2000 Legislative Session: 4th Session, 36th Parliament

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

[ Progress of Bills . . . ]

No. 56

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Wednesday, June 7, 2000

Two o'clock p.m.

Prayers by Ms. L. Reid.

The Hon. A. Petter (Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Human Rights) 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. 22) intituled Cost of Consumer Credit Disclosure Act and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.

Government House,
June 5, 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.

Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."

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 Education).

Bill (No. 14) intituled Local Government Statutes Amendment Act, 2000 was committed, reported complete with amendment, and by leave, read a third time and passed.

On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 11) intituled Forests Statutes Amendment Act, 2000, a debate arose.

Bill (No. 11) 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. 15) intituled Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act, a debate arose.

The House divided.

Motion agreed to nemine contradicente on the following division:

Bill (No. 15) 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. 16) intituled Electoral Districts Amendment Act, 2000, a debate arose.

On the motion of Mr. Plant, 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.

Order for Private Members' Statements called.

And then the House adjourned at 7 p.m.

BILL HARTLEY, Speaker

NOTICE OF MOTIONS

Thursday, June 8

 

13 The Hon. D. Lovick to move--

That the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia be amended as follows, effective on the date of adoption of this Motion, save and except the provisions in the proposed Standing Order 2 (2) (a) (i) and Standing Order 2 (2) (b) which come into effect on January 1, 2001.

1. That Standing Order 2 be deleted and the following substituted therefor:

Sittings

Daily sittings.

2. (1) The time for the ordinary meeting of the House shall, unless otherwise ordered, be as follows:

 

Monday:	Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tuesday:	Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Wednesday:	2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday:	Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

(2) (a) During a Parliament, the House shall meet twice annually, unless otherwise ordered,

(i) from the first Monday in February to the last Thursday in May, and

(ii) from the first Monday in October to the last Thursday in November.

(b) During the spring period of a sitting, the House shall stand adjourned during the week beginning with the fourth Monday of each month of February, March and April.

(c) During the fall period of a sitting, the House shall stand adjourned during the week following Thanksgiving weekend for a period of one week.

2. That Standing Order 3 be deleted and the following substituted therefor:

Hour of interruption.

3. If at the hour of 9 p.m. on any Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, or 6 p.m. on Thursday, the business of the day is not concluded and no other hour has been agreed on for the next sitting, the Speaker shall leave the Chair:

On Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday

On Tuesday until 2 p.m. Wednesday

On Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday

On Thursday until 10 a.m. Monday

3. That Standing Order 25 be deleted and the following substituted therefor:

Routine Business

Daily routine.

25. The daily routine business of the House shall be as follows:

 

Prayers (morning or afternoon sitting)

 

Introduction of Bills

 

Statements by Private Members (Standing Order 25a)

 

Oral question period (15 minutes, afternoon sittings: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

 

Presenting Petitions

 

Reading and Receiving Petitions

 

Presenting Reports by Committees

 

Motions on Notice

 

Written Questions on Notice

 

Proposed Amendments on Notice

Orders of the Day.

The order of business for consideration of the House day by day, after the above routine, shall, unless otherwise ordered, be as follows:

Monday

10 a.m. to 12 noon

(Private Members' Time)

 

Public Bills in the hands of Private Members

 

Private Members' Motions

 

Private Bills

 

Neither voice votes nor divisions, on Orders of the Day, will be taken in the House or in Committee of the Whole during Private Members' Time, but any request for a voice vote or a division will be deferred until thirty minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the House on the -Monday, unless otherwise ordered.

Monday (afternoon), Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

(Government Days)

 

Throne Speech Debate

 

Budget Debate including Committee of Supply

 

Public Bills and Orders and Government Motions on Notice

 

Private Bills

 

Public Bills in the hands of Private Members

 

Adjourned debate on other motions

4. That Standing Order 25A is repealed and the following substituted therefor:

25A. Three Private Members shall be permitted a two minute statement each day immediately prior to Oral Question Period subject to the following guidelines:

(1) A Member desiring to make a statement shall so advise his or her Whip 24 hours prior to the relevant day the statement is to be made.

(2) Party Whips shall confer to settle the names of the three Members who will be recognised for "Statements by Members" for the following sitting day and shall advise the Speaker by noon of the day in question as to who has been selected, together with the topic of the statement.

(3) Statements under this Standing Order shall be subject to the ordinary parliamentary rules of decorum and debate.

5. That new Standing Order 74.1 be adopted:

74.1. (a) Government legislation to be enacted during the fall sitting of the House shall be introduced no later than the end of the second week of the fall sitting.

(b) (i) On urgent or extraordinary occasions, Government legislation may be introduced after the end of the second week of the fall sitting subject to a decision by the Speaker on the urgent and pressing necessity of such legislation.

(ii) The Speaker may defer the decision upon whether or not the legislation should proceed and the proceedings of the House may be interrupted at any time for the purpose of announcing the decision.

6. That new Standing Order 81.1 be adopted:

81.1. (1) When a Minister of the Crown, from his or her place in the House, states that there is agreement among the representatives of all parties to allot a specified number of days or hours to the proceedings at one or more stages of any public bill, the Minister may propose a motion, without notice, setting forth the terms of such agreed allocation; and the motion shall be decided forthwith, without debate or amendment.

(2) A Minister of the Crown who from his or her place in the House, has stated that an agreement could not be reached under the provisions of section (1) of this Standing Order in respect of proceedings at one or more stages of a public bill, may propose a motion during proceedings under Government Orders, for the purpose of allotting a specified number of days or hours for the consideration and disposal of proceedings at one or more stages of a public bill. The motion shall be decided forthwith, without debate or amendment. Any proceedings interrupted pursuant to this section of this Standing Order shall be deemed adjourned.

 

14 The Hon. D. Lovick to move--

Be it resolved that this House hereby authorizes the Committee of Supply for this Session to sit in three sections designated Section A, Section B and Section C; Sections A and C to sit in such Committee Rooms as may be appointed from time to time, and Section B to sit in the Chamber of the Assembly, subject to the following rules:

1. The Standing Orders applicable to the Committee of the Whole House shall be applicable in all Sections of the Committee of Supply save and except that in Sections A and C, a Minister may defer to a Deputy Minister to permit such Deputy to reply to a question put to the Minister, and a quorum shall be a majority of the Committee Members including the Chair.

2. Subject to paragraph 3, within one sitting day of the passage of this Motion, the House Leader of the Official Opposition may advise the Government House Leader, in writing, of three ministerial Estimates which the Official Opposition requires to be considered in Section B of the Committee of Supply, and upon receipt of such notice in writing, the Government House Leader shall confirm in writing that the said three ministerial Estimates shall be considered in Section B of the Committee of Supply.

3. All Estimates shall stand referred to Sections A and C, save and except those Estimates which shall be referred to Section B under the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Order and such other Estimates as shall be referred to Section B on motion by the Government House Leader, which motion shall be without notice and decided without amendment or debate.

4. Section A shall consist of 9 Members, being 5 Members of the New Democratic Party, 3 Members of the Liberal Party, and 1 other Member. In addition, the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole, or his or her nominee, shall preside over the debates in Section A. Substitution of Members will be permitted to Section A with the consent of that Member's Whip, where applicable, otherwise with the consent of the Member involved. For the fourth session of the Thirty-sixth Parliament, the Members of Section A shall be as follows: the Minister whose Estimates are under consideration and such Members who are appointed by the Committee of Selection.

5. Section C shall consist of 9 Members, being 5 Members of the New Democratic Party, 3 Members of the Liberal Party, and 1 other Member. In addition, the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole, or his or her nominee, shall preside over the debates in Section C. Substitution of Members will be permitted to Section C with the consent of that Member's Whip, where applicable, otherwise with the consent of the Member involved. For the fourth session of the Thirty-sixth Parliament, the Members of Section C shall be as follows: the Minister whose Estimates are under consideration and such Members who are appointed by the Committee of Selection.

6. At fifteen minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the House, or such other time as the Chairs of Sections A and C are advised that Section B intends to adjourn, the Chairs of Sections A and C will report to the House.

7. Section B shall be composed of all Members of the House.

8. Divisions in Section A will be signalled by the ringing of the division bells four times, and in Section C by one long ring of the division bells.

9. Divisions in Section B will be signalled by the ringing of the division bells three times at which time proceedings in Sections A and C will be suspended until completion of the division in Section B.

10. Section B is authorized to consider Bills referred to Committee after second reading thereof and the Standing Orders applicable to Bills in Committee of the Whole shall be applicable to such Bills during consideration thereof in Section B, and for all purposes Section B shall be deemed to be a Committee of the Whole. Such referrals to Section B shall be made upon motion without notice by the Minister responsible for the Bill, and such motion shall be decided without amendment or debate. Practice Recommendation #6 relating to Consultation shall be applicable to all such referrals.

11. Bills or Estimates previously referred to a designated Committee may at any stage be subsequently referred to another designated Committee on motion of the Government House Leader or Minister responsible for the Bill as hereinbefore provided by paragraphs 3 and 10.

12. In each session, the proceedings on the Orders of the Day for consideration of the Main Estimates and any amendments and sub-amendments proposed shall not exceed a total of 235 hours.

13. The Clerk shall have printed daily in the Orders of the Day the number of hours and minutes remaining for the consideration of the Main Estimates.

14. In calculating the time remaining for consideration of the Main Estimates during the fourth session of the Thirty-sixth Parliament, the time expired in the Committees of Supply shall be taken into account and deducted from the total allotted time provided under paragraph 12.

15. At the expiry of the time limit provided by paragraph 12, the Chairs of the Committees of Supply shall forthwith put all necessary questions, without debate, amendment or adjournment, to dispose of all remaining votes in the Main Estimates.

16. The Sessional Order passed by the House on April 19, 2000, is repealed.

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