Pursuant to Standing Order 31, Members made statements.

Pursuant to Standing Order 30(5), the House proceeded to Oral Questions.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons) laid upon the Table, — Government responses, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), to the following petitions:

Mr. Moore (Fundy Royal), from the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, presented the Third Report of the Committee (Main Estimates 2012-13 — Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 and 115 under CANADIAN HERITAGE). — Sessional Paper No. 8510-411-103.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 33) was tabled.

Mr. Preston (Elgin—Middlesex—London), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 25th Report of the Committee (Main Estimates 2012-13 — Vote 5 under PARLIAMENT and Vote 15 under PRIVY COUNCIL). — Sessional Paper No. 8510-411-104.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 39) was tabled.

Mr. Christopherson (Hamilton Centre), from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, presented the Seventh Report of the Committee (Main Estimates 2012-13 — Vote 20 under FINANCE). — Sessional Paper No. 8510-411-105.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 45 and 46) was tabled.

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. LeBlanc (Beauséjour), seconded by Mr. Goodale (Wascana), Bill C-424, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (contestation of election and punishment), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Shory (Calgary Northeast), seconded by Mr. Payne (Medicine Hat), Bill C-425, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (honouring the Canadian Armed Forces), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, during the supply period ending on June 23, 2012, any deferred recorded division in respect of Private Members’ Business deferred to a Wednesday which is appointed for the consideration of business pursuant to Standing Order 81(18), shall be deemed to have been deferred to the expiry of the time provided for Government Orders on the same day.

By unanimous consent, it was resolved, — That this House urgently appeal to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to grant clemency to Hamid Ghassemi-Shall on compassionate and humanitarian grounds, call for his release and return to his family and spouse in Canada, and urge Iran to reverse its current course and to adhere to its international human rights obligations.

Pursuant to Standing Order 36, petitions certified correct by the Clerk of Petitions were presented as follows:

The Order was read for the consideration of the Business of Supply.

Mr. Bélanger (Ottawa—Vanier), seconded by Mr. Easter (Malpeque), moved, — That a special committee be appointed to consider the status of cooperatives in Canada and to make recommendations by: (a) identifying the strategic role of cooperatives in our economy; (b) outlining a series of economic, fiscal and monetary policies for strengthening Canadian cooperatives as well as for protecting the jobs they create; (c) exploring the issue of capitalization of cooperatives, its causes, effects and potential solutions; (d) exploring whether the Canada Cooperatives Act of 1998 requires updating; (e) identifying what tools the government can use to provide greater support and a greater role to Canadian cooperatives; and that the committee consist of twelve members which shall include seven members from the government party, four members from the Official Opposition and one member from the Liberal Party, provided that the Chair is from the government party; that in addition to the Chair, there be one Vice-Chair from each of the opposition parties; that the committee have all of the powers of a Standing Committee as provided in the Standing Orders, as well as the power to travel, accompanied by the necessary staff, inside and outside of Canada, subject to the usual authorization from the House; that the members to serve on the said committee be appointed by the Whip of each party depositing with the Clerk of the House a list of his or her party’s members of the committee no later than June 8, 2012; that the quorum of the special committee be seven members for any proceedings, provided that at least a member of the opposition and of the government party be present; that membership substitutions be permitted to be made from time to time, if required, in the manner provided for in Standing Order 114(2); and that the Committee report its recommendations to this House no later than November 30, 2012.

Debate arose thereon.

At 5:15 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 81(16), the Speaker interrupted the proceedings.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

Pursuant to Standing Order 93(1), the House proceeded to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of Ms. Michaud (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier), seconded by Mr. Côté (Beauport—Limoilou), — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) formally recognize the responsibility of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces with regard to the contamination of the groundwater which is the source of drinking water for multiple homes in the residential area of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Valcartier, residential areas of the municipality of Shannon, and numerous public institutions, due to the use of chlorinated solvents for several decades, including trichloroethylene (TCE); (b) take over the efforts of the Shannon Citizens Committee to monitor filtration systems in place for those dealing with the contamination of drinking water, and include the Committee in any environmental efforts undertaken; and (c) commit to (i) notify all persons employed at CFB Valcartier or who have lived in the residential quarters of the Base for the years during which the contamination took place, (ii) quickly clean up the affected sites, (iii) compensate victims of TCE contamination. (Private Members' Business M-273)

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following division:

Pursuant to Standing Order 93(1), the House proceeded to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of Mr. Simms (Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor), seconded by Ms. Sgro (York West), — That Bill C-326, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security Act (biweekly payment of benefits), be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following division:

At 6:13 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 30(7), the House proceeded to the consideration of Private Members' Business.

The Order was read for the third reading of Bill C-304, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting freedom).

Mr. Storseth (Westlock—St. Paul), seconded by Mr. Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills), moved, — That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.

Debate arose thereon.

At 7:12 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 98, the Speaker interrupted the proceedings.

The question was put on the motion and, pursuant to Standing Order 98(4), the recorded division was deferred until Wednesday, June 6, 2012, immediately before the time provided for Private Members' Business.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(1), papers deposited with the Clerk of the House were laid upon the Table as follows:

At 7:12 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 38(1), the question “That this House do now adjourn” was deemed to have been proposed.

After debate, the question was deemed to have been adopted.

Accordingly, at 7:32 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).