PRAYERS

NATIONAL ANTHEM

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.

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Tabling of Documents

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons) laid upon the Table, -- Orders in Council approving certain appointments made by the Governor General in Council, pursuant to Standing Order 110(1), as follows:

-- P.C. 1998-470, P.C. 1998-471, P.C. 1998-472 and P.C. 1998-491. -- Sessional Paper No. 8540-361-14M. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(6), referred to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration);

-- P.C. 1998-466 and P.C. 1998-520. -- Sessional Paper No. 8540-361-22J. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(6), referred to the Standing Committee on Industry);

-- P.C. 1998-473. -- Sessional Paper No. 8540-361-13J. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(6), referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights).

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Adams (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:

-- Nos. 361-0357 and 361-0401 concerning immigration. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-51A;

-- Nos. 361-0458, 361-0459, 361-0460 and 361-0461 concerning post-secondary education. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-52;

-- Nos. 361-0535 and 361-0546 concerning police and firefighters' death benefits. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-14D;

-- Nos. 361-0536, 361-0537, 361-0538, 361-0558, 361-0559 and 361-0560 concerning the Young Offenders Act. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-45D.

Presenting Reports from Inter-parliamentary Delegations

Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), Mr. Caccia (Davenport) presented the Report of the Canadian Section of the Canada -- Europe Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the meeting of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, held in London, England, on February 23 and 24, 1998. -- Sessional Paper No. 8565-361-51C.

Presenting Reports from Committees

Mr. Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 25th Report of the Committee, which was as follows:

In accordance with its mandate under Standing Order 92(1), the Committee has selected from among the items for which an order of precedence was established on or after Friday, December 5, 1997, the following as a votable item:

Bill C-284 -- Mr. Lowther (Calgary Centre)

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 20) was tabled.

Pursuant to Standing Order 92(2), the report was deemed adopted.

Mr. Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 26th Report of the Committee, which was as follows:

The Committee recommends, pursuant to Standing Order 104 (3), the following change in the membership of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages:

Angela Vautour for Yvon Godin

The Committee further recommends, that where a Member is appointed as permanent member to a Committee in accordance with this report and to which she was previously appointed Associate Member, that the name of the Member be struck from the list of Associate Members of the said Committee.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings was tabled.

Motions

By unanimous consent, Mr. Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Marchi (Minister for International Trade), moved, -- That the 26th Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented earlier today, be concurred in.

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

Mr. Ramsay (Crowfoot), seconded by Mr. Strahl (Fraser Valley), moved, -- That the 4th Report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, presented on Wednesday, December 10, 1997, be concurred in.

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Breitkreuz (Yorkton -- Melville), seconded by Mr. Morrison (Cypress Hills -- Grasslands), moved the following amendment, -- That the motion be amended by deleting all the words after the word ``That'' and substituting the following:

``the 4th Report be not now concurred in but that it be recommitted to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights with instruction that they amend the same by deleting the recommendations pertaining to the Firearms Registration Certificate Regulations.''

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Malhi (Bramalea -- Gore -- Malton), moved, -- That the House do now proceed to the Orders of the Day.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, -- That the motion ``That the House do now proceed to the Orders of the Day'' be deemed adopted on division.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, -- That the House proceed to Routine Proceedings.

Presenting Petitions

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

-- by Ms. Meredith (South Surrey -- White Rock -- Langley), one concerning taxes on books (No. 361-0721);

-- by Mr. Malhi (Bramalea -- Gore -- Malton), one concerning the income tax system (No. 361-0722);

-- by Mr. Casson (Lethbridge), one concerning international trade (No. 361-0723);

-- by Mr. Adams (Peterborough), one concerning rural communities (No. 361-0724) and one concerning health care services (No. 361-0725);

-- by Mr. McNally (Dewdney -- Alouette), one concerning international trade (No. 361-0726), one concerning nuclear weapons (No. 361-0727) and one concerning sexual exploitation of minors (No. 361-0728);

-- by Mrs. Ur (Lambton -- Kent -- Middlesex), one concerning international trade (No. 361-0729).

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Ms. McLellan (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Mitchell (Secretary of State (Parks)), -- That Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Judges Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

The debate continued.

MOTIONS

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, -- That in the event a recorded division is requested later this day on the motion for second reading of Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Judges Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, the said division shall be deemed deferred until Tuesday, April 21, 1998, at the expiry of the time provided for Government Orders.

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Ms. McLellan (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Mitchell (Secretary of State (Parks)), -- That Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Judges Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

The debate continued.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

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

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Ms. Picard (Drummond), seconded by Ms. Dalphond-Guiral (Laval Centre), -- That Bill C-247, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (genetic manipulation), be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Health.

The debate continued.

Pursuant to Standing Order 93, the Order was dropped to the bottom of the order of precedence on the Order Paper.

MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE

A message was received from the Senate as follows:

-- ORDERED: That a message be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House that the Senate has passed Bill C-8, An Act respecting an accord between the Governments of Canada and the Yukon Territory relating to the administration and control of and legislative jurisdiction in respect of oil and gas, without amendment.

RETURNS AND REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE

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

-- by Mr. Dion (President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada) -- Report of the Public Service Staff Relations Board for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997, pursuant to the Public Service Staff Relations Act, R. S. 1985, c. P-35, sbs. 114(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-219. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Government Operations)

PROCEEDINGS ON ADJOURNMENT MOTION

At 6:30 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.

ADJOURNMENT

At 6:39 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).