2000 Legislative Session: 4th Session, 36th Parliament
The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
No. 50
OF THE
Wednesday, May 31, 2000
Two o'clock p.m.
Prayers by Mr. Weisgerber.
The Hon. J. Doyle (Minister of Forests) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Garde B. Gardom, Q.C.
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 11) intituled Forests Statutes Amendment Act, 2000 and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
May 29, 2000
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.
The Hon. J. Sawicki (Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Garde B. Gardom, Q.C.
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 17) intituled Protected Areas of British Columbia Act and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
May 18, 2000
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.
The Speaker made the following statement:
Honourable Members:
It appears that the time of the year has arrived when the Chair feels compelled to bring to the Members' attention certain guidelines relating to Oral Question Period.
Members on both sides of the House continue to be disorderly during Oral Question Period to the point where it is difficult to hear the question asked or the answer being given.
As has been the practice in the past, the Speaker is reluctant to continually intervene bearing in mind the short duration of our Question Period, but unless Members on both sides of the House exhibit some self discipline, the Chair will have no option but to intervene.
There has been an increasing tendency to interfere with the Chair's conduct of Question Period by both sides of the House, in that the Government interjects with a call for "question, question" while a question is being posed by the Opposition, and the Opposition interjects with "time, Mr. Speaker, time, Mr. Speaker" while the question is being answered.
I am certain both sides of the House in so interjecting are simply exhibiting a conscientious concern for application of the rules, but I would ask all Members to accept the assurance of the Chair, that such interjections are counter productive and tend to exacerbate disorder in the House. I am, therefore, asking Members on both sides of the House to refrain from such interjections. The Chair will be the judge of whether a question is too long, or an answer is too long.
In that regard, Members may be interested in knowing that questions and answers are timed on a daily basis and the tally varies from day to day and week to week. If Members are interested, these tallies are available in my office or the Clerk's office.
The Chair has also examined the Blues from yesterday's Question Period which demonstrate a classic example of the abuse of Question Period guidelines when an Honourable Member persisted in questioning on a matter which had been taken on notice, despite the fact that the Member had characterised his supplementaries as a "new question".
The Chair can do little to improve on the statement delivered in this House on April 8, 1999, relating to the conduct of Question Period, and for the assistance of Members who wish to refresh their memories on these guidelines, I have had a copy of that decision placed on the Members' desks.
It is hoped that the Members themselves take these suggestions seriously and improve the quality of Question Period, but the Chair proposes to intervene if the guidelines are being consistently ignored.
Bill Hartley, Speaker
Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."
The Hon. H. Lali (Minister of Transportation and Highways) made a ministerial statement regarding Bike Month.
Mr. Symons made a statement.
The Hon. J. Smallwood (Minister of Women's Equality) made a ministerial statement regarding violence against women.
Ms. Stephens made a statement.
The Hon. S. Hammell (Minister of Multiculturalism and Immigration and Minister Responsible for the Public Service) tabled the Public Service Employee Relations Commission Annual Report, 1998/1999.
The Hon. C. McGregor (Minister of Municipal Affairs) tabled the Property Assessment Appeal Board Annual Report, 1999.
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 Agriculture, Food and Fisheries).
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section B of Committee of Supply (estimates of the Ministry of Energy and Mines).
(In Committee -- Section B)
On the motion that Section B rise and report progress, the Committee divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| YEAS -- 59 | |||
| Evans Doyle McGregor Sawicki Kwan Lali Hammell Pullinger Bowbrick Mann Brewin Boone Orcherton Calendino Zirnhelt Robertson |
Sihota Cashore Conroy Smallwood MacPhail Dosanjh Petter Lovick Priddy Ramsey G. F. Wilson Farnworth Waddell Gillespie Streifel |
Walsh Kasper G. Clark Hansen C. Clark Farrell-Collins Abbott L. Reid Neufeld Coell Chong Sanders Jarvis Anderson Penner |
Weisgerber Goodacre Weisbeck Nebbeling Hogg Hawkins Coleman Stephens Thorpe Symons van Dongen Barisoff J. Wilson McKinnon |
| NAYS -- 2 | |||
| Randall |
Miller |
||
Section B of Committee of Supply reported progress.
Report to be considered later today.
Committee to sit again later today.
(In Committee -- Section A)
Section A of Committee of Supply reported progress.
Report to be considered later today.
Committee to sit again later today.
Order for Private Members' Statements called.
Order for Committee of Supply called.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A of Committee of Supply (estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries).
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section B of Committee of Supply (estimates of the Ministry of Energy and Mines).
(In Committee -- Section B)
27. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $37,969,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ministry Operations, to 31st March, 2001.
28. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $1,200,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Energy and Mines, Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement, to 31st March, 2001.
Section B of Committee of Supply reported the Resolutions.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
(In Committee -- Section A)
14. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $61,097,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Ministry Operations, to 31st March, 2001.
15. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $28,909,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, BC Fisheries, to 31st March, 2001.
16. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $3,042,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Land Reserve Commission, to 31st March, 2001.
17. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $896,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, British Columbia Marketing Board, to 31st March, 2001.
18. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $6,500,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Okanagan Valley Tree Fruit Authority, to 31st March, 2001.
Section A of Committee of Supply reported the Resolutions and completion of the Estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
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 Agriculture, Food and Fisheries) to be considered at the next sitting.
And then the House adjourned at 9.03 p.m.
BILL HARTLEY, Speaker
NOTICE OF MOTIONS
Monday, June 5
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