House of Commons.

• Author: Widmer, Danielle
• Position: Legislative Reports

The First Session of the Forty-Second Parliament continued through the fall with the House adjourning for the winter on December 13, 2018. The information below covers the period of October 2,2018 to December 31, 2018.

Legislation

After being time allocated, Bill C-76, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and other Acts and to make certain consequential amendments was read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs on May 23, 2018. The Bill proposes changes to Canada's elections laws including new limits on spending and foreign participation. After receiving testimony from more than 60 witnesses, including the Minister of Democratic Institutions, Karina Gould (Burlington), the negotiation of a schedule for holding clause-by-clause was stalled until such time that the Committee agreed to increase partisan advertising expenses for a pre-election period on October 4, 2018. The Committee immediately proceeded to the consideration of some 300 proposed amendments during clause-by-clause on October 15, 2018. Following a four-day marathon, that extended meetings outside normal sitting hours, the Bill was reported back to the House with amendments on October 22, 2018. Aspects of the Bill remained vigorously opposed by the opposition parties during report stage; a total of 179 amendments were put on notice. On October 25, 2018, a second time allocation for the consideration and disposal of the report stage and third reading of the Bill was adopted. The Bill was concurred in at report stage with a single amendment on October 29, 2018 and passed at third reading the following day, notwithstanding the proposal of an amendment by Stephanie Kusie (Calgary Midnapore) to recommit the Bill to Committee with instructions to reconsider clause 378 to prevent the government from "cherry picking" which by-elections to call when there are multiple pending vacancies in the House. Following a third time allocation for the consideration of Senate amendments, Bill C-76 received Royal Assent on December 13, 2018.

On November 22,2018, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, Patty Hajdu (Thunder Bay--Superior North) introduced and read for the first time Bill C-89, An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of postal services, in response to rotating Canada Post strikes. Pursuant to an order respecting proceedings, Government Business No. 25, made on November 23, 2018, the Bill was debated at second reading, read the second time and referred to a Committee of the Whole, considered in Committee of the Whole, reported without amendment, concurred in at report stage and read the third time and passed in a single sitting that extended over two calendar days until 1:00 a.m. on November 23, 2018.

Financial Procedures

On November 21, 2018, the Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau (Toronto Centre), presented the government's Fall Economic Statement. In advance of his statement, the Minister...