1998 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 36th Parliament
Ten o'clock a.m.
Prayers by the Hon. S. Hammell.
The Hon. C. McGregor (Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks) made a statement withdrawing her right to respond to the matter of privilege raised by the Member for Matsqui on April 23, 1998.
The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."
Order for Committee of Supply called.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A of Committee of Supply (estimates of the Ministry of Attorney General).
On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 8) intituled Tuition Fee Freeze Act, a debate arose.
The debate continued.
On the motion of Mr. G. F. Wilson, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.
(In Committee -- Section A)
Section A of Committee of Supply reported progress.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
And then the House adjourned at 11.54 a.m.
Tuesday, April 28, 1998
Two o'clock p.m.
The Hon. D. Lovick (Minister of Labour) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Administrator, which read as follows:
Allan McEachern,
Administrator
The Administrator transmits herewith Bill (No. 14) intituled Workers Compensation (Occupational Health and Safety) Amendment Act, 1998 and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
April 24, 1998
Bill introduced and read a first time.
Bill Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.
On the motion of Mr. Plant, Bill (No. M 205) intituled The Parental Responsibility Act was introduced, read a first time, and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.
Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."
The Hon. D. Lovick (Minister of Labour) made a ministerial statement recognizing April 28, 1998, as a day of mourning for workers killed or injured on the job in British Columbia, and requested that the House observe a minute of silence.
The House observed a minute of silence.
Mr. Hansen made a statement.
By leave, Mr. G. F. Wilson made a statement.
The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."
Order for Committee of Supply called.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A of Committee of Supply (estimates of the Ministry of Attorney General).
The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 8) intituled Tuition Fee Freeze Act.
The debate continued.
The House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| YEAS -- 68 | |||
|
Evans Zirnhelt McGregor Kwan Hammell Boone Streifel Pullinger Lali Orcherton Stevenson Calendino Goodacre Walsh Randall Gillespie Robertson |
Cashore Conroy Priddy Petter Miller G. Clark Dosanjh MacPhail Lovick Ramsey Farnworth Waddell Hartley Sihota Smallwood Sawicki Bowbrick |
Kasper Doyle Giesbrecht Janssen Sanders Gingell C. Clark Campbell Farrell-Collins de Jong Plant Abbott Neufeld Chong Whittred Jarvis Anderson |
Nettleton Penner Weisbeck Hogg Hawkins Coleman Stephens Hansen Thorpe Symons van Dongen Barisoff Dalton Masi Krueger McKinnon J.D. Wilson |
NAYS -- 1 | |||
| G.F. Wilson | |||
Bill (No. 8) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.
On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 9) intituled Finance and Corporate Relations Statutes Amendment Act, 1998, a debate arose.
Bill (No. 9) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.
On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 12) intituled Mining Rights Amendment Act, 1998, a debate arose.
The debate continued.
On the motion of Ms. Walsh, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting.
(In Committee -- Section A)
20. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $435,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Attorney General, Minister's Office, to 31st March, 1999.
21. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $783,000,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Attorney General, Ministry Operations, to 31st March, 1999.
22. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $49,852,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Attorney General, Statutory Services, to 31st March, 1999.
23. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $37,919,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Attorney General, Judiciary, to 31st March, 1999.
Section A of Committee of Supply reported the Resolutions and completion of the Estimates of the Ministry of Attorney General.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
By agreement, summary debate of estimates passed in Section A (Ministry of Attorney General) to be considered at the next sitting.
The Speaker delivered her reserved decision as follows:
Honourable Members:
Yesterday, the Honourable Leader of the Opposition sought to move adjournment of the House pursuant to Standing Order 35 to discuss a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, and I quote, "the northern and rural health care crisis", unquote.
The Chair has had the opportunity to give the matter serious consideration in light of the Member's comments and in light of representations of other Members.
Certainly, the Chair recognizes that health care issues are most serious and important matters which directly impact personal lives of British Columbians.
To qualify under Standing Order 35, among other requirements, matters must be urgent and of recent occurrence. The health care issues in rural and northern British Columbia referred to by the Hon. Member in his submission have been on-going for some time now, indeed in the Member's own words "for almost 13 weeks". The on-going nature of the issue raised by the Member has the effect of taking the matter outside the scope of Standing Order 35.
The "concrete proposal" to the Provincial Government cited by the Member in his address clearly adds a new element to the matter. However, "the fact that new information has been received regarding a matter that has been continuing for some time does not in itself make the matter one of urgency", as noted in Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice, 17th ed. p. 365. I further refer Members to previous Speakers' decisions on Standing Order 35 applications -- British Columbia Journals, July 11, 1995 and British Columbia Journals, July 26, 1996.
Accordingly, the Member's application under Standing Order 35 cannot succeed.
Gretchen Mann Brewin, Speaker
The Speaker delivered her reserved decision as follows:
Honourable Members:
I have one further matter to deal with.
On Thursday, April 23rd during the afternoon sitting, the Honourable Member for Chilliwack rose on what he described as a point of privilege arising from that day's Question Period. He advised that he took exception to what he described as an inappropriate remark made by the Member for Vancouver- Burrard, who was not in possession of the floor.
The Honourable Member further stated that he would be sending a copy of the tape to the Speaker, but no such tape has been received. In any event, the Chair has serious doubts, in these circumstances, as to the propriety of the Speaker using such a tape in view of the fact that the remarks complained of were not heard by the Chair at the time, nor were the remarks attributed to the Member for Vancouver-Burrard reported in the Hansard. Such interjections are deemed private conversations among Members of the House and do not invite the intervention of the Speaker.
While the Chair does not doubt the sincerity of the Honourable Member for Chilliwack, it must be pointed out that asides, made by Members not in possession of the floor, can hardly constitute the foundation for a matter of privilege.
I would ask all Members who are proposing to raise a matter of privilege to refer to the guidelines contained in Parliamentary Practice of British Columbia, 3rd edition, at pages 46-52.
Gretchen Mann Brewin, Speaker
And then the House adjourned at 5.57 p.m.
GRETCHEN MANN BREWIN, Speaker
NOTICE OF BILLS
Wednesday, April 29
Ms. Stephens to introduce a Bill intituled Prevention of Child Sexual Exploitation Act.
NOTICE OF MOTIONS
Wednesday, April 29
44 Mr. G. F. Wilson to move--
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