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40th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION

Journals No. 8 Thursday, November 27, 2008 10:00 a.m.

Prayers

Daily Routine Of Business

Presenting Reports from Interparliamentary Delegations

Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), presented the report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) respecting its participation at the France-Canada Symposium, held in Paris, France, on March 7 and 8, 2008. — Sessional Paper No. 8565-401-52-02.

Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), presented the report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) respecting its participation at the meeting of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the APF, held in Andorra la Vella, Principality of Andorra, on May 6 and 7, 2008. — Sessional Paper No. 8565-401-52-03.

Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), presented the report of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union respecting its participation at the Sixteenth Session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization, held in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 3, 2007. — Sessional Paper No. 8565-401-60-02.

Motions

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That the Standing Orders be amended as follows:

1. By replacing Standing Order 104(2) with the following:

104(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 (twelve Members);

(b) Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (eleven Members);

(d) Canadian Heritage (twelve Members);

(e) Citizenship and Immigration (twelve Members);

(f) Environment and Sustainable Development (twelve Members);

(g) Finance (twelve Members);

(h) Fisheries and Oceans (twelve Members);

(i) Foreign Affairs and International Development (twelve Members);

(j) Government Operations and Estimates (eleven Members);

(k) Health (twelve Members);

(l) Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (twelve Members);

(m) Industry, Science and Technology (twelve Members);

(n) International Trade (twelve Members);

(o) Justice and Human Rights (twelve Members);

(p) National Defence (twelve Members);

(q) Natural Resources (twelve Members);

(r) Official Languages (twelve Members);

(s) Procedure and House Affairs (twelve Members);

(t) Public Accounts (eleven Members);

(u) Public Safety and National Security (twelve Members);

(v) Status of Women (eleven Members);

(w) Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (twelve Members); and

(x) Veterans Affairs (twelve Members).

2. By replacing Standing Order 108(3)(b) with the following:

108(3)(b) Citizenship and Immigration shall include, among other matters, the monitoring of the implementation of the principles of the federal multiculturalism policy throughout the Government of Canada in order:

(i) to encourage the departments and agencies of the federal government to reflect the multicultural diversity of the nation; and

(ii) to examine existing and new programs and policies of federal departments and agencies to encourage sensitivity to multicultural concerns and to preserve and enhance the multicultural reality of Canada;

3. By replacing Standing Order 108(3)(d) with the following:

108(3)(d) Human Resources, Skills and Social 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;

That the Clerk of the House be authorized, where appropriate, to redirect, after consultation, any references to any committees that have already been made at the time of the adoption of this Order.

Presenting Petitions

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

— by , one concerning the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (No. 401-0032);

— by , one concerning the National Capital Commission (No. 401-0033);

— by , one concerning gasoline prices (No. 401-0034).

Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne

The House resumed consideration of the motion, as amended, of Ms. Hoeppner (Portage—Lisgar), seconded by Mr. Dechert (Mississauga—Erindale), — That the following Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada:

To Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, 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 and we urge Your Excellency’s advisors to respect the results of the election in which more than 60 percent of voters supported Members of Parliament in the opposition; to bear in mind that people express their wishes as much through the opposition as through the government; to recognize that Canadians rightfully expect the House of Commons they just elected to function in a less partisan, more constructive and collaborative manner, with the first responsibility for setting a better tone being that of the government which requires the government to be more forthcoming than it has been up to now; and to that end, given the crucial nature of the up-coming economic and fiscal update, to provide representatives of opposition parties with a detailed briefing by appropriate senior officials at least three hours in advance of the public presentation of the update, so all Members of Parliament can be properly equipped to deal with the serious economic difficulties confronting Canadians.

The debate continued.

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.

Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne

The House resumed consideration of the motion, as amended, of Ms. Hoeppner (Portage—Lisgar), seconded by Mr. Dechert (Mississauga—Erindale), in relation to the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

The debate continued.

Statements by Ministers

Pursuant to Order made Tuesday, November 25, 2008, Mr. Flaherty (Minister of Finance) made a statement.

Tabling of Documents

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), laid upon the Table, — Document entitled "Protecting Canada's Future — Economic and Fiscal Statement, November 27, 2008". — Sessional Paper No. 8525-401-4.

Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne

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

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 the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, together with the Auditor General's Report, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, pursuant to the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development Act, R.S. 1985, c. 54, (4th Supp.), sbs. 31(3). — Sessional Paper No. 8560-401-593-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

— by — Reports of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, 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. 8561-401-619-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

— by — Report on the applications for ministerial review (miscarriages of justice) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, pursuant to the Criminal Code, R.S. 1985, c. C-46, s. 696.5. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-401-827-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

— by — Report on the activities of the Courts Administration Service for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, pursuant to the Courts Administration Service Act, S.C. 2002, c. 8, sbs. 12(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8560-401-872-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

— by — Reports of the Canadian Human Rights Commission for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, 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. 8561-401-680-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(e), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

— by — Reports of the Canadian International Development Agency for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, 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. 8561-401-631-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)

Adjournment Proceedings

At 5:29 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.

Accordingly, at 5:41 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).