CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 137 Ï NUMBER 094 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 37th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, October 15, 2001 (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 6047 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, October 15, 2001 The House met at 11 a.m. Some hon. members: Agreed. *** Prayers Ï (1105) Ï (1100) WAYS AND MEANS [English] NOTICE OF MOTION BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE Hon. Anne McLellan (Minister of Justice and Attorney Hon. Don Boudria (Minister of State and Leader of the General of Canada, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to a special order Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, there of this House, I wish to table a notice of ways and means motion has been consultation among House leaders this morning. I want to relating to the Registration of Charities Act under the Income Tax thank the House leaders for their excellent co-operation for the Act. following motion which I am now prepared to move to be adopted without debate. I move: The Speaker: Pursuant to order adopted earlier this day this That Bill C-16 be withdrawn; motion is deemed adopted. That, notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice, immediately upon the (Motion agreed to) adoption of this order, a minister of the crown shall table a Notice of Ways and Means motion, which shall immediately be deemed to have been concurred in, whereupon the House shall proceed immediately to the ordinary daily routine of business, except for introduction of private members' bills, presenting petitions and questions on the order paper, which shall be taken up at 3 p.m. this day; ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS That private members' business shall not be taken up this day, but the House shall proceed directly to government orders; and [Translation] That, at the ordinary time of daily adjournment this day, the House shall continue to sit and shall resolve itself into a committee of the whole to consider a motion That ANTI-TERRORISM ACT the committee take note of the international actions against terrorism, provided that, during consideration thereof, (a) the Speaker may from time to time act as Chair of Hon. Anne McLellan (Minister of Justice and Attorney the committee, (b) the Chair of the committee shall not receive any quorum call or General of Canada, Lib.) moved for leave to introduce Bill C- any motion except a motion That the committee do now rise,(c) after the first 36, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the Official Secrets Act, the spokesperson for each party, no member may speak more than once or for more than Canada Evidence Act, the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) ten minutes, (d) when no member rises to speak, the committee shall rise and (e) when the committee rises the House shall immediately adjourn to the next sitting day. Act and other acts, and to enact measures respecting the registration of charities, in order to combat terrorism. [Translation] (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) The Speaker: Does the hon. Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons have the unanimous consent *** of the House to present this motion? FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM Some hon. members: Agreed. Hon. Anne McLellan (Minister of Justice and Attorney The Speaker: The House has heard the motion. Is it the pleasure General of Canada, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the of the House to adopt the motion? Government of Canada, I have presented to the House today, legislative measures that seek to strengthen our national security. Some hon. members: Agreed. This legislation is part of the government's anti-terrorism plan. (Motion agreed to) [English] [English] We have carried out our work in recognition of the following The Speaker: Accordingly, private members' business is considerations. We believe that people everywhere are entitled to dispensed with this day and the item to be debated today is dropped live their lives in peace and security. We believe it is the to the bottom of the order of precedence. Is it agreed? responsibility of government to ensure that peaceful existence. 6048 COMMONS DEBATES October 15, 2001 Routine Proceedings Terrorist acts like those that occurred on September 11 constitute a The bill that has been tabled today is an important step forward substantial threat to domestic and international stability. The and reflects many of the issues that the Canadian Alliance Party has challenge of eradicating terrorism requires co-operation among the been raising in the House, unfortunately to little avail until the very community of nations and a strengthening of our capacity to tragic events of September 11. We even moved a motion in the suppress, investigate and incapacitate terrorist activities. To achieve House that asked the government very recently to take steps to name this we know that Canada must work with other nations to combat all known international terrorist organizations operating in Canada terrorism. and to not only take away the charitable status of these terrorist organizations but also to have a complete ban on fundraising for Furthermore, we believe that parliament must act to combat activities in support of terrorism and provisions for the seizure of terrorism while continuing to respect and promote the values assets. reflected in and the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We wanted immediate ratification of the suppression of financing of terrorism. We asked for the suppression of terrorist bombing, two Finally, we believe that legislation is one part of a comprehensive very important conventions that the government neglected to put into government response against terrorism. place to the detriment of the security of the people of Canada. [Translation] We raised concerns about the abuse of our immigration and These are the considerations that motivate our legislation and they refugee systems. We are all very mindful of the important role that are reflected in its preamble and in its contents. immigrants and refugees play in Canada, yet we are also very [English] mindful of the concerns that criminals abuse those systems. The legislative package we are introducing seeks to amend not Every time we raised these issues we were called racist and worse. only various portions of the criminal code but also a number of other That was very disturbing, especially when it came from ministers of federal statutes, including the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Official the crown. We were concerned about the very issues that the minister Secrets Act and the Charities Act, just to name a few. has now raised, but the government voted against the motion we brought to the House. Now, having woken up, it realizes the very The three main objectives of the new measures are: to suppress the grave situation. Hopefully the government has got past name calling. very existence of terrorist groups; to provide new investigative tools; and to provide a tougher sentencing regime to incapacitate terrorists It was very difficult to stand and express concerns about issues and terrorist groups. and then be called racists for our efforts. The intentions of members There are also measures that make general improvements to our on this side certainly were honourable, yet that was the standard ability to respond to terrorism and threats to national security. Other defence of government. It was unfortunate that we could not have measures would enhance the Canadian values of respect for diversity moved much quicker in dealing with these issues. and of preventing hatred and discriminatory actions fostered on the We let down our American allies who suffered a terrible tragedy in basis of race, religion and other unacceptable grounds. New York City. It is one thing to say now that we stand shoulder to I would like to say a few more words about Canadian values. shoulder with the Americans, which we do, but it is quite another These values receive an important part of their legal expression in thing to not have come to that realization that it was our obligation to the charter of rights and freedoms. Charter rights have been do that prior to the horrific events of September 11. considered and preserved against the objectives of fighting terrorism and protecting national security. I assure everyone in the House and The bill is a complicated one. The National Post tells us it is all Canadians that we have kept the individual rights and freedoms of approximately 150 pages long. We look forward to reviewing that in Canadians directly in mind in developing these proposals. the House and in committee. I would urge all members to ensure that we move quickly and work overtime in the House to get this matter The government is steadfast in its resolve to combat terrorism and to committee, hopefully by Thursday. its commitment to democracy is stronger than ever. As the Prime Minister stated last Sunday I cannot promise that the campaign Ï (1115) against terrorism will be painless but I can promise that it will be [Translation] won. Mr. Michel Bellehumeur (BerthierMontcalm, BQ): Mr. Ï (1110) Speaker, as my colleagues who spoke before me mentioned, it is Mr. Vic Toews (Provencher, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, I clear that such a bill deserves our undivided attention, and we must am pleased to add a few comments on the record at this time. I seriously consider whether or not we need this type of legislative certainly echo the remarks of my leader earlier in stating that our tool.