PRAYERS

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

A Message was received from His Excellency the Governor General desiring the immediate attendance of the House in the Senate.

Accordingly, the Speaker, with the House, proceeded to the Senate.

The Commons returned to the Chamber.

Whereupon, the Speaker reported that, when the Commons had been in the Senate, he had, in their behalf, claimed their undoubted rights and privileges, especially that they may have freedom of speech in their debates, access to His Excellency's person at all seasonable times, and that their proceedings may receive from His Excellency the most favourable construction and that His Excellency the Governor General had been pleased to declare that He freely confides in the duty and attachment of the House of Commons to Her Majesty's Person and Government and, not doubting that their proceedings will be conducted with wisdom, temper and prudence, grants and upon all occasions will recognize and allow their constitutional privileges, and to assure the Commons that they shall have ready access to Him upon all occasions, and that their proceedings as well as their words and actions, will constantly receive from Him the most favourable construction.

TABLING OF DOCUMENTS

The Speaker informed the House that, in accordance with the representation made by the government under the provisions of Standing Order 55(1), he had caused to be published a Special Order Paper giving notice of two government motions.

The Speaker laid upon the Table, -- Letter from the Government House Leader, dated September 17, 1997 concerning notice of two government motions. -- Sessional Paper No. 8527-361-1.

PRO-FORMA BILL

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Chrétien (Prime Minister), seconded by Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), Bill C-1, An Act Respecting the Administration of Oaths of Office, was introduced and read the first time.

SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

The Speaker reported that, when the Commons was in the Senate, His Excellency the Governor General was pleased to make a speech to both Houses of Parliament.

The Speaker laid upon the Table, -- Copy of the Speech from the Throne. -- Sessional Paper No. 8525-361-1.

Mr. Chrétien (Prime Minister), seconded by Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), moved, -- That the Speech of His Excellency the Governor General, delivered this day from the Throne to the two Houses of Parliament, be taken into consideration later this day.

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

BOARD OF INTERNAL ECONOMY

The Speaker informed the House that the following Members have been appointed members of the Board of Internal Economy for the purposes and under the provisions of the Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act, Chapter 42 (1st Supplement), Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, namely:

-- Mr. Boudria and Mr. Gagliano, members of the Queen's Privy Council;

-- Mr. Kilger and Ms. Catterall, representatives of the government caucus;

-- Mr. Strahl and Mr. Randy White, representatives of the Reform caucus; and

-- Mr. Bergeron, representative of the Bloc Québécois.

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Gagliano (Minister of Public Works and Government Services), moved, -- That the Standing Orders be amended as follows:

1. In section (1) of Standing Order 104, by deleting the word ``fourteen'' and by substituting therefor the word ``sixteen'';

2. By deleting section (2) of Standing Order 104 and by substituting the following therefor:

(2) The standing committees, which shall consist of the number of Members stipulated below, and for which the lists of members are to be prepared, except as provided in section (1) of this Standing Order, shall be on:

(a) Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (sixteen Members);

(b) Agriculture and Agri-Food (sixteen Members);

(c) Canadian Heritage (sixteen Members);

(d) Citizenship and Immigration (sixteen Members);

(e) Environment and Sustainable Development (sixteen Members);

(f) Finance (sixteen Members);

(g) Fisheries and Oceans (sixteen Members);

(h) Foreign Affairs and International Trade (sixteen Members);

(i) Health (sixteen Members);

(j) Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (sixteen Members);

(k) Industry (sixteen Members);

(l) Justice and Human Rights (sixteen Members);

(m) National Defence and Veterans Affairs (sixteen Members);

(n) Natural Resources and Government Operations (sixteen Members);

(o) Procedure and House Affairs (sixteen Members);

(p) Public Accounts (seventeen Members); and

(q) Transport (sixteen Members).

3. By deleting subsection (c) of section (3) of Standing Order 108 and by substituting therefor the following:

(c) Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities shall include, among other matters, the proposing, promoting, monitoring and assessing of initiatives aimed at the integration and equality of disabled persons in all sectors of Canadian society;

(d) Justice and Human Rights shall include, among other matters, the review and report on reports of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which shall be deemed permanently referred to the Committee immediately after they are laid upon the Table;

And by renumbering subsection (d) of section (3) of Standing Order 108 as subsection (e);

And that the Members to serve on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be Mr. Adams, Mr. Baker, Mr. Bergeron, Mr. Blaikie, Ms. Catterall, Mr. Charbonneau, Mrs. Dalphond-Guiral, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Epp, Mr. Harb, Mr. Kilger (Stormont-Dundas), Mr. Pagtakhan, Ms. Parrish, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Strahl, and Mr. White (Langley-Abbotsford).

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

DEPUTY SPEAKER AND CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE HOUSE

Mr. Chrétien (Prime Minister), seconded by Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), moved, -- That Mr. Milliken (Kingston and the Islands) be appointed Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of the Whole House.

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

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE HOUSE

Mr. Chrétien (Prime Minister), seconded by Mr. Manning (Calgary Southwest), moved, -- That Mr. McClelland (Edmonton Southwest) be appointed Deputy Chairman of Committees of the Whole House.

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

ASSISTANT DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE HOUSE

Mr. Chrétien (Prime Minister), seconded by Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), moved, -- That Ms. Thibeault (Saint-Lambert) be appointed Assistant Deputy Chairman of Committees of the Whole House.

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

BUSINESS OF SUPPLY

Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Gagliano (Minister of Public Works and Government Services), moved, --

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order, seven days shall be allotted to the business of supply for the period ending December 10, 1997.

That all opposition motions on allotted days in the said period may be motions that shall come to a vote, provided that not more than three of the said motions shall be included in the calculations for three supply periods as provided for in section (16) of Standing Order 81:

That all Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates shall be deemed to have been reported from committees not later than three sitting days before the seventh allotted day in the said period;

That, not later than fifteen minutes before the expiry of the time provided for the consideration of Government Orders on the seventh allotted day in the said period, the Speaker shall interrupt any proceedings before the House and shall put forthwith and successively, without further debate or amendment, all questions necessary to dispose of any item falling under the business of supply, including any opposition motion and all motions relating to Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates and to any Appropriation Act or Acts based thereon; provided

That, subject to provisions of this Order, the business of supply shall otherwise be conducted in accordance with Standing Order 81.

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

Pursuant to Standing Order 81, Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board), seconded by Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), moved, -- That the Business of Supply be considered at the next sitting of the House.

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

ADDRESS IN REPLY TO THE SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

The Order for the consideration of the Speech from the Throne delivered by His Excellency the Governor General of Canada to both Houses of Parliament was read.

Ms. Bulte (Parkdale -- High Park), seconded by Mr. Drouin (Beauce), moved, -- That the following Address be presented to His Excellency the Governor General of Canada:

To His Excellency the Right Honourable Roméo A. LeBlanc, a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY:

We, Her Majesty's most loyal and dutiful subjects, the House of Commons of Canada, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Manning (Calgary Southwest), seconded by Miss Grey (Edmonton North), moved, -- That the debate be now adjourned.

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

MOTIONS

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, -- That, on Wednesday, September 24, 1997, the House shall continue to sit until the Leaders of all recognized parties have spoken in the debate on the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne and shall immediately thereafter adjourn to the next sitting day.

Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Gagliano (Minister of Public Works and Government Services), moved, -- That this House do now adjourn.

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

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. Axworthy (Minister of Foreign Affairs) -- Report of the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission for the year 1996, pursuant to the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission Act, S. C. 1964-65, c. 19, s.7. -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-229. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade)

-- by Mr. Axworthy (Minister of Foreign Affairs) -- Reports of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)-1996-1997 for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R. S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8561-361-701. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Report of the Standards Council of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R. S. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 150(1). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-76. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Industry)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Report of the Business Development Bank of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R. S. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 150(1). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-162. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Industry)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Reports of the Canadian Space Agency for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R. S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8561-361-502. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Reports of the Copyright Board for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R. S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8561-361-546. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Reports of the Standards Council of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R. S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8561-361-642. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Reports of Statistics Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R. S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8561-361-655. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Summaries of the Corporate Plan for 1997-98 to 2001-02 and of the Operating and Capital Budgets for 1997-98 of the Standards Council of Canada, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R. S. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4). -- Sessional Paper No. 8562-361-820. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Industry)

-- by Mr. Manley (Minister of Industry) -- Summaries of the Corporate Plan for 1998 to 2002 and of the Capital and Operating Budgets for 1998 of the Business Development Bank of Canada, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R. S. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4). -- Sessional Paper No. 8562-361-833. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Industry)

-- by Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance) -- Report of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R. S. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 150(1). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-78. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)

-- by Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance) -- Report of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal entitled "Request for Tariff Relief by H.D. Brown Enterprises Limited Regarding Woven Fabric, Plain Weave, of Polyesters Mixed Solely with Cotton", dated July 17, 1997, pursuant to the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, S. C. 1988, c. 65, sbs. 21(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-572. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)

-- by Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance) -- Report of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal entitled "Request for Tariff Relief by Les Collections Shan Inc. Regarding Certain Fabric and Labels", dated July 22, 1997, pursuant to the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, S. C. 1988, c. 65, sbs. 21(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-572A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)

ADJOURNMENT

At 4:36 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).