Document Information

Date: 1980-10-23
By: Canada (Parliament)
Citation: Canada, House of Commons Debates, 32nd Parl, 1st Sess, 1980 at 3962-3963.
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COMMONS DEBATES — October 23, 1980

[Page 3962]

THE CONSTITUTION

PROPOSED RESOLUTION—CALL FOR REFERENCE OF CLOSURE MOTION TO COMMITTEE—MOTION UNDER S.O. 43

Mr. Gordon Towers (Red Deer): Madam Speaker, under Standing Order 43, I rise on a serious matter which involves the birthright, the rights and privileges and the future of every citizen of this great land. We have been subjected to government by public relations, by advertising compaigns, by unilateral decrees, by confrontation, and now by the stifling of speech in the House of Commons. The result has been alienation, division and discord, especially in western Canada.

Therefore I move, seconded by the hon. member for Pembina (Mr. Elzinga):

That this House refer the matter of closure to the appropriate House of Commons committee for review, so that it will be less susceptible to abuse in the future.

Madam Speaker: Presentation of such a motion for debate requires the unanimous consent of the House. Is there unanimous consent?

Some hon. Members: Agreed.

Some hon. Members: No.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION—CONSULTATIONS WITH ABORIGINAL PEOPLES—MOTION UNDER S.O. 43

Mr. Jim Manly (Cowichan-Malahat-The Islands): Madam Speaker, I rise on a matter of urgent and pressing necessity. First, I should like to draw to the attention of the House that I understand Indian people have just been turned away from the galleries because they were not wearing ties.

Some hon. Members: Shame.

Mr. Manly: In view of the fact the Prime Minister (Mr. Trudeau) promised the chiefs at the First Nations Conference in April that they would be involved in the constitutional process, and that the proposed resolution was drafted without consultation with the aboriginal peoples, I move, seconded by the hon. member for Kamloops-Shuswap (Mr. Riis):

That this House call upon the Prime Minister to make good his promise and meet immediately with the leaders of Indian and other native organizations, and draft acceptable amendments to the constitutional proposal.

Mr. Shields: Where were you yesterday?

Some hon. Members: Oh, oh!

Madam Speaker: Order, please. Will the hon. member pursue his motion under Standing Order 43.

Mr. Oberle: You should have told them that yesterday.

Mr. Manly: I had finished, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Clark: You sure have.

Madam Speaker: Such a motion requires the unanimous consent of the House. Is there unanimous consent?

Some hon. Members: Agreed.

Some hon. Members: No.

Madam Speaker: I had already given instructions that when Indian people wearing their traditional costumes, or what they wear as a tie, present themselves to the galleries to listen to the proceedings of the House of Commons they should be admitted. If some person was unaware of that ruling on my part, I would now ask them to please admit these people.

Some hon. Members: Hear, hear!

PROPOSED RESOLUTION—PARTICIPATION IN DEBATE OF ALL MEMBERS—MOTION UNDER S.O. 43

Mr. Stan Darling (Parry Sound-Muskoka): Madam Speaker, I rise under the provisions of Standing Order 43 on a matter of extreme urgency. In light of the fact that on October 2 the Prime Minsiter (Mr. Trudeau) on nationwide television invited every member of Parliament from every corner of this land to participate in the debate on the constitutional resolution—and the exact words of the Prime Minister were “every member of Parliament from every corner of this land”—I move, seconded by the hon. member for Prince Edward-Hastings (Mr. Ellis):

That the Prime Minister be required to honour the commitment he made to the members of this House on October 2 and to allow all members who wish to do so to speak on this resolution.

Madam Speaker: Such a motion requires the unanimous consent of the House. Is there unanimous consent?

Some hon. Members: Agreed.

Some hon. Members: No.

[Page 3963]

[Translation]

REQUEST GOVERNMENT DEFER DECISION ON UNILATERAL PATRIATION

Hon. Roch La Salle (Joliette): Madam Speaker, I rise under the provisions of Standing Order 43, to move a motion of the utmost importance for all Canadians, and I shall speak on behalf of millions of Quebeckers.

Considering the final decision of the present government to patriate unilaterally the constitution and the unanimous opposition in the National Assembly of Quebec, including the leader of the Liberal party of Quebec, I move, seconded by the hon. member for Provencher (Mr. Epp):

That the House unanimously invite the Prime Minister of Canada to postpone his objective and to resume immediately the negotiations on this subject, as requested by several provincial premiers.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. Under Standing Order 43, such a motion requires the unanimous consent of the House. Is there unanimous consent?

Some hon. Members: Agreed.

Some hon. Members: No.