This entry is part 10 of 11 in the series Vol 48 No. 4 (Winter)

Legislative Reports

Alberta

First Session of the 31st Legislature

The First Session of the 31st Legislature resumed on February 25, 2025, and adjourned on May 14, marking the second spring sitting of the session. To date the two-year parliamentary session has comprised 112 sitting days, during which 1,203 documents were tabled. A total of 54 Government Bills and six Private Bills were introduced and subsequently received Royal Assent. Additionally, three of the nine Private Members’ Public Bills brought forward during the session also received Royal Assent:

Bill 203, Foreign Credential Advisory Committee Act creates a 13-member advisory committee with a two-year mandate to review Alberta’s rules governing foreign credential recognition, including those set by professional regulatory organizations, and to identify and make recommendations regarding best practices.
Bill 204, Municipal Government (National Urban Parks) Amendment Act, 2023 gives the provincial government control over the creation and development of national urban parks by preventing municipal councils from making agreements with the federal government to create a national urban park unless the conditions set by the Lieutenant Governor in Council are adhered to.
Bill 206, Child and Youth Advocate (Parent and Guardian Liaison) Amendment Act, 2024 establishes a new position called the Parent and Guardian Advisor within the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate. The Advisor provides information and referrals to families in Alberta who require assistance navigating systems such as education, health care, and social services. The Advisor serves all families, not just those accessing services through the Advocate’s office.

The fall session of the Legislative Assembly was originally scheduled to run from October 27 to November 27, with a constituency week beginning on November 10. However, on September 10 the Government House Leader advised that the Second Session of the 31st Legislature would commence with a throne speech on October 23.

Composition of the Assembly

Following the June 23 by-elections three new Members of the Legislative Assembly were sworn in on July 14: Naheed Nenshi, Edmonton-Strathcona; Gurtej Singh Brar, Edmonton-Ellerslie; and Tara Sawyer, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills. The current composition of the Assembly is now 47 United Conservatives, 38 New Democrats, and two independent Members.

Committee Business

On June 24, the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices met to consider requests for supplementary funding from Elections Alberta and the Office of the Auditor General. The Committee approved the request for $1,903,016 from Elections Alberta to cover the cost of two unbudgeted by-elections and address the impact of the Election Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, which reintroduced corporate and union donations, lowered the threshold for citizen initiatives and recall votes, expanded third party advertising, and banned vote tabulators.

The Committee also approved the request from the Office of the Auditor General for an additional $1,665,000 to respond to added responsibilities as a result of the re-organization of Alberta Health Services, the investigation into procurement and contracting processes at Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services, and to address a general compensation increase announced by the Public Service Commission in March 2025.

On June 27, the Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund met to review and approve the annual report on the Fund. It also confirmed that the Committee’s annual public meeting would be held on October 30. The Committee met again on October 6 to review the first quarter report on the Fund’s 2025-26 performance.

On September 16, the Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship met to continue its review of the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act. The Committee has invited stakeholders and the public to provide written submissions on the Act by October 31.

Chamber Upgrades

The Legislature Chamber and public galleries are currently closed to tours to accommodate renovations of the audio infrastructure. These upgrades include the complete replacement of structured cabling and enhancements to all electrical outlets and circuits. The hearing assist system in the public galleries is also being upgraded, and new television displays are being installed in the galleries to provide captioned broadcasts of proceedings for visitors.

In addition, the Information Technology and Broadcast Services team is implementing a new broadcast system and replacing the existing audiovisual control system and audio system hardware. Similar systems are already in use in both Houses of the United Kingdom Parliament as well as the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Alberta will be the first jurisdiction in North America to implement this technology. As part of the upgrade Members’ desks will be outfitted with new audio equipment, including microphones and speakers.

Jody Rempel
Committee Clerk

British Columbia

Summer Recess

As noted in the previous edition, the Legislative Assembly adjourned on May 29, 2025. The Legislative Assembly is expected to resume on October 6, 2025, for a six-week fall sitting period.

Statutory Officers

On May 29, 2025, the Legislative Assembly adopted a motion to amend the terms of reference for the Special Committee to Appoint Statutory Officers. This amendment expanded the Committee’s mandate—previously limited to recommending appointments for the Auditor General, Conflict of Interest Commissioner, and Chief Electoral Officer—to also include the Ombudsperson and Merit Commissioner. The change to the terms of reference followed Jay Chalke’s announcement that he was tendering his resignation as Ombudsperson effective January 31, 2026. Mr. Chalke was first appointed as Ombudsperson in July 2015 and was reappointed for a second term in July 2021. Merit Commissioner David McCoy’s first three-year term is set to expire in March 2026. The Committee is now required to recommend individuals for five of the nine statutory officer positions in British Columbia and report to the Legislative Assembly on each of its recommendations as soon as possible.

Parliamentary Committee Activities

The Legislative Assembly adopted a motion on May 29, 2025, to amend the terms of reference for the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The resolution designates the Committee as the committee referred to in section 21 of the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act. The Act, which received Royal Assent earlier on the same day, aims to address external economic pressures by improving interprovincial trade and enables the Lieutenant Governor in Council to issue regulations imposing tolls, fees and other charges. Any regulation made under specific sections of the Act must now be filed with the Committee for its review. The Committee must present a final report before September 1, 2027.

On August 12, 2025, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released its Report on the Budget 2026 Consultation. The Committee heard from 350 presenters at public hearings in 11 communities and received 406 written submissions. The report’s 86 recommendations focus on making strategic investments towards stimulating economic activity while addressing pressing issues including affordability, health care, and public safety. This marked the first budget consultation report of the 43rd Parliament; the last report on the annual budget consultation was released on August 3, 2023, during the 42nd Parliament.

Party Standings

OneBC was officially registered as a political party on June 9, 2025, and two Independent Members subsequently changed their political affiliation to the party. OneBC was later recognized as the Fourth Party Caucus, as the threshold for official party status in the Assembly is two Members. The caucus is comprised of Dallas Brodie, MLA, who serves as Leader of the Fourth Party, and Tara Armstrong, MLA, who serves as Fourth Party House Leader. Both were previously Members of the Official Opposition Caucus but later sat as Independent Members. The current party standings are: 47 BC NDP, 41 Conservative Party of British Columbia, two BC Green Party, two OneBC, and one Independent.

Cabinet Shuffle

On July 17, 2025, there were several changes to the portfolios of Cabinet Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries:

Amna Shah, Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health and Addictions, was also appointed the Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives;
Anne Kang, former Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, was appointed Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport;
Christine Boyle, former Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, was appointed Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs;
Diana Gibson, former Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, was appointed Minister of Citizens’ Services;
Garry Begg, former Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Surrey Infrastructure;
George Chow, former Minister of Citizens’ Services, was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown;
Jessie Sunner, former Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives, was appointed Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills;
Nina Krieger, former Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film, was appointed Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General;
Paul Choi, former Parliamentary Secretary for Asia Pacific Trade, was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Trade;
Ravi Kahlon, former Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, was appointed Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth (previously Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation);
Rick Glumac, former Minister of State for Trade, was appointed Minister of State for AI and New Technologies (a newly established position); and
Spencer Chandra Herbert, former Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, was appointed Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.

Jonathon Hamilton
Committee Researcher

House of Commons

Introduction

This account covers key procedural highlights from late June 2025 to early October 2025. The House adjourned for the summer on June 20, 2025, and resumed sitting on September 15, 2025.

By-Election in Battle River—Crowfoot

Following the general election held on April 28, 2025, Pierre Poilievre was defeated in the riding of Carleton, Ontario, by Bruce Fanjoy. While Mr. Poilievre remained Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, he no longer served as Leader of the Opposition as he no longer held a seat in the House.

On May 6, 2025, Andrew Scheer (Regina—Qu’Appelle) was designated Leader of the Opposition by the Conservative caucus on an interim basis. Mr. Poilievre was subsequently a candidate in a by-election in the riding of Battle River—Crowfoot, in Alberta, following the resignation of Damien Kurek on June 17, 2025. Mr. Kurek resigned his seat to give his party leader an opportunity to get elected to the House.

On August 18, 2025, Mr. Poilievre won the by-election in Battle River—Crowfoot. According to House of Commons Procedure and Practice, 4th Edition, section 1.19, “If the leader of the party designated as the official opposition holds a seat as a Member of the House, he or she automatically becomes the Leader of the Opposition.” By regaining a seat in the House, Mr. Poilievre resumed his role as Leader of the Opposition, replacing Mr. Scheer. Mr. Poilievre took his seat in the House on September 15, 2025.

Question of Privilege

Question of Privilege Concerning Members’ Access to Federal Penitentiaries

On September 15, 2025, Frank Caputo (Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola) raised a question of privilege concerning members’ access to federal penitentiaries following events during a visit to the Fraser Valley Institution on July 28, 2025. He explained that he and Tamara Jansen (Cloverdale—Langley City) sought to exercise their rights under section 72 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, allowing members, senators and judges to enter and visit any part of a penitentiary, and visit any inmate. However, they were accompanied by an official acting on instructions from the warden. Mr. Caputo argued that this limited his ability to carry out his parliamentary duties, as the presence of management affected discussions with inmates and staff.

The following day, Ms. Jansen stated that she and Mr. Caputo had requested to tour the prison accompanied only by uniformed correctional officers. She indicated that the official accompanied them on the warden’s instructions and that no safety concerns had been identified. Ms. Jansen added that their requests to meet with the warden were declined. She argued that this affected her ability to carry out her parliamentary duties and oversight responsibilities.

On September 18, 2025, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North), stated that there was no direct link between the members’ parliamentary duties and the visit to the Fraser Valley Institution. Mr. Lamoureux argued that the members completed their tour and noted that correctional facilities may have protocols requiring escorts. He further stated that the visit was not specifically authorized by the House and concluded that the situation did not meet the threshold for a breach of parliamentary privilege.

On October 1, 2025, the Speaker delivered his ruling on the question of privilege. He explained that the right of access to penitentiaries is distinct from parliamentary privilege. He emphasized that privilege applies only when the functioning of the House itself is impeded, and that the threshold for establishing obstruction is high. As the members were admitted and able to tour the facility, the Speaker concluded that the question did not meet the threshold for a prima facie breach of privilege.

Other

Moments of Silence

Following the death of former ministers Ken Dryden, John McCallum and Gail Shea during the summer adjournment, on September 16, 2025, the House adopted, by unanimous consent, a special order providing that, on September 17, 2025, after Oral Questions, three separate moments of silence would be observed. Following each moment of silence, tributes would be delivered by a member of each recognized party, as well as by a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the member of the Green Party.

The following day, the moments of silence and tributes took place pursuant to the special order.

Vicky Sedhya Maurice-Sevigny
Table Research Branch, House of Commons

Manitoba

Second Session of the 43rd Legislature

The Second Session of the 43rd Legislature resumed with the introduction of the newly elected Member for Spruce Woods, Colleen Robbins on October 1, 2025. The resumption also marked the first day in the House for our new Clerk Assistant/Procedural Clerk, Tiara Anderson, who was hired over the Summer and will be introduced below. The Session is scheduled to end on November 6, 2025, with an expected Throne Speech on November 18, 2025, to commence the Third Session. Speaker Tom Lindsey also commenced the proceeding by making an intentional statement on decorum noting that previous behaviour has been unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.

These Fall Sittings will see the completion of the Estimates process in the Committee of Supply, as well as the completion of Government Designated Bills. The House is required to complete consideration of the five Designated Bills, detailed in the Autumn edition of the CPR, selected by the Official Opposition in the spring for further consideration in the fall. The House completed Second Reading of these Bills on October 2, 2025. Standing Committee consideration must be completed by October 28, while Concurrence and Third Reading must be then completed by November 6, 2025, with the five Designated Bills receiving Royal Assent before the House rises that day. This is also the deadline for the completion of the Main Supply process including passage of the Budget Implementation and Tax Statue Amendment Act 2025.

Ethics Report Motions

October 7, 2025, was the deadline day for the House to deal with a report produced by the Ethics Commissioner pursuant to The Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act. The Act, detailed in the Fall 2024 submission, came into force on October 4, 2023, replacing The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Conflict of Interest Act. The current report, which was tabled by the Speaker on May 21, 2025, addressed the actions of two current MLAs and two former MLAs, including former Premier Heather Stefanson. Through the passage of all four Ethics Report Motions generated from this report, the Assembly accepted the Commissioner’s four recommendations, including the provisions that fines be imposed on the two former MLAs as well as one of the current MLAs.

On October 2, 2024, the House adopted a new procedure for this Session to accommodate the statutory requirement for the consideration of reports from the Ethics Commissioner by the Assembly. The procedure required modification due to the unique structure of this latest report, as it was not designed to accommodate a report with four recommendations and the resulting four separate motions. As the House Leaders could not agree on how to change the procedure, and as the House still needs to adopt new Rules to formalize the process, Speaker Tom Lindsey was required to interpret the procedure. The Speaker made a statement outlining a revised procedure, which included among other things the provision that separate motions from the same report may be considered on different sitting days.

New Clerk Assistant / Procedural Clerk

In July 2025, Tiara Anderson was hired in the newly created position of Clerk Assistant/Procedural Clerk.

New Clerk Assistant / Procedural Clerk (continued)

Tiara Anderson is a member of Little Saskatchewan First Nation in Treaty 2 territory, with family ties to the Métis community of Duck Bay, Manitoba. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Indigenous Studies from the University of Winnipeg and has worked for the two years since graduating at the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba as a Research Assistant and Ambassador for the Agowiidiwinan Centre in the Forks. She was responsible for conducting historical and policy research and assisting with public inquiries, and as an ambassador, welcomed the public into the exhibit at the Forks and provided tours and information to anyone that was interested. Tiara received intensive Clerk Assistant training over the summer, and we are very excited to have her as part of the team and wish her the best of luck in her career here at the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

Greg Recksiedler
Research Clerk/Clerk Assistant

Nunavut

House Proceedings

The 6th Legislative Assembly’s pre-dissolution sitting convened on September 8, 2025, and concluded on September 18, 2025.

Ten bills received Assent during the pre-dissolution sitting:

Bill 57, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act;
Bill 73, Planning Act;
Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Inuit Language Protection Act and the Official Languages Act;
Bill 78, An Act to Amend the Vital Statistics Act;
Bill 79, An Act to Amend the Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act;
Bill 81, Interim Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2026–2027;
Bill 82, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 3, 2025–2026;
Bill 83, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 3, 2024–2025;
Bill 84, Write-Off of Assets Act, 2024–2025; and
Bill 85, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2025–2026.

A total of 89 bills were introduced during the life of the 6th Legislative Assembly, of which 85 received Assent.

Committee Hearing

From September 4–5, 2025, the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts held a televised hearing on the 2025 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut: Public Housing in Nunavut.

Deputy Auditor General of Canada Andrew Hayes and officials from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada appeared as witnesses at the hearing. Several officials from the Nunavut Housing Corporation and NCC Development Limited also appeared as witnesses.

The hearing was presided over by Standing Committee Chair and Iqaluit-Tasiluk MLA George Hickes. Mr. Hickes subsequently presented the standing committee’s report on the hearing to the House during its pre-dissolution sitting.

Dissolution and Election

The 6th Legislative Assembly was dissolved on September 21, 2025. The Chief Electoral Officer issued writs of election on September 22, 2025.

A number of incumbents did not stand for re-election, including P.J. Akeeagok, Tony Akoak, Joelie Kaernerk, Lorne Kusugak, Margaret Nakashuk, Karen Nutarak and Joe Savikataaq.

By the close of nominations, 58 individuals submitted declarations of candidacy to stand for election in the territory’s 22 constituencies. Two incumbents were acclaimed: David Joanasie (South Baffin) and Daniel Qavvik (Hudson Bay).

The general election was held on October 27, 2025.

Alex Baldwin
Office of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut

Northwest Territories

Legislative Activity

The first session of the 20th Legislative Assembly adjourned from May 29 to October 16, 2025. During the adjournment, Standing Committees remained active, holding public briefings, hearings, and reviewing legislation.

Standing Committees

The Standing Committee on Government Operations completed its review of Bill 21: An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act, including clause-by-clause consideration. The Committee also concluded its work on Bill 22: Legislation Act, and held hearings on Bill 26: An Act to Amend the Public Service Act and Bill 29: First Responders Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act, both Private Members’ Bills.

The Committee also held hearings with the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Ombud to review their annual reports.

The Standing Committee on Social Development concluded its review of Bill 28: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, No. 2, and conducted hearings on additional legislation including amendments to family and child protection laws.

Other Highlights

The Assembly received funding from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities Capital Investment Fund to construct an accessible walkway to the Legislative Assembly Cultural Tent.

The Assembly also hosted the Parliamentary Visitors Services Association conference in September 2025, featuring programming on reconciliation, public engagement, and educational outreach.

Michael Ball
Manager of House and Journal Services

Ontario

Summer Adjournment

The Legislative Assembly adjourned on June 5, 2025, and is scheduled to resume on October 20, 2025. Committees continued to meet and travel during the adjournment period.

Committee Work

The Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy considered Bill 9, Municipal Accountability Act, 2025. The Committee held hearings across multiple cities and conducted clause-by-clause review in August 2025.

Members also attended national conferences, including the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Canadian Council of Public Accounts Committees.

Lesley Flores
Committee Clerk

Prince Edward Island

Second Session, Sixty-seventh General Assembly

The Second Session of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly will continue when the House meets for the fall sitting on November 4. The session began on March 25 and adjourned on May 16.

House Business

Upon adjournment in the spring there was one Government Bill and 47 Motions still on the Order Paper and therefore available for consideration in the fall sitting. Government typically presents its capital budget during the fall sitting.

By-elections

On August 12, by-elections were held in District 9: Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park and District 15: Brackley-Hunter River. The by-elections were necessitated by the resignations of MLA Natalie Jameson and former Premier Dennis King, respectively, in February.

In District 9, Liberal Party candidate Carolyn Simpson was elected, receiving 979 (48%) of the 2,049 votes cast. In District 15, Progressive Conservative candidate Kent Dollar was elected, receiving 1,140 (50%) of the 2,268 votes cast. MLAs Dollar and Simpson were sworn in on August 29.

The breakdown of seats in the Legislative Assembly is now 20 Progressive Conservatives, four Liberals and three Greens.

Resignation

On October 2, Steven Myers, MLA for District 2: Georgetown-Pownal and Minister of Housing, Land and Communities, announced his resignation effective October 3. He had served in multiple cabinet roles and as Leader of the Official Opposition.

New Liberal Party Leader

At a leadership convention on October 4, Robert Mitchell was selected as leader of the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island. The party continues to be led in the Legislature on an interim basis by Hal Perry.

Ryan Reddin
Director of Parliamentary Research

Saskatchewan

Midwestern Legislative Conference

Saskatchewan hosted the 79th annual Midwestern Legislative Conference in Saskatoon, bringing together legislators from Canadian provinces and U.S. states to discuss issues including energy security, trade, agriculture, and artificial intelligence.

CCPAC-CCOLA Conference

From September 7–9, Saskatchewan hosted the annual Canadian Council of Public Accounts Committees and Canadian Council of Legislative Auditors conference in Regina, focusing on parliamentary oversight and auditing practices.

Partnership of Parliaments Program

Saskatchewan resumed participation in the Partnership of Parliaments program, facilitating international exchanges with European legislatures.

Hansard Association Conference

The province hosted the 50th Hansard Association of Canada conference, focusing on parliamentary reporting, accessibility, and emerging technologies.

Staff Changes

Sheila Sterling retired as Executive Assistant to the Speaker after more than 12 years of service. Miranda Gudereit was promoted to Clerk Assistant – Committees and Table Officer.

Prorogation

The first session of the thirtieth legislature will be prorogued on October 22, 2025, with a new session opening later that day.

Jessica Start
Manager of Procedural Education

Québec

Composition

Following a by-election in Arthabaska and several resignations and caucus changes, the Assemblée nationale is composed of 124 Members: 83 CAQ, 20 Liberals, 12 Québec solidaire, six Parti québécois, and three independents.

Ministerial Reorganization

A cabinet shuffle on September 10, 2025, introduced several new ministers and did not include a Deputy Premier appointment.

Prorogation

The first session of the 43rd Legislature was prorogued on September 10, 2025, with a new session opening September 30 following the Premier’s Opening Speech.

Other Events

Events included the Citizenship Day Camp, an art exhibition inspired by Marcelle Ferron, and the awarding of the Ordre de la Pléiade.

Committee Proceedings

Numerous committee composition changes occurred, and prorogation ended ongoing mandates and consultations, including immigration planning consultations, which resumed in the new session.

Stéphanie Labbé
Direction de la séance et de la procédure parlementaire
Roxanne Guévin
Direction des commissions parlementaires

Senate

Chamber Business

On September 24, the Senate adopted a motion recognizing the Government Representative and up to four additional senators as a parliamentary group for the remainder of the session.

Committees

Committees reported on private and public bills, including Bill S-1001 and Bill S-228, both reported without amendment.

Senators

Several changes occurred, including the appointment of Senator Pierre Moreau as Government Representative and the retirement or resignation of Senators Judith Seidman, Paul Massicotte, and Marie-Françoise Mégie.

François Michaud
Procedural Clerk

Yukon

Dissolution

The 35th Legislative Assembly was dissolved on October 3, 2025, with a general election scheduled for November 3.

Election Context

At dissolution, the Assembly had 8 Liberal, 8 Yukon Party, and 3 NDP MLAs. Several Liberal MLAs announced they would not seek re-election.

Plebiscite on Electoral Reform

A plebiscite will ask voters whether to replace the first-past-the-post system with a ranked ballot system, following recommendations from the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform.

Allison Lloyd
Deputy Clerk