14. Draws attention to the political connection between the proposed new distribution of seats in accordance with the principle of degressive proportionality and the overall reform package for the institutions of the Union, particularly the 'double majority' principle for the definition of a majority in the Council (Article [9c](4) of the Treaty on European Union as incorporated in the draft amending treaty) and the composition of the Commission (Article [9d](5) of the aforementioned treaty) and stresses the need for that package to b ...[+++]e coherent while at the same time recognising the specific legal nature of each institution; agrees that, while the reform of majority voting in the Council and of the composition of the Commission should not enter into force until 2014, the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament should take effect in 2009; reserves the right, however, to assess its consent to the European Council decision pursuant to the aforementioned Article [9a] of the Treaty on European Union on the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament in the light of the reforms of the EU institutions as laid down in the amending treaty;

14. Draws attention to the political connection between the proposed new distribution of seats in accordance with the principle of degressive proportionality and the overall reform package for the institutions of the Union, particularly the 'double majority' principle for the definition of a majority in the Council (Article [9c](4) of the Treaty on European Union as incorporated in the draft amending treaty) and the composition of the Commission (Article [9d](5) of the aforementioned treaty), and stresses the need for that package to ...[+++]be coherent while at the same time recognising the specific legal nature of each institution; agrees that, while the reform of majority voting in the Council and of the composition of the Commission should not enter into force until 2014, the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament should take effect in 2009; reserves the right, however, to assess its consent to the European Council decision pursuant to the aforementioned Article [9a] of the Treaty on European Union on the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament in the light of the reforms of the EU institutions as laid down in the amending treaty;

Without prejudice to the decision of the European Council establishing the composition of the European Parliament for the parliamentary term 2009-2014, the Conference invites the Parliament to make a proposal for the election of its members by direct universal suffrage, in accordance with Article 190(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which more precisely defines the term 'citizens' as provided for in Article 9a(2) of the Treaty on European Union.

12. Calls on the Intergovernmental Conference to incorporate the draft decision of the European Council establishing the composition of the European Parliament, as set out in Annex 1 to this resolution, in a declaration on Article [9a](2) of the Treaty on European Union as incorporated in the draft amending treaty to be attached to the final act of the said Conference with the proviso that it will be formally adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in the aforementioned Article [9a](2) immediately after the entry into force ...[+++] of the amending treaty; undertakes, for its part, to act without delay once the amending treaty has entered into force; calls on the European Council to give effect to the aforementioned declaration, as soon as the amending treaty enters into force and in accordance with its provisions, so that the Member States can enact, in good time, the necessary domestic provisions for organising the elections to the European Parliament for the 2009-2014 parliamentary term;

So, if the government wants to demonstrate transparency and respect the First Nations' right to determine their own future, and to determine, on their own, the size and composition of band councils, because clause 5 sets out a fairly comprehensive list of everything the government could set in the way of regulations, it should at least do so in cooperation with the First Nations directly affected, which is the whole purpose of the sub-amendment I have moved to the amendment proposed by the Canadian Alliance (1600) Mr. Chairman, in the first ten minutes of my intervention I was already convinced, but when, after reading the clause, I real ...[+++]ized the impact of sub-clause 32(1) on clauses 5, 6 and 7, with the exception of paragraph 5(2)(b), I was even more convinced of the need for this, because we, as the Quebec nation, would not agree to the federal government making regulations for us on leadership selection.

I'm putting that to a question (Amendment agreed to) (Clause 10 as amended agreed to) (Clauses 11 and 12 agreed to) (On clause 13 Composition) The Chair: Mr. Cuzner (1825) Mr. Rodger Cuzner: I move amendment G-4, that Bill C-54, in clause 13, be amended by replacing lines 8 to 11 on page 6 with the following: