Peter Milliken

[Committees Of The House, March 24th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 69th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding its order of reference from the House, dated Monday, February 7, 1994, on the taking of divisions of the House by electronic means.

The committee recommends that the House not go ahead with the taking of divisions by electronic means at this time. On behalf of the whole committee, I wish to thank the members of the subcommittee on this issue: the hon. member for Bellechasse, the hon. member for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, who is the Chief Government Whip in the House, the hon. member for Scarborough-Rouge River, and the hon. member for Fraser Valley West-

-for the excellent work that those members did in putting together the report of the subcommittee, which is tabled herewith.

[Government Response To Petitions, March 24th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 13 petitions.

[Questions On The Order Paper, March 23rd, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[Rail Strike, March 23rd, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I will try another technique. If members do not wish to deal with this bill tomorrow, I move:

That, notwithstanding any standing order, the House shall sit at 9.00 a.m. on March 25, 1995 and at 1.00 p.m. on March 26, 1995 for the purpose of considering Government Orders and, if necessary, for the purpose of attending a royal assent ceremony.

[Rail Strike, March 23rd, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I will try something else which might be more acceptable to members of the House. If they do not wish to sit late tonight to deal with the bill, I am going to seek now by way of a motion that we deal with the bill tomorrow. I move:

That, notwithstanding any standing order, the report stage and third reading stage of Bill C-77, an act to provide for the maintenance of railway operations and subsidiary services, may be taken up on March 24, 1995, provided that no divisions requested during the aforementioned business may be deferred to another day.

[Rail Strike, March 23rd, 1995]

Madam Speaker, in light of the serious rail strike afflicting the country which has been going on all week, I move:

That, notwithstanding any standing order, at the conclusion of Private Members' Business this day the House shall continue to sit in order to consider the report stage and the third reading stage of Bill C-77, an act to provide for the maintenance of railway operations and subsidiary services; that, for the purposes of this order, notice of any report stage amendments may be submitted to the Clerk no later than 5.00 p.m.;

That during the consideration of the aforementioned business no divisions may be deferred to another sitting day; that immediately after disposing of the third reading stage of the said bill the sitting shall be suspended to the call of the Chair, when it shall be reconvened for the sole purpose of a royal assent;

That, when the House returns from the said royal assent, it shall be adjourned until the next sitting day, provided that if a royal assent has not taken place by 9.00 a.m. on March 24, 1995, the House shall be reconvened for the sole purpose of being adjourned until 10.00 a.m. on that day.

I seek the unanimous consent of the House for this motion.

[Order In Council Appointments, March 23rd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a number of order in council appointments made by the government.

Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 110(1), these are deemed referred to the appropriate standing committees, a list of which is attached.

[Government Response To Petitions, March 23rd, 1995]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 20 petitions.

[Business Of The House, March 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, a point of order. In view of the fact it is now apparent that committee stage of this bill will be completed this evening, I

wonder if I might seek unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any standing order, at the conclusion of Private Members' Business this day, the sitting shall be suspended until the call of the Chair, which shall come in order to permit the House to receive the report from the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development on Bill C-77, an act to provide for the maintenance of railway operations and subsidiary services, and shall continue to sit in order to consider the report stage and the third reading stage of the said bill;

That, immediately after disposing of the third reading stage of the said bill, the sitting shall be suspended to the call of the Chair when it shall be reconvened for the sole purpose of a Royal Assent;

That, when the House returns from the said Royal Assent it shall be adjourned until the next sitting day provided that if a Royal Assent has not taken place by nine o'clock a.m. on March 23, 1995, the House shall be reconvened for the sole purpose of being adjourned until ten o'clock a.m. on that day.

[Motions For Papers, March 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the notice of motion for the production of papers be allowed to stand.