[English]
She said: Madam Speaker, this bill seeks to amend the Criminal Code concerning child sexual exploitation abroad. Right now, Canada cannot prosecute an individual who is a Canadian resident. This bill would make it possible to prosecute anyone who commits such a crime abroad. It seeks to prohibit the sexual abuse of minor children abroad. It also seeks to introduce the principle of extraterritoriality, which would allow Canada to prosecute a person. The bill would also make it an offence for a person to be involved in the transportation of individuals going on a trip abroad for sexual purposes.
(Motion deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
[English]
He said: Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce this bill. I have received numerous complaints that persons are trespassing on property causing a public disturbance and destroying a sense of community and liveability for children, yet are unable to be removed permanently. For example, we know that malls are a popular place for youth to hang out. If the security of the mall is forced to remove a problem person, that person can re-enter the mall within minutes. The only way the person can be charged is if they resist. Therefore if the person never resists, the act could continue over and over.
There is a serious technical gap in the law which has been identified by the New Westminster city police in my riding as they have a storefront office in a local mall.
To come to the aid of the community which is being subjected to this loophole in the law, I am proposing an amendment to section 41 of the Criminal Code, making it a summary conviction for a person who has already been lawfully removed from real property or a dwelling house not to be able to lawfully return for 24 hours.
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The Criminal Code is full of gaps like this one and while this bill may only fill one of the holes, it is certainly a good start. Our laws need to support the law-abiding citizen rather than provide a legal invitation for repeated mischief without ensuing consequences.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
He said: Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce this bill in the House.
In my riding of New Westminster-Burnaby prostitution is a problem. Constituents are very concerned. They feel the only action taken so far was to move the prostitutes from one side of the railway track to the other, and I say that in a literal sense.
My community asked me to represent it and to take real action from the federal standpoint. My constituents want amendments made to the Criminal Code in order to make penalties tougher and control easier.
Currently in section 213 of the Criminal Code public communication to obtain sexual services only carries a penalty of summary conviction.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
He said: Madam Speaker, under the Nuclear Liability Act a private nuclear facility is now required to carry $75 million in insurance to cover damage from facility breakdowns and other accidents. This bill would increase that amount to $500 million and could oblige the crown to pay damages above that level.
We must remember that the damages from the Three Mile Island nuclear breakdown a few years ago amounted to $3 billion and damages from Chernobyl amounted to $14 billion.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
He said: Madam Speaker, currently under the Parliament of Canada Act and the Canada Elections Act the Prime Minister has complete latitude in determining when general elections and byelections will be held. This is unacceptable to Canadians who want a little more certainty as to when they will go to the ballot box.
This bill would not contravene the Constitution Act of Canada, but would make changes to existing legislation so there would be fixed elections. General elections would generally be held every four years and byelections could only be held in the fall or the spring of the year, thus bringing certainty to a very uncertain era.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
That the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs which was presented to the House earlier this day be concurred in.The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Is there unanimous consent to move the motion?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to.)
[Translation]
The Granby CEC is an economic development tool essential to the Granby area. I would like to thank all those who helped collect the signatures, especially the Granby Chamber of Commerce, which organized and piloted the petition.
The petitioners call on Parliament and the Minister of Human Resources Development to re-evaluate their decision, in order to maintain the existing services at the Granby CEC.
[English]
The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to pursue initiatives to eliminate tax discrimination against families that decide to provide care in the home for preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill and aged.
The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to enact legislation to require health warning labels to be placed on the containers of all alcoholic beverages.
They further note that they contain 4,000 chemical products that cause problems, 43 that cause cancer, and that perhaps 38,000 premature deaths can be attributed to cigarettes and the other products every year. They want it to be identified as a dangerous product.
[English]
They draw to the attention of the House that they oppose any increase now or in the future in the federal excise tax on gasoline.
The third petition, again from my constituents, calls on the House to recognize that dangerous sex offenders and pedophiles
should be locked up for life, violent offenders should serve their full sentences, that we should have a control registry of names and addresses and that we should keep offenders incarcerated if they are a risk to society.
Among other things the petitioners from my constituency ask for these changes.
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I am sure they would want the message presented to Parliament for consideration for next year's budget.
The petitioners ask that the House not amend the Constitution, as requested by the Government of Newfoundland, and refer the problem of schools back to the Government of Newfoundland.
One of the instigators of the petition, Al Selinger, also states in an accompanying letter that such an amendment would abrogate the rights of a minority.
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Is that agreed?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Is that agreed?
Some hon. members: Agreed.