1994 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 35th Parliament

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The printed version remains the official version.

No. 8

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Monday, March 21, 1994

Two o'clock p.m.

Prayers by Mr. Gingell.

The Hon. J. Sawicki (Speaker) made a statement regarding the addition of Mr. Robert Vaive as a Table Officer with the Legislative Assembly.

Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."

Mr. Wilson asked leave, pursuant to Standing Order 35, to move adjournment of the House to discuss a definite matter of public importance, namely, the current status of the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan.

The Hon. G. Clark made a statement.

Mr. Hurd made a statement.

The Speaker stated that she would take the matter under advisement.

By leave, Mr. Dalton tabled copies of correspondence regarding the condition of the Upper Levels Highway.

By leave, Mr. Symons tabled a copy of the Collective Agreement between Highways Constructors Ltd. and B.C. Highways and Related Construction Council.

The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."

The House resumed the adjourned debate on Motion 1, as amended.

Motion, as amended, agreed to on the following division:

The Speaker made a statement as follows:

Honourable Members:

The motion having passed, I beg the indulgence of the House to make a brief statement.

While it would not normally be appropriate for the Speaker to comment on debates of the House, I want to thank all Honourable Members for the many gracious comments you have made about your current Speaker. I would add that if the media have missed any of them, the Chair would be pleased to provide them with an extra copy of Hansard.

On March 17, 1992, I was honoured to be unanimously elected as your Speaker in the traditional manner that we have used in this House. I do not hesitate in saying it was an overwhelming responsibility to assume as a newly elected Member of this Legislative Assembly.

It is a delicate balance that every Speaker must strive to achieve -- between respect for freedom of speech and the need to maintain order, between the rights of the majority to govern and the rights of the minority to be heard. In return, every Speaker must be able to rely upon all Honourable Members to be vigilant in their support of the institution itself. Members' support is the only armour that comes with this unique, exposed position.

As your Speaker these last two years, it is inevitable that I have occasionally fallen into error, to the displeasure of one side of the House or the other. If however, the measure of my time in the Chair is the fairness and impartiality with which I have presided in this Chamber, and the respect that I have shown to this institution, then I am confident history will judge that I have been an honourable servant of this Assembly.

This House has just engaged in almost 10 hours of historic debate on one of the most fundamental aspects of our system of parliamentary democracy, the separation of powers, and with it the essential independence of the Office of the Speaker. If that debate has raised our awareness of the issue and if the decision the House has made has reduced the vulnerability of this Office, we will have made substantial progress.

As always, I have listened carefully to the points of view expressed by all Honourable Members in debate. While the House divided on the particular motion before it, I believe it is important that Members have the earliest possible opportunity to elect their Speaker according to the revised Standing Orders. In order to facilitate such an event, it is my decision to resign from the Office, effective immediately upon adjournment. In view of the circumstances that have given rise to considerable controversy over recent weeks, I further advise that I will not be a candidate in that election.

I know Honourable Members will appreciate these are not decisions I have taken lightly. It has been a great honour and privilege to serve as your Speaker.

I want to thank a group of men and women who seldom receive acknowledgement in this Assembly but whose work is essential to all of us as Members -- namely the Officers of the House and the Legislative staff. Their dedication and cooperation have been instrumental in the many positive changes we have made within the Legislative precinct in the past

two years and the initiatives I have taken to raise public understanding of what we do in this place.

I also wish to thank my constituents of Burnaby Willingdon, for their ongoing encouragement and support, despite the constraints that sometimes exist when one's Member serves as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Finally, I extend my best wishes to your new Speaker, whom I sincerely hope and trust will enjoy your full confidence and support to perform his or her duties in the best traditions of this high office.

This House now being without a Speaker, I do declare it adjourned pending election in accordance with the revised Standing Orders which this House has now adopted.

And then the House adjourned at 4.42 p.m.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. E. George MacMinn, Q.C., Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

JOAN SAWICKI, Speaker

NOTICE OF MOTIONS

Wednesday Next

Mr. Mitchell to introduce a Bill intituled Railway Amendment Act, 1994.

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