The Clerk informed the House of the unavoidable absence of the Speaker.

Thereupon, Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais (Madawaska -- Victoria), Assistant Deputy Chairman of Committees of the Whole, took the Chair, pursuant to Standing Order 8.

PRAYERS

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Tabling of Documents

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Zed (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: (1) Nos. 352-0111, 352-0124 and 352-0141 concerning the tax on gasoline. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-44A. (2) No. 352-0118 concerning the income tax system. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-28C. (3) Nos. 352-0125 and 352-0132 concerning Veterans' Affairs. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-10B. (4) No. 352-0138 concerning the Senate. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-36A.

Introduction of Government Bills

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) for Mr. Rock (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Chan (Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)), Bill C-27, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (child prostitution, child sex tourism, criminal harassment and female genital mutilation), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

Introduction of Private Members' Bills

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Bonin (Nickel Belt), seconded by Mr. Bélair (Cochrane -- Superior), Bill C-266, An Act to amend the Competition Act (protection of whistle-blowers), 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. McTeague (Ontario), seconded by Mr. Wappel (Scarborough West), Bill C-267, An Act to amend the Competition Act (gasoline pricing), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Marchi (Minister of the Environment), -- That Bill C-15, An Act to amend, enact and repeal certain laws relating to financial institutions, be now read a third time and do pass.

The question was put on the motion and, pursuant to Standing Order 45, the recorded division was deferred until Monday, April 22, 1996, at 6:30 p.m.

The Order was read for the third reading of Bill C-11, An Act to establish the Department of Human Resources Development and to amend and repeal certain related Acts.

Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) for Mr. Young (Minister of Human Resources Development), seconded by Mr. Chan (Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)), moved, -- That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.

Debate arose thereon.

Mrs. Lalonde, seconded by Mrs. Dalphond-Guiral (Laval Centre), moved the following amendment, -- That the motion be amended by deleting all the words after the word ''That'' and substituting the following:

''Bill C-11, An Act to establish the Department of Human Resources Development and to amend and repeal certain related Acts, be not now read a third time but that the Order be discharged, the Bill withdrawn and the subject-matter thereof referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development.''

Debate arose thereon.

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Pursuant to Standing Order 31, Members made statements.

ORAL QUESTIONS

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

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Young (Minister of Human Resources Development), seconded by Mr. Chan (Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)), -- That Bill C-11, An Act to establish the Department of Human Resources Development and to amend and repeal certain related Acts, be now read a third time and do pass;

And of the amendment of Mrs. Lalonde (Mercier), seconded by Mrs. Dalphond-Guiral (Laval Centre).

The debate continued.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

At 5:30, pursuant to Standing Order 30(6), the House proceeded to the consideration of Private Members' Business.

Mr. Stinson (Okanagan -- Shuswap), seconded by Mr. Hart (Okanagan -- Similkameen -- Merritt), moved, -- That, in the opinion of this House, the government should consider the advisability of amending section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, according to the amending formula provided for in section 38 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which amendment would read as follows: "Every citizen of Canada, except one who is (a) confined in a penitentiary, a prison, or a psychiatric institution, or (b) at large from a place referred to in paragraph (a), with or without a lawful excuse, has the right to vote in an election of Members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.'' (Private Members' Business M-143)

Debate arose thereon.

Pursuant to Standing Order 96(1), the Order was dropped from the Order Paper.

RETURNS AND REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE

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

-- by Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance) -- Response of the government, pursuant to Standing Order 109, to the 17th Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts: "Chapter 5 of the Report of the Auditor General, May 1995: Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions -- Deposit-Taking Institutions Sector" (Sessional Paper No. 8510-351-164), presented to the House on Monday, November 20, 1995. -- Sessional Paper No. 8512-352-164.

-- By Mr. Young (Minister of Human Resources Development) -- Report on the Administration of Income Security Programs: Old Age Security, Child Tax Benefit, Children's Special Allowances and Canada Pension Plan for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1995, pursuant to the Old Age Security Act, R.S. 1985, c. O-9, s. 47, the Family Allowances Act, R.S. 1985, c. F-1, s. 23, the Canada Pension Plan Act, R.S. 1985, c. C-8, s. 117. -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-352-141. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development)

-- by Mr. Young (Minister of Human Resources Development) -- Copy of Order in Council P.C. 1996-305, dated March 12, 1996, concerning the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and Spain, pursuant to the Old Age Security Act, R. S. 1985, c. O-9, sbs. 42(1). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-352-212A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development)

-- by Mr. Young (Minister of Human Resources Development) -- Copy of Order in Council P.C. 1996-306, dated March 12, 1996, concerning the Agreement on Social Security between Canada and the Hellenic Republic, pursuant to the Old Age Security Act, R. S. 1985, c. O-9, sbs. 42(1). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-352-212B. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development)

-- By Mr. Young (Minister of Human Resources Development) -- Report on Federal and Provincial Support to Post-Secondary Education in Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1995, pursuant to the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements and Federal Post-Secondary Education and Health Contributions Act, R.S. 1985, c. F-8, sbs. 21(1). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-352-608. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development)

ADJOURNMENT

At 6:31 p.m., the Acting Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).