cabinet as Transport and the Canadian Wheat Board critic. She later lost her riding association's nomination for the riding of Churchill. The Bloc and the Conservatives declared C-38 a free vote. Senate June 29, 2005 – First reading of Bill C-38 occurred in the Senate. Debate on second reading was then scheduled for July 4 and the forthcoming days. July 4, 2005 – The debate on second reading begins with Senator Serge Joyal as mover of the bill. Senator Gerry St. Germain argues against the bill and Senator Jack Austin concludes the first day of debate arguing for the bill's adoption. The government introduces a notice of motion for time allocation that would restrict debate on the bill to six hours. Debate on second reading is to continue the next day. July 5, 2005 – Debate on second reading continued, although the actual debate occurred only for a few minutes. This was then followed by a long and heated debate on whether to invoke closure (rather than on the main bill). Closure was invoked by a margin of 40 to 17 with 2 abstentions. July 6, 2005 – The Senate passed Bill C-38 on second reading by a margin of 43 to 12. The Bill went to the Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. July 14, 2005 – The Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs finished seeing witnesses, and performed a clause-by-clause consideration. July 18, 2005 – The Committee reported back to the Senate without amendment, and the final debate was then scheduled to start the next day. Unanimous consent required to proceed directly to a vote on third reading was denied. July 19, 2005 – Debate on third reading of Bill C-38 began in the Senate. An attempt to delay third reading of the bill by six months was defeated 19 to 52, and an amendment to the bill that would have declared "traditional marriage" as being between a man and a woman and "civil marriage" as between two persons failed, 24 to 46, with 4 abstentions. Shortly after 11 p.m., the Senate passed Bill C-38 on third and final reading by a margin of 47 to 21, with 3 abstentions. Royal Assent July 20, 2005 - At 4:56 p.m., Bill C-38 receives Royal Assent from Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin (in her capacity as a Deputy of the Governor General of Canada) acting on behalf of convalescing Governor General