[ Progress of Bills . . . ]

Ten o'clock a.m.

Prayers by Ms. Reid.

The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."

The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 51) intituled Nisga'a Final Agreement Act.

The debate continued.

By leave, Mr. Janssen was permitted to continue his speech beyond the time limit.

The debate continued.

On the motion of the Hon. S. Hammell, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.

And then the House adjourned at 11.37 a.m.

Tuesday, December 8, 1998

Two o'clock p.m.

The Hon. I. Waddell (Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture) made a ministerial statement regarding job growth in the tourism industry.

Mr. Thorpe made a statement.

By leave, Mr. G. F. Wilson made a statement.

Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."

The Speaker made the following statement:

Honourable Members:

Earlier today as the Member for Alberni was addressing the House on the second reading of Bill 51, the Member's time expired and upon being so advised, immediately took his seat.

The Member for Vancouver-Burrard then rose asking leave of the House to permit the Member for Alberni to continue his speech, thereby permitting him to speak beyond the allotted time. In effect, the Honourable Member was asking leave to suspend the Standing Orders without notice, presumably under the authority of Standing Order 49.

I quote from Parliamentary Practice in British Columbia, 3rd edition at page 115:

"Decisions of our House relating to Standing Order 49 have made it clear that a private Member is not entitled to rise and ask leave to move a motion without notice unless the House is engaged in the business of "Motions on Notice" as designated under Standing Order 25."

The Chair advised the Member for Vancouver-Burrard that his request was out of order.

The Honourable Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture, as House Leader, then rose to make a similar request, and, as stated in the authority above quoted:

"the House Leader has considerably more latitude as the Member responsible for the arrangement of the business of the House."

In addition, the Member for Shuswap rose and indicated that the Official Opposition had no objection to the Member continuing.

It was clearly the will of the House, on an initiative taken by the Government House Leader, that the time limited under Standing Order 45A be, in this particular instance, suspended. Accordingly, the Member for Alberni was permitted to complete his remarks.

The above observations are made to clarify some uncertainty as to the procedures followed and, in conclusion, it should be noted that whenever the House proceeds by way of unanimous consent, that procedure does not constitute a precedent (Can. Journals, May 3, 1974, p. 161).

Gretchen Mann Brewin, Speaker

The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."

The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 51) intituled Nisga'a Final Agreement Act.

The debate continued.

On the motion of the Hon. D. Lovick, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.

And then the House adjourned at 5.18 p.m.

GRETCHEN MANN BREWIN, Speaker