2005 Legislative Session: 6th Session, 37th Parliament


The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.


[ Progress of Bills . . . ]

Nos. 21 and 22

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia


Tuesday, March 1, 2005


Ten o'clock a.m.

Prayers by Mr. Nijjar.

The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."

Pursuant to Order, the House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion "That the Speaker do now leave the Chair" for the House to go into Committee of Supply.

The debate continued.

On the motion of Mr. Nijjar, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.

The Hon. C. Hansen (Minister of Finance) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Administrator, which read as follows:

Lance Finch
Administrator

The Administrator transmits herewith:

Supplementary Estimates No. 10 -- Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2005;
and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.

Vancouver Law Courts,
March 1, 2005.


Ordered, that the Message, and the Supplementary Estimates accompanying same, be referred to the Committee of Supply.

Order for Committee of Supply called.

The House resolved itself into Committee of Supply (Supplementary Estimates of the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services and the Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development).

(In Committee)

The Committee reported progress and asked leave to sit again.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.

And then the House adjourned at 11.56 a.m.


Tuesday, March 1, 2005

Two o'clock p.m.

Order called for "Members' Statements."

Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."

Ms. Brenzinger rose on a Point of Order, namely, the entitlement of Members to make a statement during "Members' Statements".

The Speaker noted the Point of Order.

The Hon. J. Murray (Minister of Management Services) tabled the Twenty-Eighth Annual Report of the business done in pursuance of the Public Service Benefit Plan Act for the year ended March 31, 2004.

The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."

Pursuant to Order, the House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion "That the Speaker do now leave the Chair" for the House to go into Committee of Supply.

The debate continued.

On the motion of the Hon. L. Reid, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.

On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 21) intituled Crown Counsel Agreement Continuation Act, a debate arose.

The debate continued.

The House divided.

Motion agreed to on the following division:

YEAS -- 43

Coell
Les
Wong
Chong
Locke
McMahon
Christensen
Bell
Barisoff
Wilson
Bray

Thorpe
Murray
Hansen
Bond
Bruce
Brice
L. Reid
Abbott
Neufeld
Coleman
Anderson

Jarvis
Nuraney
R. Stewart
Hunter
Chutter
Mayencourt
Trumper
Johnston
Bennett
Belsey
Krueger

J. Reid
Stephens
Masi
Lekstrom
MacKay
K. Stewart
Whittred
Sultan
Hawes
Kerr

 
NAYS -- 4

Kwan MacPhail Brar Nettleton

Bill (No. 21) 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. 6) intituled Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2005, a debate arose.

Bill (No. 6) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.

Order for Committee of Supply called.

The House resolved itself into Committee of Supply (Supplementary Estimates of the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services and Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development).

(In Committee)

The Committee reported progress and asked leave to sit again.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.

And then the House adjourned at 5.59 p.m.

CLAUDE RICHMOND, Speaker


PUBLIC WRITTEN QUESTIONS

Date answered: February 28, 2005

 
2 Barry O'Neill, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees -- BC Division, asked the Minister of Finance, regarding the Minister's responsibility for public sector wage mandates, the following question: --

Will the Minister restore free collective bargaining in the public sector and remove the 0% wage mandate now that there is clearly no economic justification for such restrictions?

The Hon. C. Hansen replied as follows:

The current bargaining mandate is set to conclude on March 31, 2006. Government appreciates the efforts of the thousands of public sector employees who have been both pragmatic and creative in working with their employers to reach agreements within the net-zero mandate. Public sector workers in British Columbia continue to enjoy among the highest wages and benefits among the provinces.

To date some 68 agreements have been negotiated within mandate, covering more than 172,000 public sector workers and professionals. They have made their contribution to government getting its fiscal house in order -- it is only fair that those who have yet to settle agreements under the current mandate should do so as well.

Once the current mandate is completed, there will be a new bargaining mandate for fiscal year 2006/07 and beyond, and the next mandate will not be more zeros -- but it will continue to be fiscally prudent and affordable to B.C. taxpayers.

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