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The printed version remains the official version.
Ten o’clock a.m.
Prayers by Ms. Thornthwaite.
The Hon. S. Bond (Minister of Justice) tabled the Government Response to the Report of the 2010 Judges Compensation Commission, March 2013.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
13 The Hon. S. Bond (Minister of Justice) moved —
Be it resolved that pursuant to section 6(2) of the Judicial Compensation Act the Legislative Assembly:
a. reject the following recommendations of the Final Report of the 2010 British Columbia Judges Compensation Commission as laid before this Assembly on February 20, 2013 as unfair and/or unreasonable for the reasons outlined in the Government Response to the Report of the 2010 Judges Compensation Commission filed in this House today; and
b. set the remuneration, allowances or benefits that are to be substituted for the rejected recommendations;
as follows:
1. The recommended salary increase for April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014 of an amount based on the cumulative change in the British Columbia Consumer Price Index (the “BC-CPI”) over the preceding three-year period is rejected. The salary increase for April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014 is set at 1.5%.
2. The recommended increase in the pension accrual rate for judges from 3% to 3.5% effective April 1, 2013 is rejected. The pension accrual rate is set at 3%.
3. The recommended increase in the pension contribution period for judges from age 71 to age 75 effective April 1, 2011 is rejected. The end of the pension contribution period is set at age 71.
4. The recommendation that the cost of long-term disability benefits for judges over age 65 be separately funded by government outside of the budget of the Office of the Chief Judge is rejected. The cost of long-term disability benefits for these judges will remain within the budget of the Office of the Chief Judge.
5. The implementation date for the recommendation that judges be enrolled in the government flexible benefits plan is rejected. Instead of an implementation date of April 1, 2011, the judges will be enrolled in the government flexible benefits plan commencing September 1, 2013.
6. The recommendation that, effective April 1, 2011, the Senior Judges Program be expanded to increase the possible number of sitting days for senior part-time judges is accepted in part, with the following substitution:
The statutory limitation on a senior part-time judge’s salary may be exceeded by no more than 20% when
i. the Chief Judge authorizes the senior part-time judge to sit in excess of that part-time judge’s scheduled sittings for the year; and
ii. the extra sittings are necessary, in the Chief Judge’s opinion, to meet urgent and unforeseen needs of the court, including needs arising from the illness or injury of another judge.
The recommended implementation date is accepted, as is the recommendation that the change should be reviewed after three years.
That the Legislative Assembly accept the remaining recommendations contained in the report.
A debate arose.
Motion agreed to.
On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 7) intituled Emergency and Health Services Amendment Act, 2013, a debate arose.
Bill (No. 7) read a second time.
The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 18) intituled Health Authorities Amendment Act, 2013.
The House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 45 | |||
| Cantelon McIntyre Reid Thomson Stewart Sultan Stilwell Yamamoto Chong Lake Letnick Yap | Abbott Barnett Lee McNeil Hawes Lekstrom Bloy Krueger Heed Cadieux Polak | Bell de Jong Coleman Bond MacDiarmid McRae Bennett Hansen Horne Thornthwaite Dalton | Rustad Hogg Hayer Les Howard Pimm Foster Coell Huntington van Dongen Slater |
| Nays — 33 | |||
| James S. Simpson Corrigan Horgan Farnworth Ralston Kwan Fleming Lali | Popham Austin Conroy Brar Donaldson D. Routley Hammell Trevena | Elmore Bains Mungall Karagianis Chandra Herbert Trasolini Simons O’Mahony | Fraser B. Routley Macdonald Coons Chouhan Black Thorne Sather |
Bill (No. 18) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.
Bill (No. 7) intituled Emergency and Health Services Amendment Act, 2013 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. 8) intituled Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2013, a debate arose.
On the motion of Mr. B. Routley the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.
And then the House adjourned at 11.57 a.m.
One-thirty o’clock p.m.
Order called for “Members’ Statements.”
Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”
Ms. Popham presented a petition requesting a halt to the commercial introduction of the genetically modified apple to B.C.
The Hon. P. Bell (Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour) sought leave to table a document.
Leave not granted.
The Hon. M. de Jong (Minister of Finance) tabled the following documents:
Statement of 2011/12 Borrowings Pursuant to Section 56 of the Financial Administration Act, Schedule A and Schedule B;
Public Service Benefit Plan Act Annual Report, March 31, 2012;
Summary of Ministerial Accountability for Operating Expenses (for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2013) Revised Schedule F (No. 2), January 25, 2013; and,
Consolidated Revenue Fund Guarantees and Indemnity Authorized and Issued for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2012.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 8) intituled Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2013.
The debate continued.
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. 14) intituled Auditor General Amendment Act, 2013, a debate arose.
Bill (No. 14) 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. 10) intituled Seniors Advocate Act, a debate arose.
The debate continued.
Bill (No. 10) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.
Bill (No. 11) intituled Criminal Records Review Amendment Act, 2013 was again committed.
By leave, the Hon. S. Bond (Minister of Justice) moved —
That the proceedings with respect to section 1 of Bill (No. 11) intituled Criminal Records Review Amendment Act, 2013 be declared null and void and that the Committee reconsider section 1 for the purposes of considering a proposed amendment.
Motion agreed to.
Bill (No. 11) reported complete with amendment, and by leave, read a third time and passed.
And then the House adjourned at 6.24 p.m.
HON. BILL BARISOFF, Speaker
Wednesday, March 13
Ms. Conroy to introduce a Bill intituled Representative for Seniors Act, 2013.
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