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Friends, Here is a list of recently updated Topical Hansard Files. With Parliament adjourned I have been working in reverse chronological order, i.e., backwards, through those days' debates which I had not yet processed. I am also hoping to process several committee proceedings and to make the bills to which these debates and proceedings relate available in RTF. If you know of anyone else to whom these resources might be of interestede please feel free to pass them on. Thanks very much, Michael Posluns, The StillWaters Group. Catalogue of Topical Hansard Files Updated since Tuesday July 20, 1999 [Note: Bill numbers, such as C-49 are re-cycled, so to speak, in each new session of Parliament. In StillWaters publications and catalogues bill numbers are followed by a bracketed number (36:1) representing the Parliament and Session in which that number referred to the bill in question. We hope this practice is helpful to those who refer to bills from more than one session of Parliament.] FIRST NATIONS RELATIONS AND FEDERAL INDIAN POLICY The First Nations Land Management Act was widely opposed in First Nations communities because it deals more with administrative autonomy and delegation to band councils than with real self-government. In Parliament it was opposed because it did not, the Reform Party alleged, make adequate provision for women who separate from their husbands. The Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples proposes to study these allegations and offer further legislation in the fall. Meanwhile several major amendments were added to the bill by that Committee and subsequently adopted by both the Senate and the House of Commons. Complete debate in both Houses 231 pages. Proceedings of the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples regarding Bill C-49(36:1), the First Nations Land Management Act. C-49, The First Nations Land Management Act, the full text as adopted by the House of Commons including the Senate amendments. ARTS & CULTURE Motion to Authorize Committee to Study the Information, Arts and Entertainment Media. As a follow-up to the Report of the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications entitled “Wired to Win!” the Senate has authorized the Committee to study the effects of new media with particular regard as to whether newly emerging elements in Canadian society are being adequately served. 3 pages. Wired to Win!, a report of the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications on the changes in Canadian society resulting from advances in electronic media. Proceedings of the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications on a mandate to study the effects on Canadian society of advance sin electronic media. BUDGET AND FINANCE C-71(36:1), Budget Implementation Bill, 1999. For those who still want to understand federal budget policy and its alternatives, the debate on the bill to implement the budget brought down in February of 1999 is essential reading. Complete debate in both Houses, 285 pages. DIVORCE AND CHILD CUSTODY Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access. This Committee made a series of recommendations aimed at promoting access of children to their non-custodial parents and re-writing the law to introduce less contentious language. This is the Joint Committee Report which Justice Minister Anne McLellan has said needs to be studied by the provincial governments and others for another three years before equity is introduced into Canadian access legislation. Debate on motion to adopt the Report and related matters 34 pages. Report of the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access Proceedings of the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access. CRIMINAL LAW Antidrug Policy. Senator Pierre Claude Nolin has introduced a motion to establish a Senate Special Committee to study the effectiveness of current antidrug policies and to consider the possible benefits of “an antidrug strategy ... under which all levels of government will work” for harm reduction. Meanwhile the Reform Party laments the failure to develop harsher measures to combat the illicit use of drugs. 17 pages. Extradition Act. The new Extradition Act was subject to extensive hearings before the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. The major concern, resulting in amendments proposed by Sen. Jerry Grafstein, was whether the Minister should retain discretion to allow extradition to states which maintain capital punishment without first requiring that, in the case under consideration that state agree to a penalty, upon conviction, not to exceed life imprisonment. During these hearings the Minister of Justice gave the impression that she had consulted with Mme Louise Arbour, the chief prosecutor for the International War Crimes Tribunal, while Mme Arbour was on leave of absence from her position as a justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal. Following the announcement of Mme Arbour’s appointment as a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, John Lynch-Staunton, pressed the Senate Government Leader to obtain from the Justice Department an official denial that any such consultations occurred. Extradition Act debate --82 pages. Extradition Act Proceedings in the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. C-68, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was introduced into the House of Commons by Justice Minister Anne McLellan on March 11 and called for debate sporadically since then. Reform criticizes this overhaul of the Young Offenders Act for not going far enough. The BQ, Canada’s second Social Democratic Party, faults the bill for being out of step with the progressive policies regarding young people in effect in Quebec and being unlikely to reduce the rate at which young people come into conflict with the law. Debate in the House of Commons to date: 185 pages. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Water Exports has been a continuing, if sporadic, subject of interest in the House of Commons since October of 1998 to June, 1999. Total debate to date: 9 pages. FOREIGN AFFAIRS The World Bank’s Western Poverty Reduction Project -- Violation of the fourth Geneva Convention. The Western Poverty Reduction Project of the World Bank proposes to move poor Chinese farmers into Tibet and Mongolia where they will take over land traditionally used by herders. This joint World Bank-China imperialism has gone unremarked in any of the mainstream media. It has come to light here through a statement of Sen. Raynell Andreychuk. One page. NAT0 Intervention in Yugoslavia. This issue has provoked more parliamentary debate than any other issue since the new year. The major opposition to Canadian support for NATO has, surprisingly, come from Conservative Senators. On the other hand, much concern has been expressed about the ability of the Canadian Armed Forces to fulfill their role. The Reform Party’s strong allegiance to the United States is made evident in this debate as is the inclination of the Liberal Party to adopt the position of the Official Opposition of the day. Complete debate in both Houses to date: 654 pages. INTERNATIONAL LAW & NATO’s INVOLVEMENT IN YUGOSLAVIA. Sen. Jerry Grafstein, a Liberal often critical of the present Government introduced Notice of Motion debate on the issues of international law relating to NATO’s involvement in Yugoslavia. Sen. Doug Roche, long known for his work for world peace was the second speaker, followed by Sen. Nicholas Taylor who likened Sen. Grafstein’s argument to “the Old West” style of “posse justice”. Sen. Marcel Prud’homme, a leading advocate of Palestinian rights and a long standing internationalist also spoke. Essential reading for anyone concerned to find a balanced perspective on this perplexing issue. 26 pages to date. NATIONAL DEFENCE Proposal to Reduce Reserves. Sen. Michael Forrestall has pursued the proposals to reduce the size of the reserve armed forces with a singularity and devotion which has largely been met by stonewalling. The deployment of Canadian troops to Yugoslavia (one fifth of whom are reservists) has served to renew this debate. 11 pages. Sea King Helicopters. The capability of the Sea King Helicopter has been an issue of abiding interest to Senator Michael Forrestall who has led a largely one-person campaign to have the government come clean with a decision on its replacement and to present competent information on current capabilities. POVERTY & SOCIAL SAFETY NET ISSUES Child Poverty. Questions and Statements by MPs and Senators opposing child poverty and criticizing the government’s inaction or praising their actions depending on whose child is currently suffering. While the Senate adopted a resolution calling for the elimination of child poverty by the year 2000 there is no evident overlap between this resolution and the Budget Implementation Act or other fiscal measures before Parliament. 15 pages from December 1998 to June 1999. The National Housing Act Amendment Bill, C-66 replaces the longstanding role of the federal Crown corporation CMHC with a highly debatable provincial role. The complete debate in both Houses, 258 pages. R.C.M.P. The Reform Party continues to act as agents for the RCMP in their campaign to gain additional funding, to re-open their training school and to acquire new equipment. The Government points out that there has, in fact, been a major increase in funding with the new budget. 25 pages. -- Michael W. Posluns, The StillWaters Group, First Nations Relations & Public Policy. Please note new address: mposluns@accglobal.net Phone 416 656-8613 Fax 416 656-2715 36 Lauder Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6H 3E3. We offer Canadian parliamentary debates available by topics and bills.
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