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

Whereupon, Mr. Milliken (Kingston and the Islands), Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of the Whole, took the Chair, pursuant to subsection 43(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.

PRAYERS

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Dion (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs), -- That Bill C-25, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax Act and the Budget Implementation Act, 1999, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Finance.

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.

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Tabling of Documents

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mrs. Stewart (Minister of Human Resources Development) laid upon the Table, -- Document entitled "Guidelines on the Grants and Contributions Directives - February 16, 2000" prepared by Human Resources Development Canada. -- Sessional Paper No. 8525-362-9.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Bellemare (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation) laid upon the Table, -- Document entitled "Report to Parliament of Canada's participation during 1998 in the Regional Development Banks". -- Sessional Paper No. 8525-362-10.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Lee (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. 362-0688, 362-0690, 362-0703, 362-0711 and 362-0713 concerning breast cancer. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-65-02;

-- No. 362-0700 concerning pesticides. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545- 362-48-02;

-- No. 362-0712 concerning child poverty. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-16-13;

-- No. 362-0715 concerning the highway system. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-12-06;

-- No. 362-0718 concerning immigration. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-19-10;

-- No. 362-0727 concerning parental rights. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-31-13;

-- No. 362-0747 concerning crimes against humanity. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-46-04;

-- No. 362-0754 concerning unborn children. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-76-02;

-- No. 362-0779 concerning children's rights. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-49-04;

-- No. 362-0781 concerning marriage. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545- 362-28-09;

-- No. 362-0782 concerning the Young Offenders Act. -- Sessional Paper No. 8545-362-30-06.

Presenting Reports from Inter-parliamentary Delegations

Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), Mr. Malhi (Bramalea -- Gore- -Malton -- Springdale) presented the Report of the Canadian parliamentary delegation respecting its participation at the Eleventh Canada-Mexico Inter-Parliamentary Meeting, held in Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico, from March 6 to 10, 2000. -- Sessional Paper No. 8565-362-72-01.

Presenting Reports from Committees

Mr. Lee (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 25th Report of the Committee, which was as follows:

In accordance with its mandate under Standing Order 92(1), your Committee has selected from among the items for which an order of precedence was established on or after Thursday, March 23, 2000, the following as votable items:

C-334 -- Mr. Reynolds (West Vancouver -- Sunshine Coast)

M-155 -- Mr. Nystrom (Regina -- Qu'Appelle)

M-230 -- Ms. Alarie (Louis-Hébert)

M-259 -- Mr. Riis (Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys)

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 35) was tabled.

Pursuant to Standing Order 92(2), the Report was deemed adopted.

Introduction of Government Bills

Pursuant to Standing Orders 68(2) and 69(1), on motion of Mr. Peterson (Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)) for Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance), seconded by Ms. Caplan (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), Bill C-32, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 28, 2000, was introduced, read the first time, ordered to be printed and ordered for a second reading at the next sitting of the House.

Recommendation
(Pursuant to Standing Order 79(2))

Her Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances, in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled "An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 28, 2000".

Motions

By unanimous consent, it was resolved, -- That the 21st Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented on Wednesday, March 22, 2000, be concurred in.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, -- That the name of Mr. Chatters (Athabasca) be added to the list of Associate Members of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

Presenting Petitions

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

-- by Mr. Szabo (Mississauga South), one concerning breast cancer (No. 362-0979);

-- by Mr. Penson (Peace River), one concerning the Department of Human Resources Development (No. 362-0980) and three concerning marriage (Nos. 362-0981 to 362-0983);

-- by Mr. Maloney (Erie -- Lincoln), one concerning breast cancer (No. 362-0984);

-- by Mr. Nystrom (Regina -- Qu'Appelle), one concerning the Senate (No. 362-0985);

-- by Mr. Malhi (Bramalea -- Gore -- Malton -- Springdale), one concerning the National Tartan Day (No. 362-0986);

-- by Mr. Thompson (Wild Rose), one concerning marriage (No. 362- 0987);

-- by Mr. O'Reilly (Haliburton -- Victoria -- Brock), one concerning abortion (No. 362-0988);

-- by Mr. Vellacott (Wanuskewin), two concerning marriage (Nos. 362-0989 and 362-0990) and two concerning the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Nos. 362-0991 and 362-0992);

-- by Mr. Morrison (Cypress Hills -- Grasslands), one concerning marriage (No. 362-0993).

MOTIONS

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, -- That Bill C-445, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Rimouski -- Mitis be read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

Accordingly, Bill C-445, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Rimouski -- Mitis, was read the second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, -- That a Bill entitled ``An Act to change the names of certain electoral districts'' in the name of Mr. Kilger (Stormont-Dundas -- Charlottenburgh) and not having appeared on the Notice Paper be adopted at all stages this day; and

That the Orders for the second reading of the following Bills:

C-317, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Lac-Saint-Jean, standing on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. Tremblay (Lac-Saint-Jean);

C-397, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Chicoutimi, standing on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. Harvey (Chicoutimi);

C-449, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Edmonton East, standing on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. Goldring (Edmonton East);

C-455, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Charlesbourg, standing on the Order Paper in the name Mr. Marceau (Charlesbourg); and

C-456, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Lotbinière, standing on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. Desrochers (Lotbinière);

be discharged and the Bills withdrawn.

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Pursuant to Order made earlier today, Bill C-473, An Act to change the names of certain electoral districts, was introduced, read a first time and ordered to be printed.

The Order was read for the second reading and reference to a Committee of the Whole of Bill C-473, An Act to change the names of certain electoral districts.

Mr. Kilger (Stormont-Dundas -- Charlottenburgh), seconded by Mr. Bergeron (Verchères -- Les-Patriotes), moved, -- That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to a Committee of the Whole.

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

Accordingly, the Bill was read the second time and referred to a Committee of the Whole.

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

Clause 4

Replace the words ``Lotbinière -- L'Érable'' with the following:

``Lotbinière-L'Érable''.

Clause 11

Delete Clause 11.

Pursuant to Standing Order 76.1(12), Mr. Kilger (Stormont- Dundas -- Charlottenburgh), seconded by Mr. Nystrom (Regina -- Qu'Appelle), moved, -- That Bill of Bill C-473, An Act to change the names of certain electoral districts, as amended, be concurred in at report stage.

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

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

Mr. Kilger (Stormont-Dundas -- Charlottenburgh), seconded by Mr. Lowther (Calgary Centre), 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.

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

GOVERNMENT ORDERS

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Martin (Minister of Finance), seconded by Mr. Dion (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs), -- That Bill C-25, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act, the Excise Tax Act and the Budget Implementation Act, 1999, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Finance.

The debate continued.

NOTICE OF MOTION

Ms. Robillard (President of the Treasury Board) 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 report stage and third reading stage of Bill C-23, An Act to modernize the Statutes of Canada in relation to benefits and obligations.

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 second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights of Bill C-206, An Act to amend the Access to Information Act and to make amendments to other Acts.

Mr. Bryden (Wentworth -- Burlington), seconded by Mr. Szabo (Mississauga South), moved, -- That the Bill be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Debate arose thereon.

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

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 the Deputy Speaker -- Minutes of Proceedings of the Board of Internal Economy of the House of Commons for February 29, 2000. -- Sessional Paper No. 8527-362-14.

-- by Mr. Goodale (Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board) -- Report of the Canadian Wheat Board, together with the Auditors' Report, for the crop year ended July 31, 1999, pursuant to the Canadian Wheat Board Act, R. S. 1985, c. C-24, sbs. 9(2). -- Sessional Paper No. 8560-362-259-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food)

ADJOURNMENT

At 2:30 p.m., the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House until Monday at 11:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).