Mr. Speaker:
I have the honour to lay upon the table an extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Commissioners of Internal Economy, held April 24, 1972, concerning salary revisions of the staff of the House of Commons.
Mr. Andrew Brewin (Greenwood):
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 70 I present to the House the petition of one Herman Weisz, endorsed by myself. The petition humbly prays that the House should cause the person or persons responsible for the-
Mr. Speaker:
Order, please. The hon. member's right under the Standing Order is simply to present the petition. No explanation is required. He simply indicates that he is tabling the petition, which will be studied between now and tomorrow. There is no provision in the standing order to permit an explanation of what the petition is about.
Mr. Brewin:
Very well, Mr. Speaker. I present the petition.
Mr. David MacDonald (Egmont):
Mr. Speaker, I rise under the terms of Standing Order 43 to move a motion in a case of urgent and pressing necessity. The subject matter has to do with the oil spill which occurred last Sunday at the ARCO oil refinery at Cherry Point, Washington, which is now being carried by the tides and currents into Canadian waters and polluting Canadian shores south of Vancouver. I would hope the unanimous consent of the House would be given, in which case I would move the following motion, seconded by the hon. member for Calgary North (Mr. Woolliams):
That the Standing Committee on External Affairs and National Defence be empowered to examine and inquire into the oil spill at Cherry Point and the consequent infringement of Canadian sea and territorial sovereignty; and to relate its findings to studies on public hearings conducted on the west coast into the TAPS oil tanker route and oil transfer and refinery terminals; and to have power to travel from place to place both in Canada and elsewhere.
Since the Standing committee is now on the west coast, I would hope it might begin this inquiry immediately.
Mr. Speaker:
Order, please. The hon. member's proposed motion has been placed before the House under the terms of Standing Order 43 and requires unanimous consent. Is there unanimous consent?
Agreed.
No.
Mr. Speaker:
There is not. Therefore the motion cannot be put at this time.
Mr. Barry Mather (Surrey-White Rock):
Mr. Speaker, I rise to move a motion under the provisions of Standing Order 43. Having in mind the oil spill that occurred at Cherry Point, a few miles from the riding of Surrey-White Rock, which has resulted in oil slicks drifting ashore at or near Crescent Beach in that riding, I move, seconded by the hon. member for Comox-Alberni (Mr. Barnett):
(a) That this House approve immediate federal action to help clean up and protect the affected area; (b) to provide that no economic loss be suffered by the people of that area; and (c) that what has happened be drawn forcefully to the attention of the government of the United States as constituting a small sample of the inevitable ecological dangers and disasters that will follow the transportation of oil by tanker along our western coast.
Mr. Speaker:
This motion is also proposed to the House under the terms of Standing Order 43 and requires the unanimous consent of the House. Is there unanimous consent?
Agreed.
No.