Thank you, Ms. Nash.
I have a ruling on this amendment.
Bill C-60 provides for a maximum payment of $2 billion with respect to the Office of Infrastructure of Canada or the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The amendment seeks to amend the bill so that an additional $40 million can be paid out of the consolidated revenue fund.
House of Commons Procedure and Practice, second edition states, at pages 767 and 768:
Since an amendment may not infringe upon the financial initiative of the Crown, it is inadmissible if it imposes a charge on the public treasury, or if it extends the objects or purposes or relaxes the conditions and qualifications specified in the royal recommendation.
In the opinion of the chair, the amendment proposes a new scheme that seeks to alter the terms and conditions of the royal recommendation, and therefore I rule this amendment inadmissible.
(Clause 233 agreed to)
Colleagues, we now have to deal with two clauses we tabled, clause 7 and clause 36.
You do have an answer from DND. I hope that has addressed all the questions. We'll go to Mr. Brison.