Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Siksay (Burnaby—Douglas), seconded by Ms. Davies (Vancouver East), Bill C-493, An Act to eliminate racial and religious profiling, 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. Siksay (Burnaby—Douglas), seconded by Ms. Davies (Vancouver East), Bill C-494, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (gender identity and gender expression), was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

By unanimous consent, it was resolved, — That the House call on Manuel Marulanda, Leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), to show compassion and immediately release Ms. Ingrid Betancourt in light of her critical state of health and the extreme despair in which she finds herself; and that the House declare its solidarity with all of the hostages detained in Columbia and its support for a humanitarian solution that will allow them to be released as soon as possible.

Ms. Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan), seconded by Mr. Martin (Sault Ste. Marie), moved, — That the First Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, presented on Monday, December 3, 2007, be concurred in. (Concurrence in Committee Reports No. 2)

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Bruinooge (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians), seconded by Mr. Menzies (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance), moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

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

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

The Order was read for the third reading of Bill C-28, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007 and to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on October 30, 2007.

Mr. Emerson (Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics) for Mr. Flaherty (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Hill (Secretary of State), moved, — That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.

Debate arose thereon.

Pursuant to Standing Order 31, Members made statements.

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

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Flaherty (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Hill (Secretary of State), — That Bill C-28, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007 and to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on October 30, 2007, be now read a third time and do pass.

The debate continued.

A message was received from the Senate informing this House that the Senate has passed the following Bill to which the concurrence of the House is desired:

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Flaherty (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Hill (Secretary of State), — That Bill C-28, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007 and to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on October 30, 2007, be now read a third time and do pass.

The debate continued.

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 Environment and Sustainable Development of Bill C-474, An Act to require the development and implementation of a National Sustainable Development Strategy, the reporting of progress against a standard set of environmental indicators and the appointment of an independent Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development accountable to Parliament, and to adopt specific goals with respect to sustainable development in Canada, and to make consequential amendments to another Act.

Mr. Godfrey (Don Valley West), seconded by Mr. Bagnell (Yukon), moved, — That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Debate arose thereon.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, the House revert to Introduction of Government Bills; the bill on notice entitled “An Act to permit the resumption and continuation of the generation of the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River” be introduced now; and that the title in the English text be amended by replacing the word “generation” with the word “operation”.

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1) and to Order made earlier today, on motion of Mr. Lunn (Minister of Natural Resources), seconded by Mr. Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform), Bill C-38, An Act to permit the resumption and continuation of the operation of the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River, was introduced, read the first time and ordered to be printed.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, the House shall sit beyond the ordinary hour of daily adjournment for the purpose of considering C-38, An Act to permit the resumption and continuation of the operation of the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River, and shall not be adjourned before such proceedings have been completed except pursuant to a motion to adjourn proposed by a Minister of the Crown; the said bill may be read twice or thrice in one sitting; when the House convenes this evening on Bill C-38, it shall be deemed to have been read a second time and referred to a Committee of the Whole; and the Committee of the Whole shall be authorized to hear the following witnesses: Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Cassie J. Doyle; Deputy Minister of Health, Morris Rosenberg; Assistant Deputy Minister of Health, Meena Ballantyne; Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and President, Candu Reactor Division, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), Ken Petrunik; Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer and President, Research and Technology Division, AECL, David F. Torgerson; former Chief Engineer of AECL, David Meneley; former Manager of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and Site Vice President of Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, Robert Strickert; President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Linda J. Keen.

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Godfrey (Don Valley West), seconded by Mr. Bagnell (Yukon), — That Bill C-474, An Act to require the development and implementation of a National Sustainable Development Strategy, the reporting of progress against a standard set of environmental indicators and the appointment of an independent Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development accountable to Parliament, and to adopt specific goals with respect to sustainable development in Canada, and to make consequential amendments to another Act, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

The debate continued.

Pursuant to Standing Order 93(1), the Order was dropped to the bottom of the order of precedence on the Order Paper.

At 6:35 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 7:34 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Pursuant to Order made earlier today, Bill C-38, An Act to permit the resumption and continuation of the operation of the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River, was deemed read the second time and referred to a Committee of the Whole.

Pursuant to Order made earlier today, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole for the consideration of the Bill.

The Committee considered the Bill and reported it with the following amendment:

New Clause

Pursuant to Standing Order 76.1(12), Mr. Lunn (Minister of Natural Resources), seconded by Mr. Clement (Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario), moved, — That the Bill, as amended, be concurred in at report stage.

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

Accordingly, the Bill, as amended, was concurred in at report stage.

Pursuant to Order made earlier today, Mr. Lunn (Minister of Natural Resources), seconded by Mr. Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform), moved, — That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.

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

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

At 11:35 p.m., pursuant to Order made earlier today, the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).