House of Commons.

• Author: Gagnon, David
• Position: Legislative Reports

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Second Session of the 40th Parliament opened on January 26, 2009. The House immediately proceeded to the presentation of the Budget on January 27.

Following the adoption of a ways and means motion (no. 6), the Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty, introduced Bill C-10, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on January 27, 2009 and related fiscal measures, on February 6. Given the economic situation, on February 23, the Standing Committee on Finance held four meetings on the same day to hear witnesses. The next day, the Committee began clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill and reported it back to the House without amendment on February 25. The Bill received Royal Assent on March 12.

Three supply bills were passed during this period. On February 26, Bill C-12, An Act for grail ting to Her Majesty certain s urns of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2009, received Royal Assent after passing through the three reading stages on the same sitting day on February 12. On March 24, two other bills, C-21, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2009, and C-22, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the financial year ending March 31, 2010, were passed by the House on the same sitting day and received Royal Assent on March 26.

Business of Supply

Pursuant to the Standing Orders, seven days were allotted for supply for the period ending on March 26. On the seventh and final allotted day, on March 24, John McCallum introduced a motion on the spending authority proposed in Treasury Board's Vote 35 of the Main Estimates for 2009-2010. The motion called upon the government to table in the House, within one sitting of each occasion that Vote 35 is used, a detailed report justifying the use of the measure. The motion was agreed to that same day (Yeas: 154; Nays: 139).

Private Members' Business

The Order of Precedence was established on February 10, based on the draw that was held in the first Session on November 24. On February 24, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented its sixth report, enumerating the items added to the Order of Precedence.

On April 29, a vote for second reading and referral to committee of Bill C-241, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act...