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Notice Paper

No. 53

Monday, February 25, 2008

11:00 a.m.


Introduction of Government Bills

February 21, 2008 — The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food — Bill entitled “An Act to amend the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act”.
Recommendation
(Pursuant to Standing Order 79(2))
Her Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances, in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled “An Act to amend the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act”.

Introduction of Private Members' Bills

February 21, 2008 — Mr. D'Amours (Madawaska—Restigouche) — Bill entitled “An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (compassionate care benefits for dependent children)”.

February 21, 2008 — Mrs. Mourani (Ahuntsic) — Bill entitled “An Act to amend the National Defence Act (foreign military mission)”.

Notices of Motions (Routine Proceedings)

February 21, 2008 — Mr. Bélanger (Ottawa—Vanier) — That the Fifth Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, presented on Friday, February 15, 2008, be concurred in.
Debate — limited to 3 hours, pursuant to Standing Order 66(2).
Voting — not later than the expiry of the time provided for debate.

February 21, 2008 — Mr. Batters (Palliser) — That the Fifth Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, presented on Friday, February 15, 2008, be concurred in.
Debate — limited to 3 hours, pursuant to Standing Order 66(2).
Voting — not later than the expiry of the time provided for debate.

February 21, 2008 — Mr. Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills) — That the Fifth Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, presented on Friday, February 15, 2008, be concurred in.
Debate — limited to 3 hours, pursuant to Standing Order 66(2).
Voting — not later than the expiry of the time provided for debate.

Questions

Q-201 — February 21, 2008 — Mr. Pearson (London North Centre) — With regard to the Tomorrow Starts Today program in the Department of Canadian Heritage: (a) what has been the total spending under the progam since 2001; (b) how much of this total has been spent in each of the provinces in each of the years 2001 to 2007, inclusive; and (c) what is the per capita amount of spending of this program per province in each of the years 2001 to 2007, inclusive?
Q-202 — February 21, 2008 — Mr. Pearson (London North Centre) — With regard to the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund within Infrastructure Canada and the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program within the Department of Transport: (a) what has been the total spending in the program since 2002; (b) how much of this total has been spent in each of the provinces in each year of the programs from 2002 to 2007, inclusive; and (c) what is the per capita amount of spending of these programs per province in each year of the programs from 2002 to 2007, inclusive?
Q-2032 — February 21, 2008 — Mr. Godin (Acadie—Bathurst) — With regard to the National Defence Official Languages Program Transformation Model: (a) who exactly must be bilingual under the Model; (b) do all National Defence members have the right to receive orders from their superiors in English or French and what is the rationale for this; (c) has National Defence ever required all its members to be bilingual; (d) is the Model consistent with the Official Languages Act and on what criteria is this answer based; (e) does the Model run counter to all the efforts made in the past to comply with the Official Languages Act; (f) what method is used to ensure that working groups within units can provide services in both official languages when necessary; (g) how will the adoption of a ''functional approach'' ensure that National Defence complies with the Official Languages Act more fully than in the past; (h) which recommendations by the former Commissioner of Official Languages were not included in the Model and why; (i) where are the English, French and bilingual units located; (j) can a unilingual member serve as superior to someone who does not understand the member’s language; (k) will the Model increase the isolation and lack of understanding between the linguistic groups, in addition to aggravating tensions between Anglophones and Francophones, and have these aspects been considered; (l) what evaluation criteria and processes are used to designate a unit bilingual, Anglophone or Francophone; (m) will only bilingual and Francophone units receive services in French; (n) will the Model provide greater opportunities for advancement and equality for Francophones and why; (o) will the Model affect the number of positions for English and French teachers, program designers, curriculum developers for English and French courses and technical and administrative staff and if so how; (p) who will be required to reach the CBC level; and (q) how will priority be given for language courses?
Q-2042 — February 21, 2008 — Ms. Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan) — With regards to the First Nations Infrastructure Fund (FNIF): (a) how has the government advertised and solicited applications for First Nations infrastructure projects; (b) how many applications have been received; (c) how many applications were found to be eligible; (d) what type of infrastructure requests were in the applications; (e) what is the total amount of funds dispersed under the FNIF; and (f) which applications have been accepted?

Notices of Motions for the Production of Papers

Business of Supply

Government Business

No. 5 — February 21, 2008 — The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform — Whereas,
the House recognizes the important contribution and sacrifice of Canadian Forces and Canadian civilian personnel as part of the UN mandated, NATO-led mission deployed in Afghanistan at the request of the democratically elected government of Afghanistan;
the House believes that Canada must remain committed to the people of Afghanistan beyond February 2009;
the House takes note that in February 2002, the government took a decision to deploy 850 troops to Kandahar to join the international coalition that went to Afghanistan to drive out the Taliban in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and that this deployment lasted for six months at which time the troops rotated out of Afghanistan and returned home;
the House takes note that in February 2003, the government took a decision that Canada would commit 2000 troops and lead for one year, starting in the summer of 2003, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul and at the end of the one-year commitment, Canada’s 2000 troop commitment was reduced to a 750-person reconnaissance unit as Canada’s NATO ally, Turkey, rotated into Kabul to replace Canada as the lead nation of the ISAF mission;
the House takes note that in August 2005, Canada assumed responsibility of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar province which included roughly 300 Canadian Forces personnel;
the House takes note that the government took a decision to commit a combat Battle Group of roughly 1200 troops to Kandahar for a period of one year, from February 2006 to February 2007;
the House takes note that in January 2006, the government participated in the London Conference on Afghanistan which resulted in the signing of the Afghanistan Compact which set out benchmarks and timelines until the end of 2010 for improving the security, the governance and the economic and social development of Afghanistan;
the House takes note that in May 2006, Parliament supported the government’s two year extension of Canada’s deployment of diplomatic, development, civilian police and military personnel in Afghanistan and the provision of funding and equipment for this extension;
the House welcomes the Report of the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan, chaired by the Honourable John Manley, and recognizes the important contribution its members have made;
the House takes note that it has long been a guiding principle of Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan that all three components of a comprehensive government strategy – defence, diplomacy and development – must reinforce each other and that the government must strike a balance between these components to be most effective;
the House takes note that the ultimate aim of Canadian policy is to leave Afghanistan to Afghans, in a country that is better governed, more peaceful and more secure and to create the necessary space and conditions to allow the Afghans themselves to achieve a political solution to the conflict; and
the House takes note that in order to achieve that aim, it is essential to assist the people of Afghanistan to have properly trained, equipped and paid members of the four pillars of their security apparatus: the army, the police, the judicial system and the correctional system;
therefore, it is the opinion of the House,
that Canada should continue a military presence in Kandahar beyond February 2009, to July 2011, in a manner fully consistent with the UN mandate on Afghanistan, and that the military mission should consist of:
(a) training the Afghan National Security Forces so that they can expeditiously take increasing responsibility for security in Kandahar and Afghanistan as a whole;
(b) providing security for reconstruction and development efforts in Kandahar;
(c) the continuation of Canada’s responsibility for the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team;
that, consistent with this mandate, this extension of Canada’s military presence in Afghanistan is approved by this House expressly on the condition that:
(a) NATO secure a battle group of approximately 1000 to rotate into Kandahar (operational no later than February 2009);
(b) to better ensure the safety and effectiveness of the Canadian contingent, the government secure medium helicopter lift capacity and high performance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance before February 2009; and
(c) the government of Canada notify NATO that Canada will end its presence in Kandahar as of July 2011, and, as of that date, the redeployment of Canadian Forces troops out of Kandahar and their replacement by Afghan forces start as soon as possible, so that it will have been completed by December 2011;
that the government of Canada, together with our allies and the government of Afghanistan, must set firm targets and timelines for the training, equipping and paying of the Afghan National Army, the Afghan National Police, the members of the judicial system and the members of the correctional system;
that Canada’s contribution to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan should:
(a) be revamped and increased to strike a better balance between our military efforts and our development efforts in Afghanistan;
(b) focus on our traditional strengths as a nation, particularly through the development of sound judicial and correctional systems and strong political institutions on the ground in Afghanistan and the pursuit of a greater role for Canada in addressing the chronic fresh water shortages in the country;
(c) address the crippling issue of the narco-economy that consistently undermines progress in Afghanistan, through the pursuit of solutions that do not further alienate the goodwill of the local population;
(d) be held to a greater level of accountability and scrutiny so that the Canadian people can be sure that our development contributions are being spent effectively in Afghanistan;
that Canada should assert a stronger and more disciplined diplomatic position regarding Afghanistan and the regional players, including support for the naming of a special envoy to the region who could both ensure greater coherence in all diplomatic initiatives in the region and also press for greater coordination amongst our partners in the UN in the pursuit of common diplomatic goals in the region;
that the government should provide the public with franker and more frequent reporting on events in Afghanistan, offering more assessments of Canada’s role and giving greater emphasis to the diplomatic and reconstruction efforts as well as those of the military and, for greater clarity, the government should table in Parliament detailed reports on the progress of the mission in Afghanistan on a quarterly basis;
that the House of Commons should strike a special parliamentary committee on Afghanistan which would meet regularly with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and National Defence and senior officials, and that the House should authorize travel by the special committee to Afghanistan and the surrounding region so that the special committee can make frequent recommendations on the conduct and progress of our efforts in Afghanistan;
that, the special parliamentary committee on Afghanistan should review the laws and procedures governing the use of operational and national security exceptions for the withholding of information from Parliament, the Courts and the Canadian people with those responsible for administering those laws and procedures, to ensure that Canadians are being provided with ample information on the conduct and progress of the mission; and
that with respect to the transfer of Afghan detainees to Afghan authorities, the government must:
(a) commit to meeting the highest NATO and international standards with respect to protecting the rights of detainees, transferring only when it believes it can do so in keeping with Canada’s international obligations;
(b) pursue a NATO-wide solution to the question of detainees through diplomatic efforts that are rooted in the core Canadian values of respect for human rights and the dignity of all people;
(c) commit to a policy of greater transparency with respect to its policy on the taking of and transferring of detainees including a commitment to report on the results of reviews or inspections of Afghan prisons undertaken by Canadian officials; and
that the government must commit to improved interdepartmental coordination to achieve greater cross-government coherence and coordination of the government’s domestic management of our commitment to Afghanistan, including the creation of a full-time task force which is responsible directly to the Prime Minister to lead these efforts.

Private Members' Notices of Motions

M-457 — February 21, 2008 — Mr. Turner (Halton) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should implement changes to the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations in order to limit the use of medical marijuana to private residences and other designated locations.
M-458 — February 21, 2008 — Mr. Wilfert (Richmond Hill) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should negotiate to achieve an Approved Destination Status with the Chinese government that will allow the Canadian tourism industry to actively market Canadian travel opportunities in China and will permit Chinese travel agents to advertise and promote leisure travel packages to Canada.
M-459 — February 21, 2008 — Mr. Wilfert (Richmond Hill) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) create a large federal urban park in the Greater Toronto Area, in order to maintain the Dunlap Observatory Lands in Richmond Hill as green space; and (b) provide funding for the observatory in order to continue as a community based astronomical outreach and educational research facility.

Private Members' Business

C-219 — February 1, 2008 — Resuming consideration of the motion of Mr. Easter (Malpeque), seconded by Mr. Cuzner (Cape Breton—Canso), — That Bill C-219, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (deduction for volunteer emergency service), be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Finance.
Debate — 1 hour remaining, pursuant to Standing Order 93(1).
Voting — at the expiry of the time provided for debate, pursuant to Standing Order 93(1).

2 Response requested within 45 days