Government Response to Petitions  Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 11 petitions. While I am on my feet, I move: That the House do now proceed to orders of the day.

Export and Import Permits Act  Mr. Speaker, my friend across the way said he is prepared to continue the debate until 3 o'clock in the morning. It is interesting that he would make that kind of comment, when just a couple of hours ago, the Conservative Party voted that we stop working for the day. I suspect that he might be a minority of the caucus and that he lost that vote in the back room.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, yet again, I would say that I am surprised, but I am not. The Conservatives have chosen to bring in a concurrence on a report. There are many concurrences on the Order Paper. We can deal with all sorts of reports between now and the next election. Obviously, they want to continue to play games, and that is really and truly what this is all about.

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

Extension of Sitting Hours  Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat disappointed in my New Democratic friends. I would have figured that they would see the benefits of having active debate in the legislature on important pieces of legislation. Rather, what I have witnessed, which I will have the opportunity to expand upon, is a variation of different games being played.

Federal Sustainable Development Act  Mr. Speaker, I have just a quick comment before a question. The member across the way made reference to tax cuts for the middle class a couple of times. Then he talked about actions verus verbiage. If we look at it, it was this government that introduced legislation and a budget with a tax cut for Canada's middle class.

Federal Sustainable Development Act  Madam Speaker, we are at report stage after an amendment was moved by the Conservatives at committee. It was actually accepted in committee and now it comes to report stage and the Conservatives are moving an amendment to get rid of the amendment they brought forward at committee.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

Extension of Sitting Hours  If I may, on the same point of order.

Extension of Sitting Hours  Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity earlier today and would like to reinforce some of the statements I made then about what the member can find in Hansard. The opposition House leader's arguments are based on her assertion that the debate on government Motion No. 22 has not yet begun.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, there are two separate streams. The Conservatives can try to cut it whatever way they want, but there are two different streams. That said, we hear a lot of numbers. I will give two examples from when I was the immigration critic of Conservative policy, which I would suggest was very wrong in its direction.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, it is important to recognize that the New Democrats are wrong in their assertion of the priorities. There are many different reports sitting there that could be debated. As I said previously, this is an important issue. However, at the end of the day, we could be debating these reports throughout the rest of this session if the New Democrats really wanted to do that.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, first, it is important to recognize that they are two totally different systems. The other thing to recognize is that we have an incredibly professional civil service that has done an outstanding job in meeting the demands. Also, as a government, we need to support that civil service.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I was lucky to be a parliamentarian in 1988. Back then, not all civil servants had computers. Technology has been able to assist government in many different ways, and I have not even touched on the web. At one time we did not have anything but paper, and it took time to work things through the system.