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

Presenting Reports from Committees

Ms. Whelan (Essex), from the Standing Committee on Industry, presented the Second Report of the Committee (Bill C-276, An Act to amend the Competition Act, 1998 (negative option marketing), with amendments). -- Sessional Paper No. 8510-362-25.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 7, 12, 15 to 17 and 24) was tabled.

Introduction of Private Members' Bills

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Elley (Nanaimo -- Cowichan), seconded by Mr. McNally (Dewdney -- Alouette), Bill C-434, An Act to amend the Department of Health Act (genetically modified food), 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. Elley (Nanaimo -- Cowichan), seconded by Mr. McNally (Dewdney -- Alouette), Bill C-435, An Act to require a referendum on the restoration of the death penalty as a sentencing option and to amend the Referendum 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. Pankiw (Saskatoon -- Humboldt), seconded by Mr. Mills (Red Deer), Bill C-436, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Public Service Employment Act and the Public Service Staff Relations Act (trade union membership to be optional), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

Motions

Ms. Debien (Laval East), seconded by Mr. Ménard (Hochelaga -- Maisonneuve), moved, -- That the Second Report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, presented on Thursday, December 16, 1999, be concurred in.

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Kilger (Stormont-Dundas -- Charlottenburgh), seconded by Mr. O'Reilly (Haliburton -- Victoria -- Brock), moved, -- That the House do now proceed to the Orders of the Day.

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

(Division--Vote N^o 746)

YEAS-POUR

Members--Députés

-- Ablonczy -- Adams -- Anderson -- Assadourian -- Augustine -- Axworthy -- Baker -- Bakopanos -- Beaumier -- Bélair -- Bélanger -- Bellemare -- Bennett -- Bertrand -- Bevilacqua -- Blondin-Andrew -- Boudria -- Breitkreuz --  (Yorkton -- Melville) -- Brown -- Bryden -- Bulte -- Cadman -- Calder -- Caplan -- Carroll -- Casson -- Catterall -- Cauchon -- Chamberlain -- Chan -- Charbonneau -- Clouthier -- Collenette -- Comuzzi -- Copps -- Cullen -- DeVillers -- Dhaliwal -- Dion -- Dromisky -- Duhamel -- Easter -- Eggleton -- Elley -- Epp -- Finlay -- Folco -- Fontana -- Forseth -- Fry -- Gagliano -- Godfrey -- Goldring -- Goodale -- Gouk -- Graham -- Gray --  (Windsor West) -- Grewal -- Grey --  (Edmonton North) -- Grose -- Guarnieri -- Harb -- Harvard -- Hill --  (Prince George -- Peace River) -- Hubbard -- Iftody -- Jackson -- Johnston -- Jordan -- Karetak-Lindell -- Keyes -- Kilger --  (Stormont -- Dundas -- Charlottenburgh) -- Kilgour --  (Edmonton Southeast) -- Knutson -- Konrad -- Kraft Sloan -- Lastewka -- Lee -- Leung -- Limoges -- Lincoln -- Longfield -- Lunn -- MacAulay -- Mahoney -- Malhi -- Maloney -- Manley -- Mark -- Marleau -- Matthews -- McCormick -- McGuire -- McKay --  (Scarborough East) -- McLellan --  (Edmonton West) -- McNally -- McTeague -- McWhinney -- Mifflin -- Mills --  (Red Deer) -- Minna -- Mitchell -- Murray -- Myers -- Normand -- O'Brien --  (London -- Fanshawe) -- O'Reilly -- Obhrai -- Pankiw -- Paradis -- Parrish -- Peric -- Peterson -- Pettigrew -- Phinney -- Pickard --  (Chatham -- Kent Essex) -- Pillitteri -- Pratt -- Proud -- Proulx -- Reed -- Reynolds -- Richardson -- Robillard -- Rock -- Saada -- Schmidt -- Sgro -- Shepherd -- Solberg -- Speller -- St. Denis -- St-Julien -- Steckle -- Stewart --  (Brant) -- Stewart --  (Northumberland) -- Stinson -- Strahl -- Szabo -- Telegdi -- Thibeault -- Torsney -- Ur -- Valeri -- Vanclief -- Volpe -- Wappel -- Whelan -- Wilfert -- Williams -- Wood -- 151

NAYS-CONTRE

Members--Députés

-- Alarie -- Anders -- Asselin -- Bergeron -- Bernier --  (Tobique -- Mactaquac) -- Bigras -- Borotsik -- Canuel -- Cardin -- Chrétien --  (Frontenac -- Mégantic) -- Crête -- de Savoye -- Debien -- Desjarlais -- Desrochers -- Dockrill -- Dubé --  (Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière) -- Duceppe -- Dumas -- Earle -- Fournier -- Gagnon -- Godin --  (Acadie -- Bathurst) -- Godin --  (Châteauguay) -- Gruending -- Guay -- Laliberte -- Lalonde -- Laurin -- Lebel -- Lill -- MacKay --  (Pictou -- Antigonish -- Guysborough) -- Mancini -- Marceau -- Marchand -- Nystrom -- Perron -- Picard --  (Drummond) -- Proctor -- Rocheleau -- Sauvageau -- Solomon -- St-Hilaire -- Tremblay --  (Lac-Saint-Jean) -- Tremblay --  (Rimouski -- Mitis) -- Vautour -- Venne -- Wasylycia-Leis -- Wayne -- White --  (North Vancouver) -- 50

Paired Members--Députés Pairés

-- Coderre -- Lefebvre

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Gagliano (Minister of Public Works and Government Services), seconded by Ms. Fry (Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)), -- That Bill C-10, An Act to amend the Municipal Grants Act, be now read a third time and do pass.

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 Order was read for the second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Industry of Bill C-229, An Act to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act (letter that cannot be transmitted by post).

Mrs. Redman (Kitchener Centre), seconded by Mr. Murray (Lanark -- Carleton), moved, -- That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Industry.

NOTICE OF MOTION

Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons) gave notice of the intention to move a motion at the next sitting of the House, pursuant to Standing Order 78(3), for the purpose of allotting a specified number of days or hours for the consideration and disposal of the committee stage of Bill C- 20, An Act to give effect to the requirement for clarity as set out in the opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada in the Quebec Secession Reference.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mrs. Redman (Kitchener Centre), seconded by Mr. Murray (Lanark -- Carleton), -- That Bill C-229, An Act to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act (letter that cannot be transmitted by post), be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Industry.

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Schmidt (Kelowna), seconded by Mr. Gruending (Saskatoon -- Rosetown -- Biggar), moved, -- That the motion be amended by deleting all the words after the word ``That'' and substituting the following:

``Bill C-229, An Act to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act (letter that cannot be transmitted by post) be not now read a second time but that the Order be discharged, the Bill withdrawn and the subject-matter thereof referred to the Standing Committee on Industry, and that the Committee address the issue no later than May 1, 2000.''

The debate continued.

The question was put on the amendment and, pursuant to Standing Order 45, the recorded division was deferred until Thursday, February 24, 2000, at 3:00 p.m.

INTERRUPTION

At 6:14 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 6:15 p.m., the sitting resumed.

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 Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on the Annual Summary of Steel Import Permit Information for the year 1999, pursuant to the Export and Import Permits Act, R. S. 1985, c. 13 (3rd Supp.), s. 1. -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-362-525-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade)

-- by Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance) -- Report of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal entitled "Request for tariff relief by Western Glove Works Ltd. regarding certain woven fabrics of cotton", dated February 4, 2000, pursuant to the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, S.C. 1988, c. 65, s. 54. -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-362-572-04. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)

-- by Mr. Rock (Minister of Health) -- Report on the administration and operation of the Canada Health Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1999, pursuant to the Canada Health Act, R. S. 1985, c. C-6, s. 23. -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-362-458-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Health)

PETITIONS FILED WITH THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE

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

-- by Mr. Wood (Nipissing), two concerning child poverty (Nos. 362-0650 and 362-0651), one concerning student loans (No. 362- 0652) and one concerning the tax system (No. 362-0653);

-- by Mr. Bélanger (Ottawa -- Vanier), one concerning immigration (No. 362-0654);

-- by Mr. Hart (Okanagan -- Coquihalla), one concerning the tax system (No. 362-0655).

PROCEEDINGS ON ADJOURNMENT MOTION

At 6:15 p.m., by unanimous consent, 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 6:29 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).