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.

PRIVILEGE

A question of privilege having been raised by Mr. Pankiw (Saskatoon -- Humboldt), the Speaker ruled that there was a prima facie case of privilege.

Whereupon, Mr. Pankiw (Saskatoon -- Humboldt), seconded by Mr. Breitkreuz (Yorkton -- Melville), moved, -- That the matter of the molestation of the honorable Member for Saskatoon -- Humboldt earlier this day be referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

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

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, -- Government responses, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), to the following petitions:

-- Nos. 361-1732, 361-1826, 361-1872 and 361-1877 concerning the Senate. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-26F;

-- No. 361-1785 concerning the seal industry. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-50D;

-- No. 361-1818 concerning abortion. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-60F;

-- No. 361-1856 concerning crimes of violence. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-36I;

-- No. 361-1878 concerning the Port of Churchill. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-83A;

-- No. 361-1985 concerning gasoline additives. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-361-93H.

Mr. Paradis (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation) laid upon the Table, -- Document entitled ``Report to Parliament of Canada's participation during 1996-97 in the Regional Development Banks''. -- Sessional Paper No. 8530-361-33.

Presenting Petitions

-- by Ms. Gagnon (Québec), one concerning the economy (No. 361-2036);

-- by Mr. Bonwick (Simcoe -- Grey), one concerning the income tax system (No. 361-2037);

-- by Mr. Szabo (Mississauga South), one concerning human rights in Indonesia (No. 361-2038).

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Gray (Deputy Prime Minister), -- That this House approves in general the budgetary policy of the Government. (Ways and Means Proceedings No. 19)

The debate continued.

Mr. Manning (Calgary Southwest), seconded by Mr. Solberg (Medicine Hat), moved the following amendment, -- That the motion be amended by replacing all the words after the word ``That'' with the following:

``this House rejects the Budget statement of the government because it is a continuation of the government's pay-more-get-less policy, which has savaged health care and burdened Canadians with high taxes, thus undermining the productivity of the canadian economy; and because this ever increasing high tax policy has significantly reduced the standard of living of Canadians and left the health care system in tatters.''

Debate arose thereon.

Mr. Loubier (Saint-Hyacinthe -- Bagot), seconded by Mr. Desrochers (Lotbinière), moved the following sub-amendment, -- That the amendment be amended by striking out all the words following the words ``Budget statement of the government'' and replacing them with the following:

``because it does not significantly lower income taxes for middle-class persons; maintains the cuts to the Canada Social Transfer announced in the 1995 budget; imposes on Quebec the Social Union Agreement; penalizes Quebec by unilaterally imposing a new transfer formula for health care; makes new encroachments into the health care field; and uses money confiscated from unemployed persons in order to lower income taxes for more prosperous persons.''

Debate arose thereon.

At 6:30 p.m., pursuant to Order made on Tuesday, February 16, 1999, Mr. Axworthy (Minister of Foreign Affairs), seconded by Mr. Eggleton (Minister of National Defence), moved -- That this House take note of possible Canadian peace-keeping activities in Kosovo and the possible changes in peacekeeping activities in the Central African Republic. (Government Business No. 20)

Debate arose thereon.

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. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity in the Federal Public Service for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(1). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-333A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Ressources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Atomic Energy Control Board for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-15A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-18A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(5). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-19A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Communications Security Establishment for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-21A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the National Energy Board for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-22A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the National Film Board of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-24A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the National Research Council of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-26A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-27A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-28A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-29A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board) -- Report on Employment Equity of the Statistical Survey Operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-30A. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

-- by Mr. Massé (President of the Treasury Board -- Report on Employment Equity of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Employment Equity Act, S.C. 1995, c. 44, sbs. 21(3). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-361-658. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities)

ADJOURNMENT

At 11:36 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).