Observing Debates

Visitors are welcome to observe proceedings from the Public Galleries when the Legislative Assembly is sitting (subject to space availability).

Please check the Parliamentary Calendar to see if the Legislative Assembly will be sitting on the day of your visit.

Daily sittings (from the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly):

2. (1) The time for the ordinary meeting of the House shall, unless otherwise ordered, be as follows:

The entrance to the Public Galleries is located on the third floor of the Parliament Buildings. Gallery seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visitors must pass through a security scanning station before entering the Public Galleries. Bags, backpacks, cameras, notepads, cell phones and all other electronic devices are not permitted and must be checked at the security station before entering.

Question Period

Question Period begins shortly after the start of the afternoon’s Routine proceedings at 1:30 pm. Visitors who wish to observe Question Period are encouraged to arrive early, as this is the most popular time to observe debates.

Hansard Services

You can also observe debates of the Legislative Assembly from the comfort of your classroom, office or home. Hansard TV broadcasts proceedings from start to finish, complete with closed-captioning for the hearing-impaired. Check your local TV listings for the channel number and broadcast times in your area. You can also access live and archived webcasts on the Legislative Assembly’s Internet site at www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/.