8784
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
[Translation]
Hon. Don Boudria (Minister for International Cooperation
and Minister responsible for Francophonie, Lib.): Mr. Speaker,
pursuant to Standing Order 32(6), I have the pleasure to table, in
both official languages, the 1995 report on Canada's participation
in regional development banks.
* * *
[English]
Mr. Paul Szabo (Mississauga South, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have
two petitions today. The first comes from St. Catharines, Ontario.
The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that our police
and firefighters place their lives at risk on a daily basis as they
serve the emergency needs of all Canadians. They also state that in
many cases the families of officers killed in the line of duty are
often left without sufficient financial means to meet their
obligations.
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The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to
establish a public safety officers compensation fund to receive
gifts and bequests for the benefit of families of police officers and
firefighters killed in the line of duty.
Mr. Paul Szabo (Mississauga South, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the
second petition comes from Welland, Ontario. The petitioners draw
to the attention of the House that managing the family home and
caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which
has not been recognized for its value to our society.
The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to pursue
initiatives to assist families that choose to provide care in the home
for preschool children, the chronically ill, the aged or the disabled.
Mrs. Sharon Hayes (Port Moody-Coquitlam, Ref.): Mr.
Speaker, I have three petitions to present today.
The first calls on Parliament to amend the Criminal Code of
Canada to raise the age of consent for sexual activity between a
young person and an adult from 14 years to 16 years.
(1205 )
I support this petition and call on the government to-
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Milliken): The hon. member will
know it is out of order for her to indicate either opposition to or
support for a petition. In the presentation of petitions, the practices
of the House require that a member state a summary of the petition
and may indicate where the petitioners are from but it is not normal
to indicate support for or opposition to a petition. I invite her to
comply with that portion of the rules.
Mrs. Sharon Hayes (Port Moody-Coquitlam, Ref.): Mr.
Speaker, the next petition I present is from my riding and contains
76 signatures. The petitioners call on Parliament to not increase the
federal excise tax on gasoline.
The third petition, containing 260 signatures, is again from my
riding and other lower mainland constituencies. The petitioners
urge all levels of government to demonstrate their support of
education and literacy by eliminating the sales tax on reading
materials.
Mr. Mac Harb (Ottawa Centre, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have a
petition sponsored by the Canadian Automobile Association. The
petitioners call on Parliament to urge the federal government to
join with the provincial government to make the national highway
system upgrading possible beginning in 1997.
Mr. Bill Gilmour (Comox-Alberni, Ref.): Mr. Speaker,
pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present the
following petition which comes from my riding of
Comox-Alberni and contains 274 signatures. The undersigned
bring attention to the fact that British Columbia has a senatorial
selection act which allows the election of B.C. senators. They also
draw attention to the fact that British Columbia Senator Len
Marchand will resign his seat in the Senate shortly.
Therefore the petitioners call on Parliament to urge the governor
general to appoint a duly elected person according to the
forthcoming vacant British Columbia seat in the Senate of Canada.
I fully concur with the petitioners and endorse this petition-
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Milliken): I hoped the hon. member
had heard me indicate to one of the other members earlier that it is
out of order for the member to indicate his opposition to or support
for a petition. I invite him to comply with the rules in his use of the
time during presentation of petitions.
Mr. Derek Lee (Scarborough-Rouge River, Lib.): Mr.
Speaker, I have a petition signed by 45 individuals in the greater
Toronto area. While recognizing the change in government policy
to fully rebate goods and services tax on books purchased by
educational institutions and libraries, they call on the government
to pursue the policy further and remove the tax from books,
magazines and newspapers.
* * *
Mr. George Proud (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of
Labour, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to
stand.
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Milliken): Is that agreed?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
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