Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, although I like the intent of the motion, and I talked to him this morning about it in the Ordinary Members' Caucus, we do have the accumulated deficit in the system. There is the pay equity payment dispute. Mr. Speaker, there are other programs that people, in my riding, want access to, programs and services. At this time, I am not able to make a commitment in one department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I will not be supporting the motion for that matter. Thank you.

To the motion. Mr. Krutko.

To the motion. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to see so many people are going to vote in favour of such a far-sweeping motion. Obviously, as a Member of the Social Programs Committee, I will be voting in favour of this motion.

I particularly feel that we do need more money in the area of education and health. One of the main reasons that I have been advocating this for some time, of course, is the fact that without proper education, the first people of this land that we live in, cannot participate properly in the workforce and cannot participate fully in the economic development and other opportunities that abound for other well-educated people. Mr. Speaker, I will be voting in favour of this motion.

Thank you. To the motion. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Question has been called. To the motion. Final comments, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you colleagues. I appreciate some of the comments that were made. I just wanted to touch base on some of them. There is some concern there would be no surpluses, but we saw within one department last month, where there was more than a million dollars in surpluses and was redirected within the department. This is what we were trying to address in the motion. On the pay equity situation and the reallocation of funds to the surplus that has already been targeted by Mr. Todd in his Budget Address for 1998-99, and I am talking about 1997-98, which is the fiscal year ending March 31st. With that, Mr.

Speaker, I thank the comments and because we only had two sitting days left, there was a shortness in preparing the motion, but I did bring it forward last Friday when I introduced it. This gave Members four or five days to think about it. At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I would request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Thank you. This is the appropriate time to request it. Are you requesting it?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am requesting a recorded vote on the motion at this time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. The Member for Iqaluit is asking for a recorded vote. Question has been called. To the motion. All those in favour?

Mr. Picco, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Rabesca, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. Ootes, Mr. Erasmus, Mr. Barnabas, Mr. O'Brien.

All those against?

Mr. Ningark.

All those abstaining?

Mr. Kakfwi, Mr. Morin, Mr. Todd, Mr. Dent, Mr. Steen.

Thank you. The results of the motion, for: 8, against: 1, abstaining: 5. The motion is carried.

--Applause

Motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe that Bill 15, Adoption Act be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill reforms family law respecting statutory adoption in the Territories by:

- setting out the purposes of the act, the paramount one being to promote the best interests of a child being adopted;

- setting out a test to assist courts in determining the best interests of a child and providing that the determination must be made with a recognition that differing cultural values and practices must be respected;

- allowing a stepparent to adopt a child of his or her spouse without requiring the spouse to adopt the child as well;

- allowing certain couples who are not married to adopt a child together;

- requiring the director of adoptions or an adoption worker to provide certain information to expectant parents, at their request;

- requiring the placement of a child for a private adoption, whether within or outside the territories, to have the approval of the director of adoptions, where the placement is not with a relative of the child;

- setting out how and when a consent to an adoption (by a parent, a child or the director of child and family services) may be revoked;

- allowing the Supreme Court to make an order respecting access to the child when making an adoption order;

- establishing an adoption registry in which the following information will be maintained:

- the name and sex of the adoptive child, the names of the natural, adoptive and any previous adoptive parents of the child and of the siblings and adoptive siblings of the child,

- the records of the director of adoptions in respect of a child who has been adopted,

- the personal information provided by the child, the natural and adoptive parents of the child, the grandparents and the siblings and adoptive siblings of the child;

- allowing an adoption worker to collect personal information from the following persons, which information will be maintained in the adoption registry:

- a natural parent, an adoptive parent and any previous adoptive parent of a child, if the parent consents,

- a grandparent of a child, if the parent and grandparent consent,

- the siblings, adoptive siblings or the adoptive child, if the parent consents (where the sibling or child is under 12-years-old) or if the sibling or adoptive child consents (where the sibling or child is 12-years or older);

- allowing the registrar of the adoption registry to disclose the information contained in the adoption registry and facilitate a reunion between children, parents, grandparents and siblings in the circumstances set out in the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 15, Adoption Act has had second reading and accordingly stands ordered to a standing committee. Second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters. Bill 8, Appropriation Act, 1998-99; Bill 9, Loan Authorization Act, 1998-99; Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1997-98; Bill 12, Write-off of Debts Act, 1997-98; Bill 13, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 1997-98; Committee Report 2-13(5); Committee Report 3-13(5); Committee Report 4-13(5); Committee Report 5-13(5);

Committee Report 6-13(5); Tabled Document 15-13(5) and Tabled Document 19-13(5). Before I call Mr. Steen, by the authority given to the Speaker by Motion 3-13(5), the House will resolve into committee of the whole and may sit beyond 6:00 p.m. until it is prepared to report progress. With Mr. Steen in the Chair.