1993 Legislative Session: 2nd Session, 35th Parliament

HANSARD

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(Hansard)

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1994

Morning Sitting

Volume 12, Number 24

[ Page 9414 ]

The House met at 11 a.m.

Prayers.

The Speaker: To proceed to other business, hon. members, I wish to advise

members that a few months ago, there was a retirement of a very long-serving

member of the Hansard staff, Elizabeth Hagmeier. On behalf of the House, I

took the opportunity to send a letter thanking Mrs. Hagmeier for her years

of dedicated service and wishing her a happy retirement.

Law Clerk: A letter from the chief electoral officer to the Deputy Attorney

General, dated March 7, 1994:

March 7, 1994

Brian M. Neal, QC,

Deputy Attorney General

Parliament Buildings

Victoria, B.C.

Dear Sir:

Re: By-election,

Vancouver-Quilchena Electoral District,

February 17, 1994

The November 9, 1993, resignation of Art Cowie, the member for the

electoral district of Vancouver-Quilchena, created a vacancy in the

membership of the Legislative Assembly.

A writ of election was issued on January 20, 1994, requiring that a

by-election be held to fill the vacancy. Accordingly, February 17, 1994, was

designated as polling day.

The completed writ of election has been returned to me, and I hereby

certify the election of Gordon Campbell as the member to represent the

electoral district of Vancouver-Quilchena in the Legislative Assembly.

Yours very truly,

Robert A Patterson,

Chief Electoral Officer

A letter from the Deputy Attorney General to the Clerk of the House, dated

March 7, 1994:

March 7, 1994

Mr. E. George MacMinn, QC,

Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

Room 221, Parliament Buildings

Victoria, B.C.

Dear Mr. MacMinn:

Re: By-election,

Vancouver-Quilchena Electoral District,

February 17, 1994

Enclosed is the original letter from the chief electoral officer, Robert A.

Patterson, certifying the election of Gordon Campbell as the member to

represent the electoral district of Vancouver-Quilchena.

Yours truly,

Brian M. Neal,

Deputy Attorney General

Hon. C. Gabelmann: I move that the letter of the Deputy Attorney General

and the certificate of the chief electoral officer with the result of the

election of the member be entered in the Journals of the House.

Motion approved.

G. Farrell-Collins: Hon. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Mike

De Jong. . . . Sorry � Gordon Campbell, the member for the electoral

district. . . . Hon. Speaker, I'm just as proud of both of them. I have the

honour to present to you the member for the electoral district of

Vancouver-Quilchena, who has taken the oath, signed the parliamentary roll,

and now claims his right to take his seat.

The hon. member for Vancouver-Quilchena took his seat.

Law Clerk:

March 11, 1994

Brian M. Neal, QC,

Deputy Attorney General

Parliament Buildings

Victoria, B.C.

Dear Sir:

Re: By-election,

Matsqui Electoral District,

February 17, 1994

The November 30, 1993, resignation of Peter Dueck, the member for the

electoral district of Matsqui, created a vacancy in the membership of the

Legislative Assembly.

A writ of election was issued on January 20, 1994, requiring that a

by-election be held to fill the vacancy. Accordingly, February 17, 1994, was

designated as polling day.

The completed writ of election has been returned to me, and I hereby

certify the election of Michael G. De Jong as the member to represent the

electoral district of Matsqui in the Legislative Assembly.

Yours very truly,

Robert A Patterson,

Chief Electoral Officer

[ Page 9415 ]

March 11, 1994

Mr. E. George MacMinn, QC,

Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

Room 221, Parliament Buildings

Victoria, B.C.

Dear Mr. MacMinn:

Re: By-election,

Matsqui Electoral District,

February 17, 1994

Enclosed is the original letter from the chief electoral officer, Robert A.

Patterson, certifying the election of Michael G. De Jong as the member to

represent the electoral district of Matsqui.

Yours truly,

Maureen A. Maloney,

Deputy Minister

Hon. C. Gabelmann: I move that the letter of the deputy minister and the

certificate of the chief electoral officer of the result of the election of

the member be entered in the Journals of the House.

Motion approved.

G. Campbell: Hon. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Mike de

Jong, the member for the electoral district of Matsqui, who has taken the

oath, signed the parliamentary roll, and now claims his right to take his

seat.

The hon. member for Matsqui took his seat.

Hon. M. Harcourt: Hon. Speaker, on behalf of all members of the

Legislature, I'm sure I bring a unanimous welcome � probably one of the few

unanimous votes that will be taken in this Legislature � to the new member

for Vancouver-Quilchena, the Leader of the Opposition, and to the new member

for Matsqui to this great parliament. You're among 73 of your colleagues who

have been honoured by citizens of our local communities throughout the

province in serving this great province in democracy and making it better.

We have different ways of getting to the top of the mountain, but I think

we're all here for the same purpose. So I welcome you to this parliament,

and I'm sure you'll find it a very stimulating experience.

You've already seen that we have our miscues and quips, and that will

continue. I can assure you that you will find this a very challenging life

experience, because when you have made what you think is a very decisive

argument or you've gotten the best of a question period, you will then find

that that's only part of the challenge of this Legislature. You then have to

leave through these two doors, after being one sword's length away �

physically and figuratively, of course � to face probably the toughest media

in Canada right outside. You will discover why you look fish-eyed, and why

the lighting isn't quite right, and why they've set it up so that shadows

are around your eyes: just to improve your appearance. You will understand

why I was able to affectionately call them the scrum of the earth within a

year.

You are going to find that this is a very challenging, wonderful place.

It's a great institution. All of us are proud of it. You are going to face

one of the other great institutions in our democracy, and that is the press

gallery, the media. Remember their motto: you can run, but you cannot hide �

as some of our members have found out.

Welcome to the Legislature.

The Speaker: Before I proceed with other matters, I want to recognize the

hon. member who is rising, because I neglected to do that at the beginning.

He has a special introduction that I'm sure the House will accommodate.

W. Hurd: I am pleased to introduce a member of the Provincial Parliament of

Ontario � a place where the media is just as tough, I might add. The Hon.

Steven Mahoney from Mississauga West is also the official opposition Whip.

Mr. Mahoney is in B.C. to compare polling results between Ontario and

British Columbia. He finds them to be remarkably similar.

[11:15]

The Speaker: The hon. member for West Vancouver-Garibaldi is rising. I hope

we haven't started a trend.

D. Mitchell: I rise to ask for leave to move a motion of confidence in the

Chair.

The Speaker: Unfortunately, hon. member, there are certain pro forma days,

and prorogation is one of them. I certainly would invite the member to raise

the matter at the next regular sitting day, but I cannot allow it at this

time.

The Speaker tabled the auditor's report on the accounts of the office of

the auditor general.

The Speaker: I am advised that the Lieutenant-Governor is in the precincts

and will join us in the chamber shortly.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor entered the chamber and took his place

in the chair.

Prorogation Address

Hon. D.C. Lam (Lieutenant-Governor): Hon. Speaker and Members of the

Legislative Assembly, in closing this second session of the thirty-fifth

parliament of British Columbia I wish to commend you on the accomplishments

of the past year. This session has seen the passage of measures of

wide-ranging and significant importance to the people of our province.

[ Page 9416 ]

Hon. members, on behalf of all British Columbians, I wish to express my

appreciation for the care and attention you have given to your

deliberations. I now relieve you of your legislative duties.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor retired from the chamber.

Hon. C. Gabelmann: Hon. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, it

is His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor's will and pleasue that the

Legislative Assembly be prorogued until 2 p.m. today, and this provincial

Legislative Assembly is hereby prorogued accordingly.

The House prorogued at 11:21 a.m.

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