Mr. Jean-Robert Gauthier (Ottawa-Vanier):

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by many constituents in Ottawa-Vanier.

The petitioners are concerned with the standards of education in Canada. They humbly pray and call upon Parliament in co-operation with the provinces to establish Canada-wide standardized testing for students.

Routine Proceedings

These people have tabled several petitions. I believe the objective is to improve the education of our children and I support the petition.

Mr. Bill Kempling (Burlington):

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour under Standing Order 36 to present 27 petitions duly certified and containing 26,966 signatures of citizens from Burlington, Hamilton, Ancaster, Dun-das, Stoney Creek, and several other towns and cities in Canada.

The petitioners support Mrs. Debbie Mahaffy in her efforts to have killer cards stopped from being imported into Canada. We applaud the efforts of the Minister of National Revenue for his statement in support of this action.

The petitioners request that Parliament amend the law to prohibit the importation, distribution and sale and manufacture of killer cards.

Mr. Nelson A. Riis (Kamloops):

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to present quite a stack of petitions, literally thousands of names from communities throughout all of western Canada including some of central Canada who are very concerned about the North America free trade agreement and its clauses that make the interbasin transfer of water possible in order to sell water into Mexico and the United States. They oppose this strongly and are asking the Canadian government to seek a negotiated exclusion for Canadian rivers and lakes to ensure that our water will not be sold to the United States or Mexico.

Mr. Nelson A. Riis (Kamloops):

The second petition calls for a review of the Young Offenders Act. These petitioners point out a whole range of concerns which they have, again reflecting the signatures of hundreds of people all from the constituency of Kamloops who want the Young Offenders Act to be revisited and changed to more adequately reflect the original intent of the legislation.

June 16, 1993

Routine Proceedings NATIONAL SOLIDARITY DAY

Mr. Nelson A. Riis (Kamloops):

I have another petition, Mr. Speaker, that calls upon Parliament to enact Bill C-268 which is an act respecting a national solidarity day for the aboriginal people of Canada.

Oh, oh.

Mr. Riis:

I have been asked to present petitions. Mr. Speaker. I think we could find ample time to allow people to present petitions. If my hon. friend is asking me not to present petitions on behalf of my constituents I will tell him to forget it, that is my job.

Mr. Benjamin:

Don't pay any attention to them, Nelson.

Mr. Riis:

Again, this petition calls upon the House of Commons to restore VIA Rail service, particularly where it was eliminated along the north shore of Lake Superior.

Mr. Nelson A. Riis (Kamloops):

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, a petitioner asks that I present this petition calling upon Parliament to amend the Income Ihx Act of Canada to exclude child support payments from the taxable income of custodial parents.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. DeBlois):

Order, please. I will have to suspend presentation of petitions, and I apologize. According to the motion that was adopted, the House was to proceed to petitions before motions. I would like to dispose of the other items, since members with reports to present were expecting to be called immediately. As a courtesy and out of respect for the traditions of this House, I would prefer to dispose of the other items on the orders of the day.

Mr. Bruce Halliday (Oxford):

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to

the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian group of the Interparliamentary Union which represented Canada at the Interparliamentary Symposium on Parliament, Guardian of Human Rights, which was held in Budapest, Hungary May 19 to 22, 1993.

Mr. Bob Porter (Medicine Hat):

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 341 have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the delegation from the Canadian Parliament which travelled to Venezuela and Colombia from May 9 to 18,1993.