to appreciate or does not want to acknowledge is that the commis- which to settle these difficult issues. sion has twice asked the government for funding for these students. October 20, 1998 COMMONS DEBATES 9137 Supply Why this unusual request? Because the government itself earlier had overmanaged the APEC affair and they may have been too requested that it be allowed to do something out of the ordinary and zealous in their concern for the comfort of visiting leaders, have a battalion of lawyers there on behalf of the government and particularly Mr. Suharto. They could have said it was regrettable the RCMP. It is not out of the ordinary in terms of fairness for the and that they would not let it happen again. students to expect that something similar might be done for them. It is not out of the ordinary as far as the commission is concerned Would that not have been preferable, I say to my Liberal because it has twice requested that the government do this. colleagues, than all that we have gone through now. The Prime Minister, the solicitor general, the government and the Liberal By putting this motion today the NDP hopes to give the Party itself are digging themselves in deeper and deeper just out of opportunity to the House and particularly to Liberal backbenchers a refusal to admit a simple mistake. to express their outrage at the position the government has taken. I would hope that this debate today will provide an opportunity for the government, as we have tried to provide other opportunities We have learned that the Liberal backbenchers are being in question period, to fess up and say that it has handled this wrong.