Mr. Gray (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Eggleton (Minister for International Trade), moved, — That, in order to facilitate the conduct of the business of the House in the Second Session of the Thirty-fifth Parliament, this House order as follows:

That, during the first thirty sitting days of the Second Session of the Thirty-fifth Parliament, whenever a Minister of the Crown, when proposing a motion for first reading of a bill states that the said bill is in the same form as a Government bill was at the time of prorogation of the First Session, and, whenever any Private Member, when proposing a motion for first reading of a public bill states that the said bill is in the same form as a private member’s public bill that he or she introduced in the First Session, if the Speaker is satisfied that the said bill is in the same form as at prorogation, the said bill shall be deemed to have been considered and approved at all stages completed at the time of prorogation and shall stand, if necessary, on the Order Paper, or, as the case may be, referred to committee, at the same stage and under the same legislative procedural process at which it stood at the time of prorogation;

Provided that any evidence adduced by any committee with regard to any bill in the First Session of the Thirty- fifth Parliament that is affected by this Order shall be deemed to have been laid upon the Table, and, as the case may be, referred to the appropriate committee;

Provided that, if this Order is applied to any bill, the consideration of which had been completed in the House of Commons, but which was before the Senate at the time of prorogation, the said bill shall be deemed to have been introduced, completed at all stages and passed by the House of Commons in the present session; and

That, for the remainder of the calendar year 1996, Standing Order 81 shall be amended as follows:

1. Section (4) is suspended and the following substituted therefor:

    

   (4)

   The Main Estimates for the year ending March 31, 1997 shall stand referred to standing committees up to and including June 21, 1996. Each such committee shall consider and shall report, or shall be deemed to have reported the same to the House not later than the said date, provided that:

   (a)

   not later than the third sitting day prior to June 21, 1996, the Leader of the Opposition may give notice during the time specified in Standing Order 54 of a motion to extend consideration of the main estimates of a named department or agency and the said motion shall be deemed adopted when called on “Motions” on the last sitting day prior to June 21, 1996;

   (b)

   on the sitting day immediately preceding the first allotted day in the supply period ending December 10, 1996, but, in any case not later than ten sitting days following the day on which any motion made pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section is adopted, and not later than the ordinary time of daily adjournment, the said committee shall report, or shall be deemed to have reported, the main estimates of the said department or agency; and

   (c)

   if the committee shall make a report, the Chairman or a member of the committee acting for the Chairman may so indicate, on a point of order, prior to the hours indicated in paragraph (b) of this section, and the House shall immediately revert to “Presenting Reports from Committees” for the purpose of receiving the said report.

2. Section 14(a) shall be suspended and the following substituted therefor:

    

   (14)

   (a)

   Forty-eight hours’ written notice shall be given of motions to concur in interim supply, main estimates, supplementary or final estimates, to restore or reinstate any item in the estimates. Twenty-four hours’ written notice shall be given of an opposition motion on an allotted day or of a notice to oppose any item in the estimates, provided that for the consideration of the Main Estimates for the year ending March 31, 1997, forty-eight hours’ notice shall be given of a notice to oppose any item in the said estimates.

3. Section (17) is amended by inserting, immediately after the word “ending”, the words “June 23”.
4. Section (18) is amended by deleting the words “On the last allotted day in the period ending June 23” and by substituting therefor the words “On the first allotted day in the period ending December 10”. (Government Business No. 1)

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Bellehumeur, seconded by Mr. Laurin (Joliette), moved the following amendment, — That the motion be amended by adding at the end of the first paragraph, after the word “prorogation”, the following:

“except when a Member states on a point of order his or her opposition to the Bill whose reinstatement is being proposed, in which case first reading of the said Bill shall be moved and it shall be debated like any other new measure introduced in the House by the government”.

Debate arose thereon.

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

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. 351-4017, 351-4123 and 351-4124 concerning Indian Affairs. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-1A;
2. No. 351-4078 concerning Bell Canada. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-6;
3. No. 351-4086 concerning the establishment of a witness and informant protection program. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-7;
4. No. 351-4092 concerning the government tendering process. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-8;
5. No. 351-4105 concerning the mining industry. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-9;
6. No. 351-4116 concerning landmines. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-352-3A.

Mr. Gagliano (Minister of Labour and Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons) gave notice of intention to move at the next sitting of the House, pursuant to Standing Order 57, that, in relation to the consideration of Government Business No. 1, the debate not be further adjourned.

Mr. Zed (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 1st Report of the Committee which was as follows:

The Committee recommends pursuant to Standing Order 104 and 114, that the list of members and associate members for Standing Committees of this House be as follows:

Pursuant to Standing Order 104(3), the Committee further recommends that the list of members and associate members for Standing Joint Committees of this House be as follows:

It is further recommended that a message be sent to the Senate to acquaint their Honours of the names of the members to serve on behalf of this House on the Standing Joint Committees.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings and Evidence (Issue No. 1, which includes this Report) was tabled.

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Gagliano (Minister of Labour), seconded by Mr. Robichaud (Secretary of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans)), Bill C–3, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (nuclear undertakings) and to make a related amendment to another Act, 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. Hoeppner (Lisgar–Marquette), seconded by Mr. Morrison (Swift Current–Maple Creek–Assiniboia), Bill C–211, An Act to amend the Access to Information Act, 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. Hoeppner (Lisgar–Marquette), seconded by Mr. Morrison (Swift Current–Maple Creek–Assiniboia), Bill C–212, An Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act (audit), 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 Order 36, petitions certified correct by the Clerk of Petitions were presented as follows:

• by Mr. Chatters (Athabasca), seven concerning the tax on gasoline (Nos. 352-0018 to 352-0024);
• by Mr. Hill (Macleod), one concerning the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery (No. 352-0025) and one concerning the parole system (No. 352-0026);
• by Mr. Crawford (Kent), one concerning the tax on gasoline (No. 352-0027);
• by Mrs. Sheridan (Saskatoon–Humboldt), one concerning the tax on gasoline (No. 352-0028);
• by Mr. Bodnar (Saskatoon–Dundurn), one concerning the tax on gasoline (No. 352-0029);
• by Mr. Knutson (Elgin–Norfolk), one concerning the tax on gasoline (No. 352-0030) and one concerning sentences in the Criminal Code (No. 352-0031);
• by Mr. Morrison (Swift Current–Maple Creek–Assiniboia), three concerning the tax on gasoline (Nos. 352-0032 to 352-0034).

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Gray (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Eggleton (Minister for International Trade); (Government Business No. 1)

And of the amendment of Mr. Bellehumeur (Berthier–Montcalm), seconded by Mr. Laurin (Joliette).

The debate continued.

At 2:31 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until Monday at 11:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).