8. Stresses that the issue of oil exploitation in the DRC is marked by an inadequate and ineffective legislative and regulatory system; calls on the DRC Government to uphold and respect DRC law and regulations that prohibit environmentally harmful activities such as oil exploration and exploitation in protected areas including Virunga, and to close existing loopholes in the draft hydrocarbon and conservation laws that allow for th ...[+++]e exploration and exploitation of natural resources in national parks and World Heritage Sites;

J. whereas Egyptian civil society and international NGOs face mounting pressure and major difficulties in operating in Egypt; whereas the draft law on Civil Associations and Foundations has caused significant concern amongst civil society activists and organisations as the draft law in its present form would hand considerable discretionary power to the government over the activities and funding of civil society groups; whereas the draft law also imposes restrictions on civil society groups’ access to foreign funding, proving a discretionary right to block access to such funds on ...[+++]adoption of a justified decision by the newly formed Coordination Committee;

Mr. Bob Kilger (Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole) , from the Legislative Committee on Bill C-17, presented the First Report of the Committee (Bill C-17, An Act to amend certain Acts of Canada, and to enact measures for implementing the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, in order to enhance public safety, with amendments).

M. concerned that this bill would stand in clear contradiction to the landmark 1994 pronouncement by the United Nations Human Rights Committee in the case Toonen v. Australia, when it held that sexual orientation should be understood to be a status protected from discrimination under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to the appeal by the same committee urging States to repeal laws criminalising homosexuality and to enshrine prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation in their constitutions,

C. whereas on 23 November Russia’s State Duma approved by an overwhelming majority at first reading the draft law entitled 'On introducing Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation' amending the current legislation on the registration of NGOs and in particular the laws 'On civil society organisations', 'On non-commercial organisations' and 'On closed administrative-territorial formations'; whereas the second reading of this law is due to take place on 16 December,

GOVERNMENT ORDERS Notice having been given at a previous sitting under the provisions of Standing Order 78(3), Mr. Boudria (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons), seconded by Mr. Gagliano (Minister of Public Works and Government Services), moved, That in relation to Bill C-20, An Act to give effect to the requirement for clarity as set out in the opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada in the Quebec Secession Reference, not more than ten further hours shall be allotted to the consideration of the committee stage of the Bill, and that, at the expiry of the time provided ...[+++] for in this Order, any proceedings before the Legislative Committee on the said Bill shall be interrupted, if required, for the purpose of this Order and, in turn, every question necessary for the disposal of the said stage of the Bill shall be put forthwith and successively, without further debate or amendment.