2000 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 36th Parliament
The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
No. 228
OF THE
Wednesday, March 15, 2000
Eleven o'clock a.m.
A ballot was held regarding the Election of Speaker.
E. George MacMinn, Q.C., Clerk of the House, having declared Bill Hartley, Member for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Electoral District, duly elected, he was then taken out of his place, by the Hon. D. Lovick and Mr. Farrell-Collins and conducted to the Chair and made a statement expressing his grateful thanks to the House for the great honour they had been pleased to confer upon him by electing him to be their Speaker.
The Speaker declared a short recess.
The Honourable Garde B. Gardom, Q.C., Lieutenant Governor of the Province, having entered the House, took his seat on the Throne. The Speaker standing on His Honour's right, then spoke to the following effect:
May it please your Honour:
The House of Assembly has elected me as their Speaker, though I am but little able to fulfill the important duties thus assigned to me. If, in the performance of those duties, I should at any time fall into error, I pray that the fault be imputed to me and not to the Assembly, whose servant I am, and who, through me, the better to enable them to discharge their duty to the Queen and country, humbly claim all their undoubted rights and privileges, especially that they may have the freedom of speech in their debates, access to your Honour's person at all seasonable times, and that their proceedings may receive from Your Honour the most favourable interpretation.
The Hon. A. Petter (Attorney General) then said:
Honourable Speaker:
I am commanded by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor to declare to you that he freely confides in the duty and attachment of the House of Assembly to Her Majesty's person and Government, and not doubting that their respective proceedings will be conducted with wisdom, temper and prudence, he grants, and upon all occasions will recognize and allow, their constitutional privileges. I am commanded also to assure you that the Assembly shall have ready access to His Honour the Lieutenant Governor upon all seasonable occasions, and that their proceedings, as well as your words and actions, will constantly receive from him the most favourable construction.
His Honour was then pleased to retire.
The certificate of the Chief Electoral Officer of the result of the election of a Member was read by E. George MacMinn, Q.C., Clerk of the House, as follows:
"Chief Electoral Office,
"Victoria, B.C., December 22, 1999
"The Honourable Gretchen Mann Brewin
"Speaker,
"Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4
"Re: By-election, Electoral District of Delta South, December 7, 1999.
"Honourable Speaker -- On July 12, 1999 this office received the Speaker's Warrant advising of the vacancy in the membership of the Legislative Assembly resulting from the death of Fred Gingell, MLA for Delta South.
"A Writ of Election was issued by me on November 9, 1999, requiring that a by-election be held to fill the vacancy. Accordingly, December 7, 1999 was designated as General Voting Day.
"The by-election was held in accordance with the provisions of the Election Act, and the completed Writ of Election has been returned to me.
"I hereby certify the election of Val Roddick as the Member to represent the electoral district of Delta South in the Legislative Assembly.
"Yours very truly,
"Robert A. Patterson,
"Chief Electoral Officer"
On the motion of the Hon. A. Petter (Attorney General), it was Ordered--
That the certificate of the Chief Electoral Officer of the result of the election of the Member be entered upon the Journals of the House.
Ms. Valerie Roddick, having taken the oath and signed the Parliamentary Roll, was introduced by Mr. Farrell-Collins, and took her seat.
Mr. Stevenson presented a Report of the Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills.
The Report was taken as read and received.
By leave of the House, Mr. Stevenson moved that the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Mr. Thorpe presented a Report of the Special Committee to Appoint an Auditor General.
The Report was taken as read and received.
By leave of the House, Mr. Thorpe moved that the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
That this House recommend to His Honour the Lieutenant Governor the appointment of Mr. Wayne Strelioff as a statutory Officer of the Legislature, to exercise the powers and duties assigned to the Auditor General for the province of British Columbia pursuant to the Auditor General Act (RSBC 1996 c. 23).
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. W. Hartley (Speaker) tabled the following documents:
Financial Statement of the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia for the year ended March 31, 1999;
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner Annual Report, 1998/99;
Report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner pursuant to section 19 (1) in the Matter of an Application by Michael de Jong, MLA with respect to alleged contraventions of provisions of the Members' Conflict of Interest Act by the Honourable Gordon Wilson, M.L.A.;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 2 -- Report on Government Financial Accountability for the 1997/98 Fiscal Year;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 3 on Maintaining Human Capital in the British Columbia Public Service: the Role of Training and Development;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 4 on Managing the Woodlot Licence Program;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 5 -- A Review of the Fast Ferry Project: Governance and Risk Management;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 6 -- Forest Renewal BC: Planning and Accountability in the Corporation -- The Silviculture Programs;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 7 -- Report on the Preparedness of the Government of British Columbia in Dealing with the Year 2000 Problem;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 8 -- Social Housing: The Governance of the British Columbia Housing Management Commission and the Provincial Rental Housing Corporation -- The Management of Social Housing Subsidies;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 9 -- Compliance Audits;
Auditor General 1999/2000: Report 10 -- Report on Government Financial Accountability for the 1998/99 Fiscal Year -- Parts I and II.
The Hon. D. Lovick made a statement with regard to the death of Chief Joe Mathias. The House observed a minute of silence.
The Hon. Garde B. Gardom, Q.C., Lieutenant Governor of the Province, having entered the House, took his seat on the Throne, and was pleased to deliver the following gracious speech:
Honourable Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly:
In closing the third 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. Honourable 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 was then pleased to retire.
The Hon. A. Petter (Attorney General) then said:
Honourable 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 o'clock p.m. today, and this Provincial Legislative Assembly is hereby prorogued accordingly.
And then the House prorogued at 12.20 p.m.
BILL HARTLEY, Speaker
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