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39th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION

Journals No. 132 Friday, March 30, 2007 10:00 a.m.

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

Whereupon, Mr. Blaikie (Elmwood—Transcona), Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole, took the Chair, pursuant to subsection 43(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.

Prayers

Government Orders

The Order was read for the second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Finance of Bill C-52, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007.

Mr. O'Connor (Minister of National Defence) for Mr. Flaherty (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Blackburn (Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec), moved, — That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Finance.

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.

Daily Routine Of Business

Tabling of Documents

laid upon the Table, — Report of the Ethics Commissioner entitled "The Obhrai Inquiry", dated March 2007, pursuant to section 28 of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons — Appendix to the Standing Orders. — Sessional Paper No. 8527-391-19.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), laid upon the Table, — Department of Foreign Affairs User Fee Proposal relating to the International Youth Program, pursuant to the User Fees Act, S.C. 2004, c. 6, sbs. 4(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8564-391-2-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development)

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform) laid upon the Table, — Government responses, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), to the following petitions:

— Nos. 391-1184 and 391-1185 concerning housing policy. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-391-37-10;

— No. 391-1216 concerning the tax system. — Sessional Paper No. 8545-391-87-01.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), laid upon the Table, — Response of the government, pursuant to Standing Order 109, to the Tenth Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, “Chapter 4, Canadian Firearms Program of the May 2006 Report of the Auditor General of Canada” (Sessional Paper No. 8510-391-118), presented to the House on Thursday, December 7, 2006. — Sessional Paper No. 8512-391-118.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), laid upon the Table, — Agreement for RCMP policing services made between Canada and the Province of British Columbia concerning the 2010 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games security cost sharing, pursuant to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, R.S. 1985, c. R-10, sbs. 20(5). — Sessional Paper No. 8560-391-475-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security)

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), laid upon the Table, — Response of the government, pursuant to Standing Order 109, to the Sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, "The Challenge of Change: A Study of Canada's Criminal Prostitution Laws" (Sessional Paper No. 8510-391-128), presented to the House on Wednesday, December 13, 2006. — Sessional Paper No. 8512-391-128.

Introduction of Government Bills

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Hill (Secretary of State) for Mr. MacKay (Minister of Foreign Affairs), seconded by Mr. Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), Bill C-53, An Act to implement the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

Presenting Reports from Committees

Mr. Hawn (Edmonton Centre), from the Legislative Committee on Bill C-30, presented the First Report of the Committee (Bill C-30, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Energy Efficiency Act and the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act (Canada's Clean Air Act), with amendments). — Sessional Paper No. 8510-391-204.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 1 to 25) was tabled.

Mr. Goodyear (Cambridge), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 40th Report of the Committee (radio and television broadcasting of the proceedings of House committees). — Sessional Paper No. 8510-391-205.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 2 and 44) was tabled.

Mr. Goodyear (Cambridge), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 41st Report of the Committee, which was as follows:

The Committee recommends, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, the following changes to the lists of members of the following standing committees:

Standing Committee on Health


Patrick Brown for Rick Dykstra

Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights


Rick Dykstra for Patrick Brown

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 1) was tabled.

Mr. Lemieux (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell), from the Standing Committee on International Trade, presented the Seventh Report of the Committee, “Ten Steps to a Better Trade Policy: Recommendations”. — Sessional Paper No. 8510-391-206.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee requested that the government table a comprehensive response.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 30, 31, 37 to 39 and 42 to 55) was tabled.

Mr. McTeague (Pickering—Scarborough East), from the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, presented the Sixth Report of the Committee (deregulation of telecommunications). — Sessional Paper No. 8510-391-207.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 39 to 52) was tabled.

Motions

By unanimous consent, it was resolved, — That the 40th Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented earlier today, be concurred in.

By unanimous consent, it was resolved, — That the 41st Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented earlier today, be concurred in.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, in relation to its study on the Agricultural Policy Framework, ten members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food be authorized to travel to Penticton, British Columbia, Olds, Alberta, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Gimli, Manitoba, from April 15 to 19, 2007, and that the necessary staff do accompany the Committee.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, in relation to its study on the Agricultural Policy Framework, ten members of the Standing Committee on the Agriculture and Agri-Food be authorized to travel to Truro, Nova Scotia, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Québec, Quebec, and Stratford, Ontario, from April 22 to 26, 2007, and that the necessary staff do accompany the Committee.

Presenting Petitions

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

— by , one concerning international trade (No. 391-1320) and one concerning the tax system (No. 391-1321);

— by , one concerning federal programs (No. 391-1322);

— by , one concerning the Canada Labour Code (No. 391-1323);

— by , eleven concerning immigration (Nos. 391-1324 to 391-1334) and seventeen concerning literacy (Nos. 391-1335 to 391-1351).

Questions on the Order Paper

Mr. Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform) presented the answers to questions Q-164, Q-179 and Q-183 on the Order Paper.

Government Orders

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Flaherty (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Blackburn (Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec), — That Bill C-52, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Finance.

The debate continued.

Mr. Epp (Edmonton—Sherwood Park), seconded by Mrs. Yelich (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development), moved, — That the question be now put.

Debate arose thereon.

Private Members' Business

At 1:30 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 30(6), the House proceeded to the consideration of Private Members' Business.

The Order was read for the third reading of Bill C-294, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (sports and recreation programs).

Mr. Fitzpatrick (Prince Albert), seconded by Mr. Anderson (Cypress Hills—Grasslands), moved, — That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.

Debate arose thereon.

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

Accordingly, the Bill was read the third time and passed.

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 — Report of Export Development Canada for the year ended December 31, 2006, pursuant to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-391-702-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

— by — Report on operations under the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Agreement Act for the year 2006, pursuant to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Agreement Act, S.C. 1993, c. 34, s. 66. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-391-485-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)

— by — Report on operations under the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act for the year 2006, pursuant to the Bretton Woods Agreements Act, S.C. 1993, c. 34, s. 11. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-391-74-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)

— by — Report on the Public Service Pension Plan for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, pursuant to the Public Service Superannuation Act, R.S. 1985, c. P-36, s. 46. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-391-220-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates)

— by — Report on the administration of the Supplementary Retirement Benefits Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, pursuant to the Supplementary Retirement Benefits Act, R.S. 1985, c. S-24, s. 12. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-391-366-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates)

— by — Report on the administration of the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, pursuant to the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act, S.C. 1992, c. 46, s. 67. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-391-173-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates)

— by — Report of the review of the provisions and operation of the User Fees Act, pursuant to the User Fees Act, S.C. 2004, c. 6, s. 8. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-391-933-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)

Adjournment

At 1:36 p.m., the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House until Monday, April 16, 2007, at 11:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Orders 28(2) and 24(1).