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Friends, Following is a list of the topical Hansard files I have updated in the last month, about the amount that I usually have been doing in a week of rain and sleet and snow. These files have been "updated" as I have worked backward through debates which I had not scanned earlier. Most of the updated material is from February to May of 1999. If any of these files appear to be useful to you please send me a note specifying which files you wish. Other than politely asking for more detailed information I have not yet figured out how to deal with highly generalized requests. (I am looking for help to produce a catalogue of all the Issues Files which I presently have avaiable for posting on the web and elsewhere.) If you think of anyone else for whom any of these materials might be of interest please feel free to pass the list along to them, or otherwise to put us in touch. I might also add that I will be away for the until September 17th so most requests will receive responses thereafter. Also, I did lose my Netscape a while ago. Any requests which were waiting for response at that time may have been lost in the re-installation. If you are waiting for a response from June, July or August please repeat it in a new note posted to me after Sept. 17. Michael Posluns. CATALOGUE as of Saturday September 4, 1999 APEC The complete file of everything said in both Houses of Parliament on APEC and the use of police power to suppress dissent. 318 pages. BLACK HISTORY MONTH Several Senators and MPs made statements at the beginning of February, 1999 to observe that month as Black History Month. Some interesting observations on the history of Black people in Canada, and an indication of which parliamentarians find Black populations to be an influential constituency. 5 pages. SENATOR PETER BOSA. Tributes upon the passing of Senator Peter Bosa, Liberal, Toronto to a higher chamber yet. 10 pages. CHILD CUSTODY REPORT In June, 1998 the Joint Senate-Commons Committee on Child Custody presented a report with recommendations designed to ensure easy access between children and their non-custodial parents and to minimize the use of contentious langauge in discussions of access. Although the report, “For the Sake of the Children” was endorsed by all parties in both Houses Justice Minister Anne McLellan has responded with a statement that further study is required. Debate on the Report in both Houses: 37 pages. Also available: text of the report. Also available: Proceedings of the Joint Committee, or, for reference to the URL at which the entire proceedings appear in HTML. CRIMINAL LAW Criminal Records Act Debate. This Act was originally designed to allow former convicts who developed excellent post-release records to have their criminal record sealed, an accomplishment of great advantage to anyone seeking to advance him (or her) self economicallly or socially. Bill C-69 amends the Criminal Records Act to allow convictions for sexual offences to remain accessible regardless of the good conduct of ex-cons. Passed with the co-operation of all parties. Total debate in both Houses: 35 pages. Criminal Records Act Text, C-69; 36:1. The Text of the Criminal Records Act Amendment. Euthanasia and Health Care. A Special Senate Committee brought in a report on issues relating to euthanasia and assisted suicide in 1995. In 1999, Sen. Therese Lavoie-Roux introduced Bill S-29, a private senator’s bill based on this report and aim at clarifying the rights and responsibilities of patients, family members and physicians under the Criminal Code. An earlier version of S-29 was introduced in a previous session by Sen. Sharon Carstairs, now the deputy leader of the Government in the Senate. Debate to date. 6 pages. DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENCE ANTHRAX. Administration of Anthrax vaccine to troops. This vaccine is considered by many medical authorities to be not much better than the disease it is intended to prevent. Why then does the army make refusing this medication an offence punishable by court martial? 10 pages. SEA KING HELICOPTERS. The capacity of these noble but aging air vessels is raised each time a search and rescue effort receives parliamentary attention. It also arose in connection with the capacity of Canadian troops to fulfill the government’s commitment to NATO in regard to Kosovo. 25 pages. ETHICS & GOVERNMENT Role of the Prime Minister’s Ethics Counsellor and the role of Privy Council in relation to the Government’s responsibility to Parliament. A growing file beginning with questions asked by Sen. Donald Oliver to which will shortly be added a search for similar material in the House of Commons Debates in the last session of Parliament (first session, 36th Parliament, aka 36:1). FISHERIES Discussins of the role of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, with suggestions that they are not prresently engaged in protecting the interests of Atlantic fishers. Further interventions in favour of protecting the declining Atlantic fishery stocks while also providing adequate compensation for fishers unable to continue to pursue their trade. 21 pages. FORESTRY Reform MP John Duncan wants the money Greenpeace is spending on advertisements in the New York Times criticizing the forestry industry in B.C. to be interdicted by the minister and countermanded with state propaganda. This from a party which, on other days, opposes subsidies to industry. 6 pages. HEALTH ISSUES Medical Use of Marijuana. Questions and Statements by MPs of all parties for or against the legalization of the medical use of marijuana. BQ are clearly leading the movement for legalization while Reform argues that such a legalization with start the slippery slope to recreational use. Liberals and NDP MPs seem divided Once PC Senator has introduced a motion to establish a special inquiry to determine the effectiveness of current “antidrug” laws. 51 pages. HUMAN RIGHTS United Kingdom Report on Racism of Police Officers. Reference to the Public Inquiry headed by Sir Wm. MacPherson into the death of Stephen Lawrence, the 18-year old son of Jamaican immigrants, was introduced into Canadian debate by Sen. Donald Oliver of Nova Scotia. StillWaters has now downloaded the entire report and can offer it either in the original HTML or in RTF. For those who found the Marshall and Morin inquiries instructive Lawrence report may demonstrate that this is a problem which has “followed the flag” and returned from the Empire to the former Mother Country. IMMIGRATION HEAD TAX or USER FEE. The imposition of a fee of nearly $1,000 for processing immigration applications has been described by the Opposition as a head tax. The Government insists it is a legitimate user fee. 5 pages. PRIVACY COMMISSIONER’s REPORT Bruce Phillips, the independent Privacy Commissioner files an annual report with Parliament. This year the Commissioner accepted an invitation to appear before the Committee of the Whole Senate. Phillips discussed the meaning of privacy and the difficulties of achieving privacy under current technology as well as his work in purusit of the parliamentary protection of privacy. 35 pages. POVERTY Statements and Questions by MPs and Senators on the broad topic of poverty through the first six months of 1999. 12 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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