Pursuant to the order of reference of Monday, April 7, 1997, your committee has considered Bill C-46, an act to amend the Criminal Code (production of records in sexual offence proceedings), and your committee has agreed to report it with amendments.
In accordance with its order of reference of Monday, June 17, 1996, your committee has considered Bill C-37, an act to implement an agreement between Canada and the Russian Federation, a convention between Canada and the Republic of South Africa, an agreement between Canada and the United Republic of Tanzania, an agreement between Canada and the Republic of India, and a convention between Canada and Ukraine for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, and has agreed to report it without amendment.
A copy of the minutes of proceedings related to this bill is tabled.
He said: Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to introduce my private member's bill entitled an act to amend the Broadcasting Act (broadcasting policy for Canada).
The bill would change the mandate of the CBC to include in its responsibilities the duty to ``contribute to the development of national unity and provide for a continuing expression of Canadian identity''. This obligation was originally included in the CBC mandate but was removed by the previous government.
I strongly believe that the CBC is a national institution which helps more than any other to foster understanding among Cana-
dians which in turn contributes to the development of national unity. I think its mandate should support this fact.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
I have two petitions. In the first one, the petitioners pray and request that Parliament introduce mid-term disability benefits legislation which allows working Canadians who suffer from a debilitating illness or injury to receive continuous sickness benefits in the following form: 15 weeks of unemployment insurance, mid-term disability and Canadian disability pension plan.
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The petitioners ask Parliament to zero rate books, magazines and newspapers under the GST. As the provinces and Ottawa are considering harmonizing the sales taxes, reading materials must be zero rated under the provincial sales taxes as well as GST.
In the first, 28 petitioners call on Parliament to urge the federal government to join with the provincial governments to make a national highway system upgrading possible beginning this year.
In the first one, the petitioners call on Parliament to eliminate the right of convicted pedophiles to be let out of jail on bail pending an appeal.
The second petition on pedophiles deals with a registry and states that Parliament enact legislation to establish a pedophile registry.
The petitioners call on Parliament to enact two strikes legislation requiring everyone who is convicted for the second time of one or more sexual offences against a minor to be sentenced to imprisonment for life without eligibility of parole or early release.
Also, for anyone awaiting trial on any such offences mentioned in the petition, the petitioners pray that such a person be held in custody without eligibility for bail or release in any form or any manner until the case is concluded in a court of law.
The petitioners ask Parliament to zero rate books, magazines and newspapers under the GST. They also ask Parliament and the provincial governments to zero rate reading materials under the proposed harmonized sales tax.
These petitioners are from Edmonton, from Rocky Mountain House and other parts of Alberta. This is very important and I hope the government takes it seriously. We should not be taxing reading material.
The Deputy Speaker: Is it agreed?
Some hon. members: Agreed.