House of commons.

• Author: Agha, Samy
• Position: Legislative Reports

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The Third Session of the Fortieth Parliament began on March 3, 2010. The motion for the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne was moved and seconded on that day and a Liberal amendment and Bloc Qu6b6cois subamendment were moved on March 11. Two further days of debate were held on March 18 and 22.

Financial Procedures

The prorogation of the Second Session from December 30, 2009 until March 3, 2010, resulted in a number of modifications to the Business of Supply.

Further to changes made to the House calendar on March 3, 2010, the Speaker informed the House that there would be a total of four supply days in the period ending March 26, and nine in the period ending June 23.

Although, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4), the main estimates are required to be tabled by March 1, they were tabled on March 3. To resolve the discrepancy, the Standing Order was amended on March 19 to replace, for the calendar year 2010, the words "March 1" with the words "March 3".

Also in response to the prorogation, the New Democratic Party moved a supply day motion on March 17 which recommended that "the Prime Minister shall not advise the Governor General to prorogue any session of any Parliament for longer than seven calendar days without a specific resolution of this House". The motion was agreed to by a vote of 139-135.

On March 4, the Minister of Finance presented the budget which announced, among other things, measures to freeze Members' salaries and departments' operational spending until 2013. The motion to approve in general the budgetary policy of the government was adopted 142-132 on March 10.

Legislation

Bill C-9, An Act to implement certain provisions of the Budget, was introduced on March 29, 2010, and referred to the Standing Committee on Finance on April 19. On April 22, the Member for

Edmonton-Strathcona, Linda Duncan, moved a motion to empower the Committee to divide the Bill. However, the House agreed to adjourn debate on the motion and it was transferred to Government Orders.

On April 27, 2010, the Member for Nanaimo-Cowichan, Jean Crowder, proposed a motion of instruction to give the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development the power to expand the scope of Bill C-3, An Act to promote gender equity in Indian registration by responding to the Court of Appeal for British Columbia decision in McIvor v. Canada (Registrar of Indian and Northern Affairs). After debate, the motion was transferred to Government Orders. Later that day, during the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-3, the Committee overturned a decision of its Chair who had ruled an amendment inadmissible, and then subsequently adopted the amendment. On April 29, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Tom Lukiwski, argued that the amendment should be ruled inadmissible as is went beyond the scope of the Bill. The Speaker reserved his decision until other Members had a chance to comment.

Private Members' Business

On April 1, 2010, Mr. Lukiwski argued that an amendment adopted by the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons...