Legislative Reports

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House of Commons

Introduction

This account covers key highlights of the period from January to March 2024. After having been adjourned since December 15, 2023, the House resumed sittings on January 29, 2024.

Legislation

Admissibility of amendments to Government Business No. 34 – Bill C-62, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2

On February 12, 2024, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry François-Philippe Champagne (Saint- Maurice–Champlain) moved a motion to manage proceedings on Bill C-62, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2 (Government Business No. 34). The motion would have the effect of managing the bill’s proceedings. During debate on Government Business No. 34, Luc Thériault (Montcalm) moved an amendment which would have the effect of amending the text of Bill C-62.

On February 13, 2024, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Steven MacKinnon  (Gatineau) invoked closure on Government Business No. 34. During that sitting, House Leader of the Official Opposition Andrew Scheer (Regina–Qu’Appelle) rose on a point of order, alleging that Mr. Thériault’s amendment was inadmissible as it attempted to introduce a new proposition that went beyond the scope of the original motion. The Speaker confirmed the admissibility of the amendment in a ruling delivered that same day.

Closure was subsequently adopted, and the House proceeded to a recorded division on Mr. Thériault’s amendment, which was negatived. Bill C-62 then progressed through the legislative process in accordance with the motion’s terms. It received Royal Assent on February 29, 2024.

Procedure / Privilege

Alleged Breach of Speaker’s Impartiality

On January 29, 2024, Claude DeBellefeuille (Salaberry—Suroît) moved that the House concur in the 55th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) concerning the Speaker’s use of parliamentary resources while recording a video played at a provincial party convention. During debate, John Nater (Perth—Wellington) moved an amendment to recommit the report to PROC with instruction that the committee recommend that the Speaker tender his resignation. On January 30, 2024, the House took the deferred recorded division on the amendment. The question was put on the amendment, and it was negatived. The question was then put on the main motion, and it was adopted.

Motion G-35 — Extension of sitting hours and conduct of extended proceedings

On February 26, 2024, Mr. MacKinnon, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, introduced a motion titled Government Business No. 35. The motion, which was closured and adopted on February 28, gives the government the power to extend sitting hours, adjourn the House early during the last three sitting days in June and December, and suspend the House if it sat past midnight due to extended voting periods, with the sitting resuming at 9:00 a.m. It is applicable for the remainder of the session.

Prima facie question of privilege regarding witness responses at a Standing Committee

On March 20, 2024, Michael Barrett (Leeds– Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes) rose on a point of order regarding the testimony of Mr. Kristian Firth, who had recently appeared before the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. Mr. Barrett argued that the witness, through his refusal to answer members’ questions, had disregarded the rights and privileges of the committee.

On March 22, 2024, the Speaker ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege. Mr. Barrett then moved the appropriate motion, which called on Mr. Firth to attend the Bar of the House, for the purposes of receiving an admonishment from the Speaker, providing responses to the questions referred to, and to respond to supplementary questions arising from those answers. During the same sitting, Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands) moved an amendment instructing the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to study and make recommendations on the procedure for questioning Mr. Firth at the Bar of the House, and for the latter to attend the Bar only once the committee report had been concurred in. The matter is still being debated at the time of writing.

Financial procedures

Pre-Budgetary consultations by the Finance Committee

After undertaking pre-budgetary consultations with the public, the Standing Committee on Finance presented its findings to the House on February 26, in a report titled “Shaping our Economic Future: Canadian Priorities.”

Order of the day for Budget 2024

On March 21, at the request of Mr. MacKinnon, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, for Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland (University– Rosedale), an Order of the Day was designated for the consideration of a ways and means motion for the presentation of the budget on April 16, 2024.

Motion of non-confidence during an opposition day

During the opposition day held on March 21, Leader of the Official Opposition Pierre Poilievre (Carleton) moved a non-confidence motion against the government. The motion was defeated.

Private Members’ Business

Senate amendments to Bill C-234

On December 13, 2023, the Senate passed Bill C-234, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, with amendments. On January 29, 2024, the House considered the amendments. During the sitting, Ben Lobb (Huron–Bruce), the bill’s sponsor, moved that it be sent back to the Senate with a message that the House disagrees with the amendments. The motion was also debated on February 6 and 14. Of note, the Standing Orders of the House of Commons do not indicate a time limit for this type of debate. As such, the item will remain in the Order of Precedence until it is disposed of by the House.

Bill S-1001

On January 30, 2024, in accordance with articles 131(5) and 132(2) of the Standing Orders, the House received a petition from the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporations for Ottawa and Alexandria-Cornwall, requesting the adoption of a private bill to amalgamate both organizations. The same petition was also sent to the Senate.

On February 6, 2024, the House received a message from the Senate, informing it that the Senate had adopted Bill S-1001, An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada. On February 14, 2024, the House adopted the bill at all stages of the legislative process by unanimous consent.

This event is procedurally noteworthy, as it is the first case since 1998 that a petition concerning a private bill was tabled in the House, before the House had received a message from the Senate regarding the same bill.

Other Matters

Tribute to the late Honourable Ed Broadbent

On January 29, the House agreed by unanimous consent to observe a moment of silence for the late Ed Broadbent. The motion also provided an opportunity for New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South), a member of each of the other recognized parties, and a member of the Green Party, to make a statement to pay tribute.

Tribute to the late Right Honourable Brian Mulroney

On March 1, 2024, in light of the passing of Brian Mulroney, the House agreed by unanimous consent, pursuant to Standing Orders 24 and 28, to adjourn at 10:44 a.m. On March 19, pursuant to a special order agreed to by unanimous consent the previous day, the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole for the purpose of paying tribute to Mr. Mulroney.

Resignations

On January 29, the Speaker informed the House of the resignation of Carolyn Bennett (Toronto–St. Paul’s) effective January 16. On February 1, the Speaker informed the House of the resignation of David Lametti (LaSalle–Émard–Verdun) effective January 31. On April 8, the Speaker informed the House of the resignation of Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood–Transcona) effective March 31.

Introduction of new Members following a by-election

On April 8, the Speaker informed the House that the Clerk of the House had received from the Chief Electoral Officer a certificate of the election of Jamil Jivani (Durham). Mr. Jivani, having taken the oath required by law, was introduced to the House by the Leader of the Opposition, and took his seat.

Appointment of a Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner

On February 29, 2024, the House agreed by unanimous consent to approve the appointment of Konrad Winrich von Finckenstein as Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Take-note debates

On March 18, 2024, Parliamentary Secretary to the Government House Leader Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North) sought and obtained unanimous consent for a motion to hold two take-note debates: the first, mentioned above, on March 19, 2024, to pay tribute to the late Mr. Mulroney, and the second, on March 20, 2024, on the Canada-Ukraine relationship and the newly signed strategic partnership between the two countries.

Eric Glavin

Table Research Branch

The Senate

Legislation

The Senate passed five government bills during the period covered by this article. On February 29, the Senate passed Bill C-62, An Act to amend an Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2, at third reading without amendment, and a message was sent to the House of Commons to acquaint that House accordingly. The bill received Royal Assent by written declaration that same day. On March 19, the Senate passed Bill C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, at third reading without amendment, and a message was sent to the House of Commons to acquaint it accordingly. The bill received Royal Assent by written declaration the same day. On March 22, the Senate passed Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act, at third reading without amendment, and a message was sent to the House of Commons to acquaint it accordingly. The bill received Royal Assent by written declaration the same day. On March 22, pursuant to the order adopted on March 20, the Senate proceeded to first, second and third reading of Bill C-67, An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, and Bill C-68, An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, without amendment, and messages were sent to the House of Commons to acquaint it accordingly. Both bills received Royal Assent by written declaration the same day.

On March 19, in response to its message of December 7, 2023, regarding an amendment to Bill C-35, An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada, the Senate received a message from the House of Commons to acquaint it that the House had adopted the Senate’s amendment to the bill and had made no further amendment. The bill received Royal Assent by written declaration that same day.

On February 6, a private bill, Bill S-1001, An Act to amalgamate The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa and The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, in Ontario, Canada, as amended, received third reading. On February 15, the House of Commons sent the Senate a message to acquaint it that the House had passed the bill without amendment. The bill received Royal Assent by written declaration on February 29.

On February 15, the House of Commons sent a message to the Senate regarding Bill S-202, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate), to acquaint it that the House had passed the bill with amendments. At the time of writing, the Senate had not yet considered the amendments.

Chamber, Procedure and Speaker’s Rulings

On February 8, Senator Donald Plett raised a point of order regarding Bill S-241, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (great apes, elephants and certain other animals), and Bill S-15, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act. He pointed out that, according to rule 10-9 of the Rules of the Senate, a senator may not introduce a bill with the same object as another bill originating in the Senate adopted or defeated during the same session. The Speaker of the Senate, Senator Raymonde Gagné, reserved her decision. On February 12, the Senate passed a motion withdrawing Bill S-241, which discharged the bill and its subject matter from the Senate committees conducting work on these matters. The following day, February 13, the Speaker stated that the Senate’s adoption of this motion had resolved the issues that led to the point of order raised by Senator Plett and that a ruling was therefore no longer necessary.

On February 15, the Senate passed a motion to amend chapter 2:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, concerning the disclosure of video footage.

On February 27, the Senate passed a motion urging the Government of Canada to implement the eighth recommendation of the first report of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector, entitled Catalyst for Change: A Roadmap to a Stronger Charitable Sector, adopted by the Senate on November 3, 2020, during the Second Session of the Forty-third Parliament. The recommendation is that the Canada Revenue Agency include in certain forms questions about diversity representation on boards of directors based on existing employment equity guidelines.

On February 29, following the announcement of the death of Brian Mulroney, the 18th Prime Minister of Canada, the Senate observed a minute of silence in his memory as an initial tribute. On March 19, a number of statements were made, and a minute of silence was observed once again.

On March 20, the Senate adopted a motion governing the proceedings of the sittings on March 21 and 22, 2024, specifically with respect to any bill for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending either March 31, 2024, or March 31, 2025. The motion allowed for both bills to be passed at all stages in a single sitting, as noted above.

On March 20, Senator Marilou McPhedran raised a point of order regarding a request for unanimous consent made during the previous day’s sitting. In her ruling, Speaker Gagné noted that she had not heard the denial of leave and ruled that “[a]ll senators have a collective responsibility to assist the Speaker in ensuring the proper functioning of the Senate. Such points of order must be raised while the issue is still relevant. In particular, a point of order relating to a procedural matter should be raised promptly and before the matter is decided, which would render any objection to it out of place.”

On March 22, Senator Plett raised a point of order regarding the availability of copies of Bill C-67. The sitting was then suspended so that copies of the bill could be prepared and distributed to senators.

Committee of the Whole

On February 14, the Senate resolved into a Committee of the Whole to hear from Mark Holland, MP and Minister of Health, and Arif Virani, MP and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, each accompanied by two officials, concerning the subject matter of Bill C-62, An Act to amend an Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2.

Committees

On February 6, the Senate was informed that the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying had deposited its third report, entitled MAID and Mental Disorders: The Road Ahead, with the Clerk of the Senate on January 29.

On February 15, the Senate adopted the eighteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, presented to the Senate on December 11, 2023, and containing an amendment to Bill S-244, An Act to amend the Department of Employment and Social Development Act and the Employment Insurance Act (Employment Insurance Council). The bill, as amended, was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

On February 27, the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration tabled its eleventh report, entitled Financial Statements of the Senate of Canada for the year ended March 31, 2023.

On February 27, the Senate adopted the sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs, entitled Arctic Security Under Threat: Urgent needs in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 28, 2023, and requested a response from the government.

On February 28, the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures, and the Rights of Parliament tabled its (interim) sixth report, entitled Summary of Evidence: Committee Structure and Mandates.

On February 29, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology presented its nineteenth report, which concerned Bill S-252, An Act respecting Jury Duty Appreciation Week, without amendment. The bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

On February 29, the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade presented its thirteenth report, which concerned Bill C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, without amendment. With leave of the Senate, the bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at that same sitting.

On March 19, the Senate adopted the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament, entitled Quorum and Mandate of the Committee, presented in the Senate on June 20, 2023.

On March 21, the government’s response to the twenty-sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, entitled Cultural Diplomacy at the Front Stage of Canada’s Foreign Policy, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 11, 2019, during the First Session of the Forty- second Parliament, was tabled in the Senate.

On March 21, the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce, and the Economy presented its report on Bill C-34, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act, without amendment. The bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

Senators

Senator Renée Dupuis retired from the Senate on January 17. Senator Dupuis was appointed to the Senate on November 19, 2016, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to represent the Senate division of Les Laurentides, in Quebec. Before being appointed to the Senate, Senator Dupuis worked as a human rights and Indigenous rights lawyer, author, chief commissioner of the Indian Claims Commission and vice-chair of Quebec’s Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse. She sat on numerous committees, including the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and the Standing Senate Committee on Audit and Oversight, where she

was deputy chair.

Senator Pierre-Hughes Boisvenu retired from the Senate on February 12. Senator Boisvenu was appointed to the Senate on January 29, 2010, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, to represent the Senate division of La Salle, Quebec. Before being appointed to the Senate, Senator Boisvenu founded the Murdered or Missing Persons’ Families’ Association and wrote a book on surviving victimization entitled Survivre à l’innommable. He was the driving force behind the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. Senator Boisvenu sat on numerous committees, including the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs, where he was deputy chair.

On February 6, Senators Marnie McBean, Paulette Senior, Toni Varone, Mary Robinson, and Mohammad Khair Al Zaibak took their respective seats in the Senate.

Senator McBean was appointed to the Senate on December 20, 2023, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Trudeau, to represent Ontario. Senator McBean is one of the most decorated Olympians in Canadian history, with four medals—including three gold—in rowing at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. She has also worked as a motivational speaker and author, and is active in various social justice causes. Senator McBean is an Officer of the Order of Canada and has received numerous awards, as well as four honorary doctorates.

Senator Senior was appointed to the Senate on December 20, 2023, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Trudeau, to represent Ontario. Senator Senior has dedicated her life to breaking down systemic barriers and building up women and girls from diverse backgrounds, including by working to advance gender equality, combat gender-based violence, reduce poverty among women, close wage gaps and promote the empowerment of women and girls. She has served on several boards of directors and received numerous awards, including being named one of Canada’s Top 25 Women of Influence.

Senator Varone was appointed to the Senate on December 20, 2023, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to represent Ontario. Senator Varone is a businessman who has managed several companies specializing in construction, land use planning and property management. Throughout his career, he has been involved in various community and government initiatives to build affordable housing for the less fortunate. He has served on several boards of directors and received numerous awards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. Senator Varone is a philanthropist known for his contributions to the social and cultural life of the Italian Canadian community.

Senator Robinson was appointed to the Senate on January 22, 2024, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Trudeau, to represent Prince Edward Island. Senator Robinson works in the agricultural sector, including as Managing Partner of the Robinson Group of Companies, a farm and agribusiness. She has also been actively involved in organizations in the agricultural sector, including by serving as Vice-President of the World Farmers’ Organization. Senator Robinson was the first woman to serve as president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and as chair of the Agricultural Human Resources Sector Council. She has served on numerous boards of directors and was named one of Atlantic Canada’s 25 Most Powerful Women by Atlantic Business Magazine.

Senator Al Zaibak was appointed to the Senate on January 28, 2024, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Trudeau, to represent Ontario. Senator Al Zaibak is co-founder, president and CEO of the Canadian Development and Marketing Corporation, an information technology company. Throughout his career, Senator Al Zaibak has striven to strengthen Canada’s economic, social, and cultural ties with the global community, particularly with Arab countries. He co-founded Lifeline Syria, a non- profit organization that has helped nearly 1,200 Syrian refugees get private sponsorship. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Alexandria University, in Egypt.

On February 13, Manuelle Oudar was appointed to the Senate, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Trudeau, to represent the Senate division of La Salle, in Quebec. Senator Oudar was introduced on February 27 and took her seat as a member of the Senate. She was president and chief executive officer of Quebec’s labour standards board, the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité au travail (CNESST), in addition to being an accredited mediator, certified corporate administrator and member of the Quebec Bar. She has served on several boards of directors and contributed her expertise to the community as a mentor to young professionals. Senator Oudar was named one of the 100 most influential women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network, and under her leadership, the CNESST received several awards, including the United Nations Public Service Award in 2022.

François Michaud

Procedural Clerk

Quebec

Proceedings of the National Assembly

Legislative agenda

From January to March 2024, 16 bills were introduced in the Assemblée nationale, of which 10 were government bills and six were private Members’ bills. During the same period, six government bills, one private Members’ bill and one private bill were passed, including:

• • Bill 31, An Act to amend various legislative provisions with respect to housing;
  • Bill 37, An Act respecting the Commissioner for Children’s Well-Being and Rights;

• Bill 42, An Act to prevent and fight psychological harassment and sexual violence in the workplace;

• Bill 498, An Act to proclaim National Maple Day.

Budget Speech

On March 12, 2024, Éric Girard, Minister of Finance, delivered the budget speech, and Sonia LeBel, Chair of the Conseil du Trésor, tabled the estimates of expenditure for 2024–2025. Interim supply and Bill 55, Appropriation Act No. 1, 2024–2025, were passed the next sitting day. The Assemblée began the 25-hour debate on the budget speech on March 14, 2024, and on March 28, 2024, after 22 motions stating a grievance moved by Members in opposition over the course of the debate had been rejected, the Assemblée carried the Minister of Finance’s motion that the Assemblée nationale approve the Government’s budgetary policy.

Appointment of a new Lieutenant Governor of Québec

On December 7, 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of Manon Jeannotte as new Lieutenant Governor of Québec. She was sworn in on January 25, 2024. Ms. Jeannotte was previously Director of the First Nations Leadership School at HEC Montréal, in addition to having served for 12 years as an elected Councillor, then Chief, of the Micmac Nation of Gespeg. She is the second woman, as well as the first person of Indigenous origin, to hold the office of Lieutenant Governor of Québec. She succeeds the Michel Doyon, who held the office from 2015.

The Student Forum celebrates its 30th anniversary

The 30th Legislature of the Student Forum was held from January 9 to 12, 2024. More than 145 students played the roles of parliamentarians or journalists. They held debates in the House and in parliamentary committee on three bills and one order of initiative. The Student Forum has been held at the Assemblée nationale every year since 1992, except for 2021 and 2022 due to the public health situation. Over the past 30 years, more than 3,000 college students have participated in the Forum and been introduced to parliamentarism.

The executive chef of the Assemblée nationale receives the Le Renaud-Cyr award

On March 18, 2024, Sébastien Laframboise, executive chef at the Assemblée nationale since July 2023, received the Le Renaud-Cyr award. This award is given to chefs, producers and artisans who contribute to enriching Québec’s culinary culture. Chef Laframboise offers a seasonal gastronomic experience that showcases products and flavours from different regions of Québec. When designing his menus, he draws inspiration from the culinary traditions that have marked the history of the Le Parlementaire restaurant for more than 100 years.

Starting, signing, or viewing a petition at the Assemblée nationale du Québec made easy!

The Assemblée nationale has produced a new guide explaining how to present a petition to the Assemblée nationale. It gives citizens tools for writing a petition and getting it approved by the Assemblée nationale, and explains the deadlines associated with tabling petitions and how to track their progress. The guide is available on the Assemblée nationale website, in riding offices throughout Québec and in municipal libraries.

The working group on artificial intelligence publishes its report

A working group of members from the Direction de la Bibliothèque launched a reflection on the integration of artificial intelligence technologies (ChatGPT) into the Bibliothèque de l’Assemblée nationale’s activities. The group’s mandate was to assess ChatGPT’s potential benefits for library work, along with the associated organizational risks and ethical issues. The group concluded that ChatGPT’s general performance was still inadequate to be used by library staff. It identified two major shortcomings: ChatGPT’s corpus does not go beyond September 2021, and its citation of sources is deficient. The report contains eight recommendations, including further reflection and training staff.

Committee Proceedings

Mandate conferred by statute

From February 13 to 15, 2024, the Committee on the National Assembly examined the preliminary report of the Commission de la représentation électorale (the Commission).

Under the Election Act, the Commission is required to make a new electoral map after the second general election following the last delimitation. The current electoral map was adopted in 2017 and was used in the 2018 and 2022 Québec elections.

The review of the electoral map began with the tabling of the Commission’s preliminary report in September 2023. Between October 10 and November 15, 2023, the Commission held public hearings in certain regions of Québec. The hearings gave citizens, organizations, regional elected officials and MNAs the chance to express their point of view on the proposed delimitation, which included changes in nine electoral districts that would affect 55 of Québec’s 125 ridings.

During the Committee on the National Assembly’s examination of the Commission’s preliminary report, each MNA who wished to do so had 20 minutes to express their point of view and discuss with the Commission. The parliamentarians’ statements were grouped by region. Many parliamentarians underlined the fact that while the delimitation of the electoral divisions provided under the Election Act took into account the number of voters of each riding, it did not give sufficient consideration to the number of non- voters. Some said that the new proposed ridings were far too large, while others were of the opinion that many ridings needed to be delimited in ways that would better align with municipal or regional boundaries.

Once the consultations are completed, the next stage in the electoral map review process is the tabling in the Assemblée nationale of the Commission’s report indicating the boundaries of the electoral divisions. The report is the subject of a debate limited to five hours. Not later than the tenth day following the debate, the Commission establishes the boundaries of the electoral divisions and assigns names to them. The Commission then publishes the list in the Gazette officielle du Québec.

However, on March 28, 2024, the Assemblée nationale unanimously adopted a motion stating that a broad, non-partisan reflection on possible amendments to the Election Act needed to be carried out to address the concerns about representation expressed during the electoral map review. This led the Government to announce that, with the approval of the opposition groups, it intended to table a bill to suspend the current electoral map review process and postpone the redelimitation of Québec ridings until the 2030 elections.

Bills

The themes of safety and protection of children and students were at the heart of the work of several parliamentary committees. Four bills concerning these themes were examined between January and March:

• the Committee on Citizen Relations held special consultations and public hearings and undertook clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 46, An Act to improve the protection of children receiving educational childcare services;

• the Committee on Culture and Education did the same for Bill 47, An Act to reinforce the protection of students;
• the Committee on Health and Social Services held special consultations and public hearings on Bill 37, An Act respecting the Commissioner for Children’s Well-Being and Rights. Clause-by-clause consideration of this bill is ongoing; and
• the Committee on Planning and the Public Domain held special consultations and public hearings on Bill 45, An Act to amend the Act respecting safety in sports mainly to better protect the integrity of persons in recreation and sports.

Order of initiative

In December 2023, the Committee on Health and Social Services adopted an order of initiative on examining ways to facilitate organ and tissue donation, particularly the establishment of presumed consent. Within the framework of this order of initiative, the Committee has held three public hearings, which have provided an opportunity to hear 14 witnesses and examine the same number of briefs. The order of initiative was ongoing when these lines were written.

Vicky Boucher

Sittings and Parliamentary Procedure Advisor

Roxanne Guévin

Parliamentary Committees Directorate

Alberta

2024 Spring Sitting

The first session of the 31st Legislature resumed on February 28, 2024. The following day Nate Horner, MLA and President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance, introduced the province’s 2024-25 budget. Budget highlights include $2 billion to assist with unforeseen costs related to disasters and emergencies, $724 million for municipal infrastructure, and $1.5 billion to reduce childcare costs in Alberta to $15 per day. The budget also includes increased funding for health care and education, mental health and addiction services, and public safety. The anticipated personal income tax cut for income up to $60,000 is expected to begin in 2026.

Government Bills introduced during the spring sitting include:

• • Bill 10, Financial Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, which would implement parts of Budget 2024 such as the Alberta Is Calling attraction bonus, which provides a $5,000 refundable tax credit for out-of- province job seekers who move to the province, the modernization of the Land Titles office, updates to the Film and Television Tax Credit Program, and an increase to the tobacco tax rate;
  • Bill 11, Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, that proposes to introduce court-ordered electronic monitoring of repeat offenders and individuals on bail and to enable the Lieutenant Governor in Council to authorize the establishment of one or more independent agency police services for all or part of Alberta;

• Bill 12, Consumer Protection (Life Leases) Amendment Act, 2024, which proposes a 180-day payout timeline, a 10-day cooling-off period after contracts are signed, and to enable enforcement for noncompliance through the Consumer Protection Act.

The Assembly also passed a Private Member’s Public Bill during its spring sitting. Sponsored by Nolan Dyck, MLA, Grande Prairie, Bill 203, Foreign Credential Advisory Committee Act, received third reading on March 25 and received Royal Assent on March 28. The Bill provides for a 13-member Alberta Foreign Credential Advisory Committee, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, that will be charged with identifying ways to streamline processes for recognizing foreign credentials. The Committee will have one year to report its recommendations to the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism.

NDP Leadership Contest

On January 16 Rachel Notley, former Premier of Alberta, and current Leader of the Official Opposition, announced that she would be resigning as Leader of the New Democratic Party of Alberta. The official leadership contest to find her successor began a few weeks later, and it will conclude following a vote on June 22. Five current MLAs from the NDP caucus announced their candidacy before the end of February, including:

• Kathleen Ganley, MLA for Calgary-Mountain View, former Minister of Justice and Minister of Aboriginal Relations, elected to her third term in the Assembly in 2023;

• Sarah Hoffman, MLA for Edmonton-Glenora, former Minister of Health and Minister of Seniors, also serving her third term in the Assembly;

• Rakhi Pancholi, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud, elected to her second term in 2023;

• David Shepherd, MLA for Edmonton-City Centre, returned to the Assembly for his third term in 2023, withdrew from the race two days later due to health concerns; and

• Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, MLA for Edmonton-

Rutherford, first elected in 2023.

In March two additional candidates, neither of whom is an MLA, also announced their candidacy: Gil McGowan and former mayor of Calgary Naheed Nenshi. Ms. Pancholi withdrew from the contest and announced that she is supporting Mr. Nenshi’s candidacy.

Committee Business

The three Legislative Policy Committees spent two weeks in March considering the 2024-25 main estimates. The estimates of most ministries receive three hours of consideration. However, the Standing Orders allow the Official Opposition to identify four ministries to receive six hours of consideration in exchange for reducing the time allotted for three ministries to two hours of consideration. The main estimates for Executive Council are also considered for two hours in accordance with the Standing Orders.

This year the ministries that received extended consideration were Education, Health, Treasury Board and Finance, and Seniors, Community and Social Services. Ministries that were identified for two hours of consideration were Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Infrastructure, and Transportation and Economic Corridors. The committees completed consideration of the estimates on the morning of March 21, and the vote in Committee of Supply occurred that afternoon.

This year’s consideration of the main estimates also saw the introduction of new onscreen timers that are visible to participants in the room and those online. The new system allows up to three countdown timers to be displayed at once and for each of the timers to be labelled as needed for each meeting. The use of electronic debate tracking sheets was also successfully implemented for these meetings.

On January 23, the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices met to continue consideration of the budget proposals submitted by the Auditor General, Chief Electoral Officer, Child and Youth Advocate, and Ethics Commissioner. The Committee reduced all four budget submissions and instead approved a 2.1 per cent increase over the 2023-24 budgets for three of the offices. Meanwhile, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, which has a four-year budget cycle, had its budget submission reduced by $438,000.

As part of its review of the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act, the Standing Committee on Families and Communities received technical briefings from the Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance and the Ministry of Justice as well as written submissions from stakeholders and the public. Four organizations have been selected to make presentations to the Committee.

The Select Special Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee received technical briefings on the Act from the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Ethics Commissioner. It has invited stakeholders and the public to provide written submissions regarding the Act by April 8.

Jody Rempel

Committee Clerk

Manitoba

1st Session of the 43rd Legislature – Spring Sitting

The First Session of the 43rd Legislature resumed on March 6, 2024.

The Government introduced a number of Bills this session addressing different areas of governance. A total of 19 of these Bills were introduced in time to meet the criteria for Specified Bill status and are therefore guaranteed to have all questions put before June 3 (subject to the right of the Opposition designating five of those Bills to be delayed until the Fall).

Two days before the Specified Bills introduction deadline, however, the Official Opposition prevented the Government from introducing its full legislative package by raising seven consecutive Matters of Privilege so that the House could not consider its regular business in Routine Proceedings during that period. The Government New Democratic Party had used these same measures in 2020 when it was the Official Opposition, raising 27 Matters of Privilege over a course of five days which also delayed the delivery of the budget at that time.

Some of the legislative agenda introduced this Spring includes:

Bill 8 – The Safe Access to Abortion Services Act creates access zones for clinics and prescribed facilities that provide abortion services and for residences of providers of those services.

Activities are prohibited within these zones. For example, a person must not

• attempt to persuade any other person to refrain from accessing abortion services;
• perform acts of disapproval; and/or
• continuously or repeatedly observe people.

Bill 9 –The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act amends to extend the length of the leave for serious injury or illness from 17 weeks to 27 weeks.

Bill 21 – The Public School Amendment Act is amended to expand who is considered to be a resident pupil to include the following:

• a pupil who lives with a parent or guardian who is a member of a visiting force or who holds a work or study permit;
• a pupil who lives with a responsible adult who is not their parent or legal guardian; and
• a pupil who is a refugee or a child of a refugee.

Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, the compulsory school age is lowered from seven to six. The age at which a child has the right to attend school is lowered from six to five.

Bill 24 – The Intimate Image Protection Act is amended to address the distribution of fake intimate images (“deepfakes”) created by the use of technology that appear to depict identifiable people as being nude or engaged in sexual activity. The amendments enable any person depicted in a fake intimate image to sue the person who distributed that image without their consent.

Budget Debate

On April 2, 2024, Finance Minister Adrien Sala delivered his first budget. The Government proclaimed this budget made targeted, strategic investments to make life better for Manitoba families, with a focus on rebuilding health care; lowering costs for families; creating healthier families and safer communities and growing the economy. Some of the highlights included:

• extending the Provincial fuel-tax holiday by three months to September 30;
• providing rebates of up to $4,000 on electric vehicles and $300 rebates for security ameras;
• raising the tax credit for renters from $50 to $575;
• doubling the tax credit for fertility treatment and providing free prescription birth control;
• setting aside money to establish a supervised consumption site; and
• reducing education taxes on property owners of lower-value homes in comparison to those who own more expensive homes or commercial properties.

The Progressive Conservative interim Leader of the Official Opposition Wayne Ewasko moved a motion expressing non-confidence in the Government on April 3, 2024. Mr. Ewasko was voted to serve as interim Leader on January 18, 2024. Premier Heather Stefanson had resigned as leader earlier that week after the party established rules for the next leadership contest.

The motion stated that the budget was not in the best interests of the people of the province and that it neglected the priorities of Manitobans by:

• introducing measures that were not raised during the recent election campaign just six months ago;
• dividing Manitobans into winners and losers through taxation, thereby creating two Manitobas;
• neglecting critical areas of investment such as economic growth; urgent medical capacity; the construction of new educational and childcare infrastructure as well as roads, highways, bridges, waterways, and other critical infrastructure; environmental conservation and protection; and public safety;
• inadequately addressing the current cost-of-living crisis, the rising provincial debt load, and effect of increased interest costs;
• not fully accounting for all the costs of government decision-making and spending since October 3, 2023; and
• violating the trust that Manitobans have placed in this new Provincial Government for all of the above reasons.

Sessional Order enabling virtual sittings

The Legislature is still operating under the Sessional Order allowing for virtual participation among other things. Originally passed on October 7, 2020, and discussed in previous issues, the Sessional Order has been extended to the end of this current session, but it is expected to become part of a permanent Rules package.

Interim Supply

The Committee of the Whole considered and passed supply resolutions dealing with temporary funding for operating and capital expenditures until the 2024/25 fiscal year budget and budget processes and the main supply bills are completed later this session. The House also dealt with passing all stages of Interim Supply legislation resulting in Bill 25 – The Interim Appropriation Act, 2024 receiving Royal Assent on March 14, 2024.

Standing Committees

In the wake of the leadership change of the Official Opposition, Josh Guenter of the Progressive Conservative caucus has been designated as the new Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) while Jim Maloway retained his position as Vice-Chair (having previously served as Chair while he was in Opposition). On February 28, 2024, Lesley Burns of the Canadian Audit & Accountability Foundation held a full day training session for PAC which consisted almost entirely of new Members.

On April 4, 2024, the Standing Committee of Legislative Affairs met to consider the Report and Recommendations of the Judicial Compensation Committee dated November 21, 2023. The Committee passed a motion accepting the recommendations relating to the judicial salaries.

New Deputy Clerk

Further to our previous submission detailing the appointment of Rick Yarish on November 23, 2023, as the 14th Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the Assembly is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Abbott as our new Deputy Clerk effective February 5, 2024. Tim describes himself as British by birth and Canadian by choice as he was born and raised in the UK, specifically in the town of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, England. Tim graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Reading and then worked for seven years with Public Sector and Government accounts for an IT Consultancy before moving to Canada in 2017. Tim began working at the Assembly in 2018, initially joining Committees Branch, transitioning briefly to Journals, then returning to Committees and settling in to become an exceptionally capable Committee Clerk.

Greg Recksiedler

Clerk Assistant/Research Officer

New Brunswick

Budget

The Third Session of the 60th Legislature adjourned on December 13, 2023, and resumed on March 19, 2024, when Finance and Treasury Board Minister Ernie Steeves tabled the 2024-2025 Main Estimates. This is the sixth budget delivered by the Progressive Conservative government led by Premier Blaine Higgs.

The 2024-2025 budget projects a surplus of $41 million after total spending of $13.3 billion. While revenues are projected to grow by 4.7 per cent, the Department of Finance and Treasury Board projects New Brunswick’s gross domestic product to grow by 0.7 per cent in 2024. The net debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to be 26.7 per cent by March 31, 2025.

Highlights of the budget included $3.8 billion to the health-care system, which is the largest health-care budget in New Brunswick’s history; $68.9 million to the New Brunswick Housing Corporation, which is a 54.1 per cent increase over last year’s budget; $42.9 million to Education, to address enrolment growth and rising operating costs in school districts such as energy, transportation, and other services; $58.3 million in additional support for social assistance clients; $29.7 million in wage increases for the human services sector; and $50 million to continue the Enhanced Energy Savings Program.

On March 21, Finance Critic René Legacy delivered the Official Opposition’s Reply to the Budget. Mr. Legacy argued that the government chose to carry a surplus to the disadvantage of New Brunswickers and that the projected investments in health care are not bold enough, particularly for seniors. The Official Opposition also argued that there is a lack of effective measures to address cost of living increases and public housing needs; a lack of strategy to recruit workers in skilled trades; not enough funding in the education sector to address higher school enrollments; and a lack of reference to portfolios such as arts and culture, la Francophonie, and pay equity for women.

Legislation

As of April 2, 12 bills were introduced during the spring session. Certain bills of note included:

• Bill 22, An Act to Amend the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, introduced by Public Safety Minister Kris Austin, adds illegal tobacco sales to the list of crimes that people can report in their neighborhoods and sets 90 days as the minimum amount of time that a property can be shut down due to illegal activity, and a maximum of 120 days for subsequent offences.
• Bill 23, An Act Respecting Renewable Gas and Hydrogen, introduced by Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland, supports the development of the renewable gas and hydrogen industries in New Brunswick and enables integration of these fuels into the provincial energy system.
• Bill 27, An Act to Amend the New Brunswick Income Tax Act, introduced by Finance and Treasury Board Minister Ernie Steeves, provides provincial non- refundable tax credits for people who volunteer as firefighters and search and rescue workers.
• Bill 29, An Act Respecting Cannabis Control, introduced by Health Minister Bruce Fitch, aims to increase compliance, reduce the sale of illegal cannabis, and prevent young people from consuming the drug.  
• Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Sales Act, introduced by Health Minister Bruce Fitch, requires every retailer of electronic cigarettes and vaping liquids to be licensed, prohibits the use of vending machines for the sale of tobacco and vaping products, and requires retailers to request identification from anyone who looks 25 years of age or younger.
• Bill 32, An Act to Amend the Residential Property Tax Relief Act, introduced by Official Opposition Caucus Chair Jean-Claude D’Amours, allows family members of a deceased person to claim a property tax credit for the deceased person’s principal residence for up to two years.

Committee Activity

Committees were active throughout the month of February. The Standing Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Chuck Chiasson, reviewed two volumes of an Auditor General report and the annual reports of various government departments, Crown corporations, and other provincial entities. The Standing Committee on Procedure, Privileges and Legislative Officers, chaired by Ross Wetmore, met to review the annual reports of the legislative officers, including the Chief Electoral Officer, who discussed certain expenditures made in anticipation of an early provincial election in 2023 which did not occur. The Standing Committee on Economic Policy, chaired by Michelle Conroy, also remained active in February, considering Bill 16, Consumer Protection Act.

The Select Committee on Accessibility in New Brunswick, chaired by the Minister responsible for Seniors, Kathy Bockus, met with various stakeholders in February to solicit feedback on the Department of Postsecondary Education, Training and Labour’s framework for accessibility legislation. The Committee met again in March to prepare its final report with recommendations. It was tabled in the House on March 28.

Resignation

Arlene Dunn resigned as a Member of the Legislative Assembly on February 8. At the time of her resignation, Ms. Dunn served as the Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, and the Minister responsible for Immigration. She previously held the positions of Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business (2020-2023) and Minister responsible for Opportunities NB (2020-2023). Prior to being elected as a Member for the riding of Saint John Harbour in September 2020, Ms. Dunn had a successful career in the labour relations industry.

Renovations

Substantial renovations to modernize the office space of the Legislature’s Departmental Building were completed in March. The building, constructed in 1888, houses Members and staff of all caucuses as well as the press gallery.

Standings

The standings in the House are 28 Progressive Conservatives, 16 Liberals, three Greens, and one independent. There is one vacancy.

Shannon Armstrong

Research Officer

Ontario

1st Session 43rd Parliament (Spring Meeting Period)

This update covers the period from January to March 2024, starting partway through the winter adjournment and carrying into the beginning of the spring meeting period. Several committees took advantage of the winter adjournment period by travelling to conduct public hearings for their ongoing studies. The House resumed meeting on February 20, 2024.

Composition of the House

On February 20, 2024, MPP Aislinn Clancy (Green Party of Ontario) was introduced in the House and took her seat for the first time. The Green Party now has a caucus of two Members, which is below the threshold for recognized party status, and therefore MPP Clancy is the 16th independent Member. Consequently, the Speaker updated the allotments for the participation of independent Members, providing for MPP Clancy’s regular participation in the Question Period and Members’ Statements proceedings.

On the same day, the Speaker also informed the House of a vacancy following the resignation of MPP Parm Gill, Member for Milton, on February 16, 2024. The Speaker has issued his warrant to the Chief Electoral Officer for the issue of a writ for a by-election.

Condolences

On February 20, 2024, the House expressed its condolences on the passing of several former Members:

• Andrew S. Brandt, Member for the electoral district of Sarnia from March 19, 1981, to September 5, 1990.

• Albert Kolyn, Member for the electoral district of Lakeshore from March 19, 1981, to May 1, 1985.

• William Darcy McKeough, Member for the electoral districts of Kent West and Chatham— Kent from September 25, 1963, to August 16, 1978.

• John Keith Riddell, Member for the electoral districts of Huron—Middlesex and Huron from March 15, 1973, to September 5, 1990.

On March 6, 2024, the House also expressed its condolences following the death of Brian Mulroney, who served as Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993. The Canadian and Ontarian flags on the grounds of the legislative precinct were flown at half-mast until the sunset on the day of the funeral, March 23, 2024.

Concurrence in the Supply and the Supply Bill

On March 6, 2024, the Deputy Government House Leader moved a motion for Concurrence in Supply for the Estimates of each of the Ministries and Offices that had been considered by committees and reported to the House. The Orders for Concurrence all carried on division, and on March 18, 2024, Bill 174, An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 (the Supply Act), was introduced in the House. It was debated and passed the next day and received Royal Assent on March 21, 2024.

Standing Order Amendment

On March 26, 2024, the House adopted an amendment to the Standing Orders that allows Members to address the House in an Indigenous language. Newly elected MPPs must provide notice to the Clerk of the language they intend to speak prior to taking their seat for the first time to enable the Speaker to arrange for interpretation and translation. A provisional Standing Order was also adopted, affording current MPPs the same opportunity to notify the Clerk of their intent.

A motion to make additional amendments to the Standing Orders was moved on March 27, 2024, and is still before the House at the time of writing.

Committee Activities

The winter adjournment marked a busy time for committees, including significant travel.

The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs continued its 2024 Pre-Budget Consultations, travelling to 15 cities in total, including: Oshawa, Markham, Mississauga, Oakville, Hamilton, Welland, Chatham, London, Cambridge, Brockville, Ottawa, Cornwall, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Dryden. The committee received over 100 written submissions and heard from over 250 witnesses during the public hearings. The final report was presented to the House on March 18, 2024.

The Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy travelled to St. Catharines, Burlington, Brampton, Ajax, Vaughan, and Kitchener to continue public hearings for its Study on Regional Governance.

The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs continued its study on the renovation and restoration of the Legislative Precinct, receiving a closed session briefing from Paul Calandra, Minister of Legislative Affairs, on February 12, 2024. In March, the committee heard presentations from Legislative Assembly staff on the heritage of the grounds and toured the precinct to learn more about the lifespan of various building systems and their deficiencies.

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts tabled its report on the Value-for-Money Audit: Conserving the Niagara Escarpment, which the committee had selected for review from the 2022 Annual Report of the Auditor General.

The Committee also met with the newly appointed Auditor General of Ontario, Shelley Spence, on February 26, 2024, for a closed session briefing on the Auditor General’s 2023 Annual Report.

Isaiah Thorning

Committee Clerk

Prince Edward Island

First Session, Sixty-seventh General Assembly

The First Session of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly resumed for the Winter-Spring sitting on February 27, 2024, and continues as of this writing. The First Session began in May 2023.

By-election and New Member of the Legislative Assembly

On February 7 Matthew MacFarlane, of the Green Party, was elected in a by-election for District 19, Borden-Kinkora. The by-election was held due to the resignation of former MLA Jamie Fox on November 10, 2023. Mr. MacFarlane received 49 per cent of the vote, defeating candidates from the Progressive Conservative, Liberal and New Democratic parties. Voter turnout was just under 59 per cent. Prior to being elected, Mr. MacFarlane practiced law for 20 years, and he has been active in healthcare advocacy. He was sworn in on February 21 and took his seat in the Assembly on February 27. The distribution of membership in the Legislative Assembly is now 21 Progressive Conservative Party members, three Liberal Party members, and three Green Party members.

The by-election was originally scheduled for February 5 but was twice postponed due to a snowstorm.

Operating Budget

On February 29 Minister of Finance Jill Burridge gave the 2024-25 Budget Address, announcing a $3.2 billion budget and an $85 million deficit. Healthcare remained the largest area of expenditure, with $963 million allocated to Health PEI, followed by education, with $432 million allocated to the Department of Education and Early Years and PEI’s two public education authorities. The government focused on healthcare, housing and affordability measures in the budget. Highlights included further spending on new and existing Patient Medical Homes, which are collaborative-care centres intended to serve Islanders without existing access to primary care; and a new Community Housing Expansion Program to support near-market affordable housing by collaborating with non-profits and co-operatives. Tax adjustments, a new PEI children’s benefit, increases to non-profit and community organization operational grants, and additional investment in home energy efficiency programs and public transit are some of the measures intended to increase affordability for Islanders. As of this writing the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure remain under debate.

Bills

As of the first sitting week in April, there were 17 Government bills on the Order Paper. Of these, five were ordered for Third Reading; while debate is possible at Third Reading, most debate on bills in PEI occurs during the Committee of the Whole House stage, and bills recommended at that stage tend to subsequently pass Third Reading and receive Royal Assent. The five bills in question were Bill 35, An Act to Amend the Off-Highway Vehicle Act, which addresses the appropriate use of trails and the retention of license plates when off-highway vehicles are sold; Bill 41, Benevolent and Community Crowdfunding Act, which clarifies the rights and responsibilities of persons who organize, administer, or benefit from informal fundraising campaigns and provides a default set of rules to govern informal fundraising campaigns based in PEI; Bill 42, Reviewable Transactions Act, which replaces legislation from the 1930s and updates remedies available to creditors; and bills 49, An Act to Amend the Drug Cost Assistance Act, and 50, An Act to Amend the Health and Dental Services Cost Assistance Act, both of which allow for the coordination of benefits between different levels of government.

Five private members’ bills were on the Order Paper at the start of April, but none had proceeded beyond the committee stage.

Speaker’s Ruling on Official Opposition Status

The result of the February 7 District 19 by-election brought the Green Party (recognized as the Third Party) into a tie with the Liberal Party (recognized as the Official Opposition) at three seats each, a scenario which has never occurred in PEI before. The Legislative Assembly Act defines the Official Opposition as the largest caucus sitting in the Legislative Assembly in opposition to the Government. Since the Green and Liberal caucuses had become equal in size, it fell to Speaker Darlene Compton to determine which one would be considered the Official Opposition. Both caucuses submitted letters to the Speaker arguing their case to be the Official Opposition; the Liberal position was that it was the Official Opposition prior to the February 7 by-election and therefore should continue to hold that status based on incumbency. The Green caucus argued that they had been the Official Opposition until the 2023 general election, only 10 months prior; that since the General Assembly was still fairly new, a change in caucus statuses would cause minimal disruption; and that share of the popular vote, which favoured the Green Party, had been used as a supplemental factor by other jurisdictions facing similar decisions.

Speaker Compton ruled on the matter on February 27, concluding that the Liberal caucus would remain the Official Opposition. She drew upon decisions made by New Brunswick Speaker Shirley Dysart in 1994, House of Commons Speaker Gilbert Parent in 1996 and Alberta Speaker Gene Zwozdesky in 2014. All these decisions agree that a tie in seats is not a sufficient reason to displace the incumbent. Speaker Compton emphasized the Speaker’s aim of ensuring that business of the House is conducted according to rules, precedent and established practice, and that consideration of organizational disruption was not a factor in her decision. As for the popular vote argument, she found it to be irrelevant, as electoral performance is not a parliamentary consideration; all members are equal in the House, whether “elected by one vote or a landslide.” She noted that though popular vote share was considered in an Alberta Speaker’s decision in 1983, all other comparable decisions since then have not taken it into consideration.

The Speaker had also been asked to rule on allocation of time for private members’ business among the three caucuses in the House, but instead encouraged House Leaders and all members to continue negotiations toward an agreement, rather than impose one upon them.

Other Speakers’ Rulings

The Speaker and Deputy Speaker intervened regarding parliamentary language during the Winter- Spring sitting. On February 28, Deputy Speaker Sidney MacEwen cautioned members on their use of puns and reminded them of the rule that no Member shall use language or words offensive toward the House or any Member. On April 2 he asked Mr. MacFarlane to retract the phrase “come clean,” which he had used during Question Period, and Mr. MacFarlane did so. On March 13, Speaker Compton asked Gordon McNeilly (District 14, Charlottetown-West Royalty) to retract the phrase “misleading statement,” which he had used during Question Period, and Mr. McNeilly did so. On March 15, Speaker Compton ruled on a matter of privilege raised by Leader of the Opposition Hal Perry on a previous day in objection to how Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane had characterized Mr. Perry’s support for a government program. The Speaker found that this was not a matter of privilege nor a breach of the rules but instead a disagreement on the facts of an issue.

Acting Speaker

On February 27 due to the temporary absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, by motion the House appointed Zack Bell (District 10, Charlottetown- Winsloe) Acting Speaker. Mr. Bell presided for the remainder of the sitting day.

Ryan Reddin

Director of Parliamentary Research

Newfoundland and Labrador

Spring 2024 Sitting

In accordance with the parliamentary calendar, the Assembly resumed for the Spring Sitting on March 4, 2024, adjourning on March 21 for a constituency week break, followed by a two-week break for Easter.

Of note, in the Spring 2024 Sitting to date:

The Interim Supply Act, 2024 was introduced on March 6 and received Royal Assent on March 13. 

There were several instances where established protocols in the public galleries were not respected by visiting protestors, requiring the Speaker to issue repeated warnings, to issue direction that individuals be removed and, in one instance, ordering the galleries be cleared. As a result, the Speaker issued a public statement on March 13 reminding visitors of the importance of respecting protocols for the safety of Members, visitors, and employees of the House of Assembly Service.

The 2024 Budget Speech, originally scheduled for March 20, was delayed due to an unsafe environment in which protestors were preventing elected officials and public service employees from entering the Confederation Building Complex. The conditions were deemed unsafe for employees and visitors due to threats of violence. As a result, a court injunction was sought and granted that day by the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, ordering protesters to provide safe access to the building. While the protests continued, the Budget Speech proceeded on March 21, with additional security measures put in place to ensure the safe entry of Members and essential employees. Members of the Official Opposition, Third Party and unaffiliated Members did not attend Budget Day proceedings.

On the first day of the Spring 2024 Sitting, a Member withdrew unparliamentary comments made during the Fall 2023 Sitting. On October 19, 2023, the Speaker issued a ruling on a point of order pursuant to Standing Order 49, that remarks made by a Member in two separate instances during Oral Questions contained unparlimentary language. Following requests for the offending Member to unequivocally withdraw the comments at the time of the ruling, which were refused, the Speaker further ruled that the Member would not be recognized until such time as the statements were withdrawn. As of the adjournment of the Fall sitting on November 16, 2023, the Member had not unequivocally withdrawn the comments and had not spoken in the House since the October 19 ruling.

On March 5, 2024, a point of privilege was raised by a Member respecting reputational damage caused by the collection of court costs awarded against him following the conclusion of a judicial process commenced by the Member. The Speaker ruled there was no prima facie breach of privilege.

The Spring Sitting will resume on April 15, sitting for a six-week period until May 30. With the Budget Speech delivered on March 21, the annual budget process will continue throughout the remainder of the Spring sitting with Standing Committees reviewing the Estimates and other related proceedings.

Passing of Sitting Member

On January 22, 2024, the Newfoundland and Labrador Legislature was saddened by the news that Derrick Bragg, Member for the District of Fogo Island – Cape Freels, had lost his battle with cancer. The following statement was issued by the Speaker:

“It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I extend my deepest condolences, on behalf of all Members and employees of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, on the recent passing of the Honourable Derrick Bragg, Member for the District of Fogo Island-Cape Freels.

At this time, we pay tribute to his memory and honour the service he gave to our province throughout his tenure as Member. First elected on November 30, 2015, to serve in the 48th General Assembly, Minister Bragg was re-elected to serve in the 49th (elected May 16, 2019) and 50th (elected February 13, 2021) General Assemblies. Throughout this time, he served as parliamentary secretary and Minister in a number of portfolios. He also served on various Committees of the House and was Chair of the Privileges and Elections Committee in the 49th General Assembly.

To his wife, Beverley; his daughter, Allison; all his colleagues, family, and friends; and constituents of the district of Fogo Island-Cape Freels, may you find strength in the memories of impactful service he gave to his community, district, and province, both as a municipal administrator and elected official. All Members of the House of Assembly join you in mourning, and our collective thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.

For all Members of this House, Minister Bragg was not just a colleague, but a friend to all. His cheerful smile will be missed, and his legacy of devoted public service will forever be etched in the history of our Legislature.”

A memorial was placed at the late Member’s desk in the House of Assembly Chamber, which was open for viewing by Members, employees, and the public during the mourning period until sundown on the day of his funeral.

Vacancies and By-elections

On December 30, 2023, an election writ was issued for the District of Conception Bay East-Bell Island. The vacancy was the result of the retirement of David Brazil (Progressive Conservative), who had served as the Member for that District since December 2010. The by-election was scheduled to take place on January 29, 2024, but polling day was postponed to January 30 due to inclement weather. Fred Hutton (Liberal) was elected and sworn in as the Member for the District of Conception Bay East – Bell Island on February 21.

On March 17, 2024, an election writ was issued for the District of Fogo Island – Cape Freels, with the by- election taking place on April 15. The vacancy was the result of the passing of former Member, Mr. Bragg (Liberal). Jim McKenna (Progressive Conservative) was elected and sworn-in on May 2.

There was also a vacancy in the District of Baie Verte – Green Bay following the retirement of Brian Warr (Liberal) on March 1, 2024, who had served as the Member for that District since November 2015, and was also serving in the role of Deputy Speaker at the time of his retirement. A writ of election was issued on April 28, with the by-election taking place on May 27. Lin Paddock (Progressive Conservative) was elected and sworn-in on June 26.

Appointment of Deputy Speaker

On March 5, 2024, Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Member for the District of Placentia – St. Mary’s, was appointed Deputy Speaker on motion of the House. Ms. Gambin- Walsh was first elected in November 2015 and has served previously as the Minister of Children, Seniors, and Social Development; the Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities; the Minister Responsible for the NL Housing Corporation; the Minister of Service NL; and the Minister Responsible for Workplace NL, Purchasing and Procurement.

The Speaker welcomed Ms. Gambin-Walsh as a presiding officer and extended sincere appreciation to outgoing Deputy Speaker, Mr. Warr, for his dedication and commitment to the role during his tenure.

Members’ Compensation Review Committee (MCRC) Delivers Final Report

The 2024 Members’ Compensation Review Committee (MCRC) delivered its final report to the Speaker and the Management Commission on March 26, 2024. The report entitled, How We Value Democracy, includes 32 recommendations respecting salaries, pensions, severance and allowances paid to Members of the House of Assembly and is available at: https:// assembly.nl.ca/About/ReportsPublications/pdfs/ MCRCReport2024.pdf.

Heather M. Jacobs was appointed by resolution of the House of Assembly to conduct this review on November 2, 2023, in accordance with subsection 16(1) of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act (the Act), which requires a review once during each general assembly. The House of Assembly Management Commission will now consider the recommendations in accordance with the process prescribed in subsections 16(5) and 16(6) of the Act.

On behalf of all Members, the Speaker extends sincere appreciation to Ms. Jacobs and the entire MCRC team including Sandra Barnes, Maureen McCarthy, and Yvonne Power, for their work and diligence in conducting this review.

Bobbi Russell

Principal Clerk of Committees, Director of Policy & Communications

Northwest Territories

The First Session of the 20th Assembly resumed on February 6, 2024, and adjourned on February 28, 2024.

This session included a record number of interpreters. Simultaneous translation was provided in Dëne Sųłıné Yatıé, Dene Zhatıé, French, Inuvialuktun, Dene Kǝdǝ́, Dinii Zhu’ Giniik, Inuktitut, and nêhiyawêwin.

A new formality of the House brought forward by the Speaker ensures the daily opening prayer is spoken in an Indigenous language. 

Legislation

Three pieces of legislation were introduced.

• Bill 1: An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act provides small amendments to the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. It moved directly into the House where it was passed.
• Bill 2: Missing Persons Act received first and second reading in the House and has been referred to Standing Committee for review. The NWT currently has no legislation that deals with missing persons. This Bill is similar to other Canadian legislation which enhances the RCMP’s ability to investigate. The Standing Committee is currently conducting public engagement.
• Bill 3: Carbon Tax Repeal Act, is a Private Members’ Bill, brought forward by the Member for Range Lake. This bill seeks to retract the GNWT’s administration of the carbon tax and restore it to the federal system while leave the rebate system intact. Bill 3 received second reading on February 28, 2024, and is now before the Standing Committee for review.

Budget

In the February Sitting, an interim estimates document for 2024 was tabled, along with supplementary estimates for 2023-2024.

The Interim Estimate, Operations Expenditures proposed $782 million for operations between April to June 30, 2024, and $1.3 billion in borrowing for 2024-25 fiscal year. This budget was reviewed and passed in the House on February 20, 2024.

Additionally, two supplementary estimates 2023/24 were tabled. The final supplementary infrastructure and operational estimates for 2023/24 provided:

• $207 million in new funding to cover operational expenses from the wildfire season and evacuations during summer 2023, including $86 million towards fire suppression,
• $54 million in healthcare; and
• $18 million from rising interest rates.

The capital budget was reduced by $8.5 million due to changes in project timelines, while an additional $8.9 million is earmarked to support the Inuvik Airport Surface Structure (fully offset by the Government of Canada).

Priorities

Members met over the course of two days and came to consensus on the Priorities of the 20th Legislative Assembly. Members recognized that relations, partnerships, and effective collaboration are paramount. Members recognized that no matter the topic, the GNWT cannot achieve all that is required alone; Members recognized that ‘We are Stronger Together’. The four top priorities for the 20th Legislative Assembly address: housing, the economy, health care and trauma, and safety. To achieve action on these priorities, Members recognized that reconciliation and the well-being of residents must come first. Action on priorities will be achieved through good governance and collaboration with Indigenous governments, communities, and the public.

Petitions

Two petitions were brought forward in the first session of the Legislative Assembly. A petition demanding a public inquiry into the Hay River- Enterprise-Kakisa wildfire did not quite conform with the rules of the Assembly and was brought forward as a tabled document. This petition received nearly 400 NWT resident signatures and was tabled in the House on February 20, 2024 (TD 27-20(1)). A petition requesting the Legislative Assembly ask the Premier to call on the Government of Canada to act on establishing a ceasefire in Gaza was read into the House on February 27, 2024. This petition was signed by 645 NWT residents.

Motions

Several motions were moved during the first session. Motion 9-20(1): Establishing a Public Inquiry into the 2023 Wildfires, which was moved by the Member for Range Lake, garnered significant attention.

The initial debate of this motion was postponed by way of motion from the Premier on February 22, 2024. This is the first time the Legislative Assembly has postponed debate on a motion. During debate, Members moved five motions to amend Motion 9-20(1). These included adding a representative on the public inquiry board from the Council of Leaders, reducing the total public inquiry board to three members, providing safe disclosure mechanisms in the inquiry, and directing the Government to produce draft establishment orders.

The debate demonstrated a willingness among both the cabinet and regular Members of the House to critically review the summer of 2023, to improve the emergency response from the GNWT for the upcoming season and to ensure residents are never placed in danger during an evacuation. However, the Members were unable to achieve consensus on the motion; all regular Members voted in favour of the motion, while all Executive Council Members voted in opposition.

Two motions regarding housing as a human right were also moved.

Motion 20-20(1), Affirming Housing as a Human Right was discussed and carried on February 28, 2024. This motion called on the GNWT to follow the international and national lead by recognizing that housing is essential to a person’s dignity and wellbeing.

Motion 21-20(1), Taking Action to Address Housing as a Human Right was also discussed and carried on February 28, 2024. Motion 21-20(1) builds on the previous housing motion by calling on the government to formalize partnerships with Indigenous governments through the Northwest Territories Housing Forum into legislation, and to also establish an NWT Housing Advocate in legislation.

Motion 23-20(1) Call to Uphold Human Rights in Gaza, was discussed on February 29, 2024. This motion called on the Legislative Assembly to condemn all acts of antisemitism and anti-Palestinian racism and requested the Premier to write a letter to the Government of Canada calling for action on a ceasefire, to release all hostages, to provide funds for humanitarian aid and to uphold obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. While there were several abstentions on this Motion, ultimately the motion carried.

Assent

On February 29, 2024, the final day of session, the Commissioner provided assent to Bill 1 and the following interim and supplementary financial legislation: Bills 4,5,6. The House is adjourned until May 23, 2024, at 1:30pm.

Amy Lizotte

Manager of Research

Saskatchewan

Spring Sitting of the Fourth session of the Twenty-Ninth legislature

The Fourth session of the Twenty-Ninth legislature resumed for the spring sitting period on March 4, 2024. In accordance with the parliamentary calendar, the Assembly will sit for 40 days before adjourning on the Thursday before Victoria Day.

Budget

On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer presented the province’s 2024-25 budget. The budget, titled Classrooms, Care and Communities, announced investments into education, health care, and municipal revenue sharing to respond to the growing needs of Saskatchewan residents, families, and communities. “This budget addresses the challenges of a growing province by reinvesting the benefits of growth in the areas that matter most to Saskatchewan people — education, health and our communities,” said Ms. Harpauer, noting further that the budget contains no new taxes or increases to existing taxes. Highlights of the budget include funding announcements for targeted mental health and addictions initiatives, direct supports for classrooms, new breast cancer care and screening initiatives, and nine new schools and two renovation projects.

In response, Opposition Finance critic Trent Wotherspoon contended that “there’s nothing in this budget to make life more affordable,” and criticized it as “proof … [that the] government is out of touch with the challenges working families are facing and the opportunities to be seized.” Accordingly, on March 21, 2024, Mr. Wotherspoon moved an amendment in opposition to the budgetary policy of the government on account of its failure to provide cost-of-living relief for Saskatchewan families.

The budget motion and the proposed amendment were subsequently debated in the Assembly for five days, at which time the amendment was defeated and the budget motion was passed on March 28, 2024, both on recorded division. In accordance with the Rules and Procedures of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, the estimates were automatically committed to their respective committees for consideration.

Motion of condolence

On March 4, 2024, the first day of the Spring Sitting, the Assembly passed a motion of condolence in honour of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who passed away on February 29, 2024. The motion, which was moved by Premier Scott Moe and spoken to by both Premier Moe and Opposition Leader Carla Beck, expressed the Assembly’s sorrow and regret at Mr. Mulroney’s passing, as well as its appreciation for the contribution he made to both Canada and Saskatchewan. In accordance with a subsequent transmittal motion, copies of the official records of the tributes were then transmitted to the Mulroney family.

Naming of a Member

Nadine Wilson, independent MLA for Saskatchewan Rivers, was named on March 7, 2024, after using inflammatory and unparliamentary language towards the government during Question Period and refusing to withdraw and apologize when asked to do so by the Speaker. In her remarks, Ms. Wilson accused the government of “gaslighting,” “lying to the public,” and engaging in “misdirection” and “doublespeak.” Following her repeated refusal to withdraw and apologize, Ms. Wilson was named for disregarding the authority of the Chair, suspended for the remainder of the sitting day, and removed from the Chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms.

Summary of legislation of the Spring Sitting

At the time of writing, the Assembly has passed 11 bills during the Spring Sitting. An additional five bills specified in the 2024-25 budget have also been introduced, joining the three remaining government bills currently before the Assembly for consideration.

Resignation of MLA from Government Caucus

On January 30, 2024, the Saskatchewan Party caucus announced that Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Greg Lawrence had resigned from caucus amid an active police investigation against him. The following day, Moose Jaw police charged Mr. Lawrence with assault and assault by choking. Mr. Lawrence now sits as an independent member, bringing the composition of the Assembly to 44 Saskatchewan Party members, 14 New Democratic Party members, and three independent members.

Miranda Gudereit

Procedural Clerk

British Columbia

New Session

The Fourth Session of the 42nd Parliament was prorogued on the afternoon of February 20, 2024. The Fifth Session began later that afternoon with the delivery of the Speech from the Throne by Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin.

For the first time, the formal Opening Day ceremony weaved together Indigenous and non-Indigenous customs and symbolism into existing parliamentary traditions. The Vice-Regal Procession entered the Chamber accompanied by the Lekwungen Traditional Dancers, in recognition of the ongoing connection of the Lekwungen peoples with the lands on which the Legislative Precinct is situated. Following a territorial welcome and blessing by elders, the Lekwungen Traditional Dancers performed a traditional dance in the Chamber prior to the Lieutenant Governor taking her position to deliver the Speech from the Throne. The new ceremonial components reflect the evolving, modern-day relationship between the Crown, the Legislative Assembly, and Indigenous peoples in BC.

The Speech from the Throne outlined priorities including increasing housing supply and protecting renters, improving access to health care, leveraging natural resources through sustainable processes, and improving public safety.

Following the Speech from the Throne, the Legislative Assembly adopted a Sessional Order authorizing hybrid proceedings. A similar order was first adopted in June 2020, and subsequently at the beginning of each new session. The Legislative Assembly also reappointed three presiding officers, namely Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA for Vancouver-West End, as Deputy Speaker, Jackie Tegart, MLA for Fraser- Nicola, as Assistant Deputy Speaker, and Ronna-Rae Leonard, MLA for Courtenay-Comox, as Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole.

Budget 2024-25 Presentation

The Minister of Finance, Katrine Conroy, presented the 2024-25 provincial budget and tabled the 2024- 25 Main Estimates on February 22, 2024. The budget projects $89 billion in expenditures and a $7.9 billion deficit. In the budget speech, the Minister presented several initiatives to address housing affordability, including a home-flipping tax, measures to reduce first time buyers’ property transfer taxes, and measures to encourage housing construction on public and underused land. The Minister also announced increases to the B.C. Family Benefit, a new Electricity Affordability Credit, and, starting in 2025, universal coverage for one round of in-vitro fertilization.

Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Finance, Peter Milobar, expressed concern regarding the projected budget deficit, the announcement of initiatives that only receive funding in future years, and affordability challenges for employers and first- time homebuyers. The Leader of the Third Party, Sonia Furstenau, spoke about the lack of accountability for achieving the commitments made in the budget and noted concerns about government’s support for the liquified natural gas industry. The Fourth Party House Leader, Bruce Banman, focused on the ramifications of British Columbia’s growing total debt and suggested the home-flipping tax would result in a reduction of available housing units.

Changes to Executive Council

Between January 5 and February 20, 2024, there were several changes to the portfolios of Cabinet Ministers:

• Mitzi Dean, former Minister of Children and Family Development, was appointed Minister of State for Child Care;

• Grace Lore, former Minister of State for Child Care, was appointed Minister of Children and Family Development;

• Andrew Mercier, former Minister of State for Workforce Development, was appointed Minister of State for Sustainable Forestry Innovation;

• Selina Robinson, MLA for Coquitlam- Maillardville, resigned as Minister of Post- Secondary Education and Future Skills;

• Lisa Beare, former Minister of Citizens’ Services, was appointed Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills; and

• George Chow, MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview, was appointed Minister of Citizens’ Services.

Parliamentary Committees

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released its report titled Annual Review of the Budgets of Statutory Offices: 2024-25 to 2026-27 on December 13, 2023. The Committee oversees British Columbia’s nine statutory offices, including by considering and making recommendations on the offices’ budgets. The Committee recognized several consistent themes among the offices’ budget submissions, such as inflationary pressures on salaries and building occupancy costs, as well as funding for IT infrastructure updates, ongoing capital projects, and significant events and initiatives within the offices’ legislative mandates. The Committee appreciated the statutory offices’ interest in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. It also encouraged the offices to strengthen forecasting of future needs and enhance collaboration with a view to identifying cost-saving opportunities.

On February 21, 2024, the Special Committee to Appoint a Police Complaint Commissioner tabled its report with a unanimous recommendation to the Legislative Assembly that Prabhu Rajan be appointed Police Complaint Commissioner. Mr. Rajan comes to British Columbia after decades of experience in the Ontario Public Service, having most recently served as Chief Counsel to Ontario’s Chief Coroner and Chief Forensic Pathologist, as well as Chair of Ontario’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee. On the same day, the Legislative Assembly adopted the Committee’s report and a motion appointing Mr. Rajan as Police Complaint Commissioner for a five- year term.

Ministerial Statements

On February 27, 2024, Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, welcomed Doukhobors who were sitting in the public gallery and made a statement about the Doukhobor community and culture. In response to Mr. Russell’s statement, the Doukhobors attending sang a hymn, an unusual occurrence in the Chamber environment for which they had received advance permission from the Speaker. Shortly thereafter, Premier David Eby, delivered a ministerial statement apologizing for historical wrongs against the Doukhobor community. The Premier acknowledged the immense harm of the Province’s acts, such as the forced removal of children from Sons of Freedom families, a group within the Doukhobor community. He also recognized the intergenerational trauma these acts have caused. On behalf of the Province, the Premier pledged $10 million to support the Doukhobor community, with the funding intended to provide counselling and promote other wellness initiatives. The Official Opposition House Leader, Todd Stone, responded by recognizing the importance of acknowledging historical wrongs and the value in all parties working to make amends. The Leader of the Third Party, Ms. Furstenau, pointed out the long wait for the apology and brought attention to the cultural alienation within affected families, while the Fourth Party House Leader, Mr. Banman, reflected upon the harm experienced by the Doukhobors.

On February 28, 2024, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth, made a ministerial statement regarding the two- year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Minister Farnworth discussed the tragedies which Ukrainians have faced and the government’s efforts to make refugees in British Columbia feel welcome. The Leader of the Official Opposition, Kevin Falcon, celebrated Ukraine’s repulsion of Russian forces and encouraged support for Ukrainians in BC and Ukraine. In response, the Leader of the Third Party, Ms. Furstenau, acknowledged the global costs and humanitarian catastrophes of the war. The Fourth Party House Leader, Mr. Banman, shared a recent experience meeting with refugees and called for peace.

Tribute to Former Member

On February 29, 2024, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Raj Chouhan, paid tribute to Patty Sahota, former MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds, who passed away suddenly at the age of 54. The Speaker, who currently represents Ms. Sahota’s former constituency, highlighted her community-building skills and graciousness as a colleague. Mike de Jong, MLA for Abbotsford West, also spoke to Ms. Sahota’s tireless optimism and passionate spirit.

Working Group on Parliamentary Culture

In May 2023, the Speaker established a Working Group on Parliamentary Culture in response to statements made in the House and general commentary about the environment and workplace culture of the Legislative Assembly, particularly in relation to the resignation of Melanie Mark, former MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant and one of three Indigenous Members at the time. The Working Group’s objective was to examine Legislative Assembly programs, procedures, and practices, and determine ways to strengthen respect and support for Members from all parties, backgrounds, and identities. At the time of its establishment, the Working Group had representation from each recognized caucus, with the following Members participating: Mable Elmore, MLA for Vancouver-Kensington; Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South; and Ms. Furstenau, Leader of the Third Party.

The Working Group engaged the services of an external third-party provider to conduct a listening exercise and survey to hear from current and former Members about their experiences. The survey had an approximate 91 per cent completion rate among current Members, with several former Members also taking part. The Working Group also looked at studies on the workplace cultures of other parliamentary institutions.

Reflecting on this input, the Working Group made 17 recommendations across five key themes: orientation, learning, and professional development; a welcoming and inclusive institution; a family friendly institution; a respectful workplace; and order and decorum. Amongst its recommendations, the Working Group supported:

• Changing MLA orientation to an all-party format with a greater focus on procedure, constituency office logistics, and security;
• Providing mandatory learning on diversity, Indigenous history, cultural competency, and mental wellness;
• Establishing consistent approaches for incorporating Indigenous participation into proceedings;
• Amending the Standing Orders to provide for a permanent hybrid arrangement;
• Building cross-party collegiality by providing support to all-party caucuses and groups for regular meetings; and
• Clarifying and updating guidance on unacceptable behaviour in the Chamber.

The Speaker tabled the Working Group’s report on February 29, 2024. The report and its recommendations will be considered by the House Leaders and Legislative Assembly Management Committee.

Legislative Assembly Management Committee (LAMC)

At the LAMC meeting on December 13, 2023, Legislative Assembly Administration staff presented the 2024-25 Legislative Assembly budget submission. The budget coincides with the final year of the Administration’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan, as well as the provincial general election, which is expected to take place on October 19, 2024. The budget includes one-time election-related costs such as funding for eight to 10 new constituency offices based on new electoral boundaries, and expenses related to transitional programs for incoming and departing Members. The submission also accounts for increases to regular expenses with the growth from 87 to 93 Members, such as additional compensation and caucus funding. Also included in the budget was funding for three ongoing large-scale projects: planning for future redevelopment of the Armouries building on the Legislative Precinct; construction and initial operation of a modular childcare facility; and implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning system to address critical technological needs. LAMC approved the budget submission as presented.

Sean Morgado

Committees Coordinator

Yukon

2024 Spring Sitting

The 2024 Spring Sitting of the First Session of the 35th Yukon Legislative Assembly started on March 7 and concluded on May 2, the 32nd sitting day.

Bills

Over the course of the Sitting, seven government bills passed the House and were assented to. Each of these bills had been introduced by the fifth sitting day – the deadline for the introduction of government bills to be dealt with during the Sitting.

The bills were:

• Bill No. 35, Coordinated Vaping Product Taxation Agreement Act;
• Bill No. 36, Exemptions Act;
• Bill No. 37, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2024;
• Bill No. 38, Health Authority Act; Bill No. 212, Third Appropriation Act 2023-24;
• Bill No. 213, First Appropriation Act 2024-25; and
• Bill No. 214, Interim Supply Appropriation Act 2024- 25

Bill No. 38, Health Authority Act, received considerable debate (almost 18 hours) and was reported from Committee of the Whole with multiple amendments. The sponsor of the bill, Tracy-Anne McPhee, Minister of Health and Social Services, requested the unanimous consent of the House to proceed with Third Reading of the bill on the same day as the reprinted bill was tabled. Unanimous consent was denied, and Third Reading occurred instead on the following sitting day. With the Commissioner of Yukon, Adeline Webber, being unavailable, the newly appointed Administrator of Yukon, Donald J. Inverarity, granted assent to the bill after it passed Third Reading mere hours after he was sworn in to the position of Administrator.

On the final day of the Sitting, Bill No. 213, First Appropriation Act 2024-25, was the sole government bill still on the Order Paper. At 5:00 pm, the appropriation bill, which was still under consideration in Committee of the Whole, was identified under Standing Order 76 (“the guillotine clause”) and expedited through the remaining stages.

In addition to the government bills dealt with, one private member’s bill was considered. Bill No. 307, Act to Amend the Education Act, introduced by the Leader of the Third Party, Kate White, on March 28, passed the House and was assented to during the 2024 Spring Sitting. 

Remote Participation

On the first day of the 2024 Spring Sitting, Richard Mostyn, Chair of the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges presented the committee’s tenth report. The report recommended the addition of a new chapter to the Standing Orders of the Yukon Legislative Assembly regarding virtual participation in proceedings.

The new rules were adopted with a motion for concurrence in the report on March 11 (Motion Respecting Committee Reports No. 10). Video conference procedures under Chapter 15 of the Standing Orders of the Yukon Legislative Assembly were employed for the first time on April 4.

Electoral Boundaries

On May 10, 2024, the Electoral District Boundaries Commission submitted to the Speaker an interim report which, pursuant to section 415(2) of the Elections Act, sets out the boundaries, number, and names of proposed electoral districts and includes the Commission’s reasons for its proposals.

In its interim report, the Commission proposes the creation of two new electoral districts in Whitehorse and the amalgamation and realignment of some of the existing rural districts. The effect of the changes would be to maintain the current number of districts

(19) while redistributing the seats in the Legislative Assembly to reflect the significant population growth in Yukon, especially in the capital, that has occurred since the electoral district boundaries were last amended in 2008.

The Commission is currently holding public hearings and gathering input on its interim report. The Elections Act requires the Commission to provide a final report to the Speaker within five months of submitting the interim report, and the final report is therefore expected by October 2024. The Speaker will then table the report in the Legislative Assembly.

The Government must introduce in the Legislative Assembly a bill to implement the Commission’s final proposed electoral districts as soon as practicable and “in no event later than the end of the sitting of the Legislative Assembly which follows the sitting in which the final report is tabled,” pursuant to section 418(2) of the Elections Act.

Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform

On November 7, 2023, a motion to concur in the final report of the Special Committee on the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform (Motion Respecting Committee Reports No. 8) was carried on division (with the Government and Third Party voting for, and the Official Opposition voting against, the motion). The Order of the House created the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform, requiring it to examine electoral systems and issue a report by October 31, 2024, recommending whether the current voting system should be retained, or another model should be adopted. 

On February 2, 2024, the Legislative Assembly Office announced that Sara McPhee-Knowles had been appointed Chair of the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform and given administrative responsibility for the Citizens’ Assembly.

The selection of the 38 members of the Citizen’s Assembly was announced on May 2. Two individuals from each Yukon electoral district were chosen by the Yukon Bureau of Statistics according to the terms of reference in the final report of the Special Committee on the Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform.

Allison Lloyd

Acting Deputy Clerk, Yukon Legislative Assembly