1996 Legislative Session: 1st Session, 36th 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)

MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1997

Morning

Volume 2, Number 25

[ Page 2083 ]

The House met at 11:35 a.m.

Prayers.

The Speaker: Hon. members, I have the honour today to

present the following documents: auditor general 1996-97

report No. 1, Management of Child Care Grants: Ministry of

Women's Equality, Performance Audit ; auditor general 1996-97

report No. 2, Crown Corporations Governance Study ; auditor

general 1996-97 report No. 3, Vancouver Island Highway Project:

Planning and Design, Performance Audit ; auditor general

1996-97 report No. 4, Trucking Safety: Ministry of Transportation

and Highways, Motor Vehicles Branch, Performance Audit ;

auditor general 1996-97 report No. 5, A Review of Government

Revenue and Expenditure Programs Relating to Alcohol, Tobacco

and Gaming ; a report of the chief electoral officer relating to the

statement of votes of the thirty-sixth provincial general election

held on May 28, 1996, pursuant to

section 13 of the

Election Act; and a report entitled, Opinion of the Acting Commissioner

of Conflict of Interest in the Matter of Alleged Contravention

of Provisions of the Members' Conflict of Interest Act by

the Honourable Member for Esquimalt-Metchosin .

Members, I am advised that the Lieutenant-Governor is

in the….

I'm sorry.

Opposition House Leader.

G. Farrell-Collins: Point of order. I believe that under the

provisions of the Election Act there is a requirement for the

Speaker, under

section 5, to appoint, during the first session of

the Legislature following the second general election after this

section comes into force, a committee to review electoral

boundaries. I'm wondering if the Speaker intends to do that

before we prorogue. Otherwise, I suspect that the chief electoral

officer will be after you, as he has been after a number of

people in this province.

The Speaker: I thank the member for his point of order.

This is to advise him that I am in the process of sending out

letters of invitation to various people to serve on that committee.

I recognize that our deadline seems to have passed. We

had some difficulty finding the appropriate bodies, getting the

appropriate nominations. However, I will take action to

remedy the situation as promptly as I can.

G. Farrell-Collins: Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I would say

to the Speaker that my

interpretation of the act would be that

the House should not be proroguing until such time as the

requirements of the statute are fulfilled. I think you would do

yourself a disservice if you were to allow this House to prorogue

and put yourself in violation of the Election Act. There

is no provision for the Speaker to decide whether he chooses

to comply with the act. The act is there; the act is explicit. It has

been eight months that the Speaker has had an opportunity to

do that. I assume that the minute this House prorogues, the

Speaker has then violated the Election Act and would subsequently

be sanctioned by the chief electoral officer.

The Speaker: I thank the member for the cautionary

note. All I can do at this point is simply say that I have not had

that legal opinion about the legislation expressed to me. I will

take the matter under advisement. As I say, I certainly appreciate

the member's caution that perhaps we — "we" meaning

the Chair — put ourselves in that awkward position. I don't

think, however, that at this point I am prepared to stop all the

proceedings of the government: of British Columbia and the

business of the Legislature. Having said that, I don't think....

I'm sorry. Member.

G. Farrell-Collins: Then I would like to advise the

Speaker that I would like to reserve the right of privilege on

this matter.

The Speaker: I thank the member for extending that

courtesy to the Chair. I appreciate that.

Members, I believe the….

I'm sorry. The member for Delta South.

F. Gingell: This being my first opportunity, I also reserve

the right to raise an issue on a matter of privilege concerning

documents earlier tabled in this House by the member for

Saanich South, the Minister of Finance.

The Speaker: Thank you, member, for that courtesy. I

appreciate it.

M. de Jong: This being my first opportunity, I also seek to

reserve the right to raise a matter of personal privilege

respecting the member for Saanich South.

The Speaker: Thank you, member. I appreciate that.

Members, I would just ask you to please remain seated

until the Lieutenant-Governor arrives.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor entered the chamber

and took his place in the chair.

Prorogation Address

Hon. G. Gardom (Lieutenant-Governor): Mr. Speaker,

Hon. members, in closing this first session of the thirty-sixth

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, and 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.

[11:45]

Hon. U. Dosanjh: Mr. Speaker and Members of the

Legislative Assembly, it is His Honour the Lieutenant Governor's

will and pleasure that the Legislative Assembly be

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

Assembly is hereby prorogued accordingly.

The House prorogued at 11:46 a.m.

[ Return to : Legislative Assembly Home Page ]

Copyright © 1997: Queen's Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada