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Some important legislation in danger of dying Last Updated Fri, 07 Nov 2003 22:29:17 OTTAWA - Federal MPs are leaving Ottawa this weekend with a lot of work left undone. And it's not clear when they will be back to finish it. The House of Commons is adjourning for at least one week, and there is speculation it will not sit again until Paul Martin is prime minister. In the meantime, much of Jean Chrétien's legacy is sitting in the Senate and it is unclear if it will ever become law. At the Liberal caucus retreat in August, Chrétien outlined what bills he wanted to see passed: reproductive technology, the creation of an independent ethics commissioner, the Westray bill. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson gave royal assent to some bills on Friday, including the Westray bill, but the rest are still winding their way through the parliamentary process. The bill creating new electoral boundaries is in the Senate, as is the bill on reproductive technologies. The government House leader in the Senate, Sharon Carstairs, hopes the reproductive technologies bill will be passed without amendments. "Quite frankly, if for no other group, the women of the chamber are pretty tightly united from both sides on this particular piece of legislation." The reason Carstairs wants it passed without amendments is that then the bill can become law without having to return to the House of Commons. Chrétien's 10-year-old promise to create an independent ethics commissioner faced ammendments and it may take many more months for the bill to become law. Another bill that hasn't even made it to the Senate is the bill to change the penalties for simple possession of marijuana. Justice Minister Martin Cauchon admits it will be difficult to get the bill through. "If we're back I believe we'll be able to proceed quickly with the bill. If not ... it will be difficult to refer the bill to the Senate." Chrétien says the House is finished, but he says the Liberals have accomplished most, though not all, of their agenda. "I feel pretty good about the economy, but it is always a challenge in public life, you solve a problem, and you get up in the morning with two new ones." Members of Parliament are not expected to return to Ottawa until next year, but the House may have to sit for a short while, to ensure some of these bills reach royal assent. Otherwise they can be introduced once Parliament resumes. Written by CBC News Online staff SOURCE: CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/11/07/house031107 * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn