Legislative Reports

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The Senate

Legislation

On April 30, in response to its message of November 30, 2023, regarding amendments to Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation, the Senate received a message from the House of Commons that the House had agreed to the Senate’s amendments. The bill received Royal Assent by written declaration later the same day, as did Bill S-209, An Act respecting Pandemic Observance Day.

On May 22, Bill S-16, An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation, was read a third time and passed. Bill S-252, An Act respecting Jury Duty Appreciation Week, was read a third time and passed on June 4.

On June 6, the Senate adopted a motion agreeing to the amendments made by the House of Commons to Bill S-202, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate), and also adopted Bill S-258, An Act to amend the Canada Revenue Agency Act (reporting on unpaid income tax), and Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information), without amendment.

Bill S-273, An Act to declare the Chignecto Isthmus Dykeland System and related works to be for the general advantage of Canada, was read a third time and passed, as amended, on June 11.

On June 13, Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice, was read a third time and passed. In all these cases messages were sent to inform the House of Commons accordingly.

During the period covered by this report, the following eight government bills were passed at third reading by the Senate, including seven Commons bills without amendment (the House of Commons was informed accordingly by message):

• June 17 – Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, 2012;
• June 18 – Bill C-50, An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy;
• June 19 – Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, Bill C-70, An Act respecting countering foreign interference, and Bill S-17, An Act to correct certain anomalies, inconsistencies, out- dated terminology and errors and to deal with other matters of a non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the Statutes and Regulations of Canada and to repeal certain provisions that have expired, lapsed or otherwise ceased to have effect;
• June 20 – Bill C-69, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024, Bill C-74, An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, and Bill C-75, An Act for granting to His Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.

On June 20, Governor General Mary Simon attended the Senate and gave Royal Assent to the seven Commons bills mentioned immediately above, as well as Bill S-9, An Act to amend the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act; Bill S-202, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate); Bill C-226, National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act; and Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information).

Chamber, Procedure and Speaker’s Rulings

On April 9, with leave, the Speaker tabled the third edition of the Companion to the Rules of the Senate of Canada. The purpose of the Companion is to provide additional sources of information with respect to Senate procedures. A PDF version of the document is available online.

On May 2, during debate on the 16th report of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs proposing amendments to Bill S-212, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation, Senator Donald Plett rose on a point of order and moved, pursuant to rule 6-4(2), that Senator Judith Seidman be now heard. This was the first time the rule, which requires that such a motion be put immediately without debate or amendment, was invoked in many years. The Speaker pro tempore explained that if the motion is adopted, the designated senator has the floor until the time expires for that intervention, and if it is rejected, the senator who was first recognized by the Speaker is entitled to speak. The rule was again invoked on May 21, during debate at third reading of Bill S-212, with a motion that Senator Leo Housakos be now heard. The motions were defeated on both occasions.

Pursuant to rule 7-2 concerning time allocation without agreement, a motion was adopted on May 7 to allow no more than a further six hours of debate on government motion no. 165, proposing amendments to several provisions and definitions in the Rules of the Senate, which are outlined below.

On May 8, the Senate adopted the motion amending the Rules, the full text of which is found in the Journals of the Senate of that date. Among the changes, the rules governing delayed answers to oral and written questions now include: a deadline of 60 days to table an answer or explanation why an answer is not provided; a limit of four written questions per senator published in the Order Paper and Notice Paper; and, in the absence of an answer or explanation, the referral of the question to the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament for consideration and report.

Amendments were also made to include senators in leadership positions of more recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups in provisions related to consultations regarding time allocation, the length of time the bells ring for standing votes, the deferral of votes, ex officio membership of committees, and committee meetings when the Senate is adjourned. The definitions of several terms were also updated to reflect current usage and previously passed amendments to the Parliament of Canada Act. For example, the term “Leader of the Government” is now “Leader or Representative of the Government,” and “Deputy Leader of the Government” is now “Deputy Leader or Legislative Deputy for the Government.” The leader or facilitator of the largest party or group, other than the Government or Opposition, also received unlimited time in the debate, as is already the case of the Government Leader or Representative, and the Leader of the Opposition. The number of senators who may have 45 minutes at second and third reading debate was also increased, with the parties or groups to which the sponsor and critic do not belong being able to designate a senator to have that time in debate (the sponsor and critic already had 45 minutes at those stages).

A motion was adopted on June 18 regarding proceedings on Bill C-69, Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1. It reduced the time between first and second reading and provided that, if the Senate received the bill and adopted it at second reading, it would be deemed referred to the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, and authorized the committee to meet on the bill, even though the Senate may be sitting, and to report on it at any time the Senate was sitting, except during Question Period.

Committees

During the period covered by this article, the following committee reports on bills without amendment were presented and, in all cases, the bills were placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting:

• April 11 – the 17th report of the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples, concerning Bill S-16, Haida Nation Recognition Act;
• May 7 – the seventh report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources on Bill C-226, National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act, and the eighth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications on Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information);
• June 13 – the 17th report of the National Finance Committee on Bill C-59, Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023, the 23rd report of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee on Bill C-50, Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, and the 24th report of the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee on Bill C-58, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, 2012;
• June 18 – the 10th report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs, on Bill C-70, Countering Foreign Interference Act.

The 12th report of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (CIBA), entitled Amendments to the Senate Administrative Rules, was presented on May 2, and adopted on May 9. As a result, the Clerk of the Senate was reinstated as the sole head of the Senate Administration, operating subject to the rules, directions and control of the Senate and CIBA. This change replaced the Executive Committee of three senior managers (the Clerk, the Law Clerk, and the Chief Corporate Services Officer) that had been in place over the previous number of years.

On May 8, the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee presented its 20th report on Bill S-235, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, with amendments and observations. The report was adopted on June 6 and the bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

On May 9, the National Finance Committee received an order of reference to examine the subject matter of all of Bill C-69, Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1, in advance of the bill being introduced in the Senate. Several committees were also authorized to examine the subject matter of certain elements of the bill. The National Finance Committee tabled its report on June 13, 2024.

The 16th report of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee recommending amendments to Bill S-212, An Act to amend the Criminal Records Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation, was also adopted on May 9. The bill, as amended, was then placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

On May 21, the Senate was informed that the 21st report of the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee, entitled Act Now: Solutions for Temporary and Migrant Labour in Canada, was deposited with the Clerk of the Senate. The report was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting. In addition, the Senate adopted and requested a government response to the seventh report of the National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs Committee, entitled The Time is Now: Granting equitable access to psychedelic-assisted therapies, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on November 8, 2023.

On May 22, the Senate adopted a motion with respect to Bill C-50, Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act. Pursuant to the motion, when the bill was adopted at second reading on May 23, it stood referred to the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee, while the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee was simultaneously authorized to examine and report on the subject matter of the bill.

The Senate was informed on May 23 that the eighth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, entitled Sealing the Future: A Call to Action, was deposited with the Clerk of the Senate. The report was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.

On May 30, following the adoption at second reading of Bill S-268, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Indian Act, a motion was adopted to refer it to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and to authorize the Indigenous Peoples Committee to examine and report on the subject matter of the bill. The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee was authorized to take into account any public document or evidence received by the Indigenous Peoples Committee during its study of the subject matter of the bill, as well as any report from that latter committee on the subject matter of the bill.

The ninth report of the Transport and Communications Committee recommending amendments to Bill S-273, Chignecto Isthmus Dykeland System Act, was presented on June 4 and placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting. The report was adopted on June 6 and the bill, as amended, was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

The Senate was informed on June 6 that the 13th report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, entitled Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human, and Social Health, was deposited with the Clerk of the Senate. The report was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting and was adopted on June 13 with a request for a response from the government.

On June 11, the third report of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators was presented. The report proposed changes to the Ethics and Conflict of Interest Code for Senators to take account of amendments to rule 12-26(1) of the Rules of the Senate, which had been adopted on May 8. The report was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting of the Senate and was adopted on June 13.

The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s 24th report on Bill S-17, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023, with amendments, was presented on June 13 and was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting. It was adopted on June 18 and the bill, as amended, was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting.

The Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight presented its 12th report, entitled Implementation of the risk-based internal audit plan, on June 17, and it was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.

On June 19, the National Finance Committee presented its 19th report on Bill C-69, Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1, without amendment. Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on June 18, the bill was placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading immediately.

The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee presented its 25th report, with amendments to 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, on June 20. The report was placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting.

Senators

Senator Percy Mockler retired from the Senate on April 14. Senator Mockler was appointed to the Senate on January 2, 2009, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, to represent New Brunswick. Previously, he was a Member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly for many years, having first been elected in 1982. As a provincial MLA, he held several portfolios, including Solicitor General; Minister for Human Resources, Development and Housing; and Minister of Transportation. He has given his time to many organizations in his community, including the St. Leonard Cross-Country Skiing Club, the Center for International Business Studies of the Universities of Moncton and of New Brunswick, and the Economic Development Commission for the region of St. Leonard. Senator Mockler was a member of several standing Senate committees, including Official Languages and Social Affairs, Science and Technology, and he served as chair of Agriculture and Forestry and National Finance.

Senator Victor Oh retired from the Senate on June 10. Senator Oh was appointed to the Senate on January 25, 2013, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Harper, to represent Ontario. He was born in Singapore and immigrated to Canada in 1978. He became a successful entrepreneur and an active community leader in the Greater Toronto Area. Much of his volunteer work focused on building bridges of understanding and collaboration across cultures and helping newcomers to Canada to establish themselves and start their own businesses. During his tenure, Senator Oh was a member of several Senate committees, including Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Legal and Constitutional Affairs, and National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs.

On June 28, Senator Victor Boudreau was appointed to the Senate. At the time of this writing, he had not yet been introduced and taken his seat in the Senate. Further information about this new senator will be included in the next summary.

Officers

At the beginning of the Senate sitting on May 7, Shaila Anwar was introduced as the 17th Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments, having assumed the role the previous day. Ms. Anwar joined the Senate Committees Directorate in 2007 as a procedural clerk. She took on increasingly senior roles in the Senate Administration, most recently as Clerk Assistant of the Committees Directorate. She has served as a table officer since 2016. In these roles, she supported senators in their legislative work by providing impartial advice on parliamentary procedure, practices, and precedents. She gained significant expertise in the legislative process, working directly with several committees studying landmark legislation in the Senate. As Clerk of the Senate, Ms. Anwar is head of the entire Senate Administration and oversees the Senate’s day-to-day operations and supports the legislative process, and as Clerk of the Parliaments is custodian of all original acts of Parliament.

Gérald Lafrenière, who served as the 16th Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments on an interim basis from December 2020 until May 2024, was appointed Deputy Clerk, Legislative Services, on May 6. Mr. Lafrenière began his career on Parliament Hill in 1994 as a legal analyst at the Library of Parliament. Since joining the Senate in 2004 as a procedural clerk, he has worked in various directorates, assuming management roles at the Committees Directorate, International and Interparliamentary Affairs, and Governance and Strategic Planning, and has been a table officer since 2008. Throughout his career, Mr. Lafrenière has provided procedural and strategic advice to the Speaker of the Senate, the Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration Committee, other standing committees, as well as to individual senators.

Max Hollins

Procedural Clerk

House of Commons

Introduction

This account covers key highlights of the period from March 22 to June 19, 2024. The House adjourned for the summer on June 19, 2024, and is scheduled to resume sittings on September 16, 2024.

Legislation

Similarities between bills C-323 and C-59

On June 7, 2024, Deputy Speaker Chris d’Entremont (West Nova) made a statement regarding Bill C-323, An act to amend the Excise Tax Act concerning mental health services, which stood in the name of Stephen Ellis (Cumberland–Colchester). A previous ruling on December 12, 2023, highlighted the similarities between Bill C-323 and Bill C-59, An act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023. Citing past precedent, the Deputy Speaker informed the House that it should not address the same question twice within the same session, unless it intended to rescind a previous decision.

Since Bill C-59 had already been passed by the House and sent to the Senate, the Deputy Speaker stated that Bill C-323 could not proceed to a vote unless it was substantially amended. He allowed the motion for the third reading of Bill C-323 but delayed the vote until Bill C-59’s process was completed in the Senate.

Bill C-59 was passed by the Senate on June 19, 2024, and received Royal Assent on June 20, 2024.

Procedure / Privilege

Appearance of an individual at the bar of the House

On April 8, 2024, the House granted unanimous consent to a motion which found Kristian Firth in contempt of the House. This motion was adopted following a Speaker’s ruling delivered on March 22, 2024. In that ruling, the Speaker had found that Mr. Firth’s refusal to answer questions during his appearance before the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates earlier in the year, constituted a breach of the collective privileges of the House.

The motion of April 8, 2024, also ordered Mr. Firth to attend the bar of the House on April 17, 2024, for the purposes of receiving an admonishment by the Speaker, providing responses to questions referred to, and to respond to supplementary questions arising from those answers. Mr. Firth appeared at the bar of the House on April 17, 2024.

This represents the first time since June 21, 2021, that an individual has appeared before the bar of the House to receive an admonishment by the Speaker. In that case, the individual in question was the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Mr. Firth’s appearance represents the first instance since 1913 that a private individual has been called to the bar of the House.

Notification of cyberattacks against Members of Parliament

On April 29, 2024, Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park– Fort Saskatchewan) rose on a question of privilege concerning cyber-attacks targeting himself and other Members of Parliament. He alleged that the members in question were targeted by the People’s Republic of China, due to their involvement with the Inter- Parliamentary Alliance on China. These cyber-attacks took place between January and March of 2021. The targeted members had not been informed of the attacks by Canadian intelligence services, but rather, had learned of them through recent reports in the media. Mr. Genuis stated that one of the cyber-attacks had targeted his personal email account.

On May 8, 2024, the Speaker delivered his ruling. He stated that, while the work of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China was not strictly part of parliamentary proceedings, it did seem clear that members of the House were targeted due to their parliamentary work. While the Chair was bound to consider the question of privilege based on its own merits, it must also bear in mind the broader considerations – namely, a multiplication of cyber-security attacks in the recent past, and a shifting security environment. He therefore ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege. Mr. Genuis moved that the matter be referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. On May 9, 2024, the House adopted the motion. The committee’s study on the question of privilege related to cyber-attacks targeting members of Parliament is ongoing.

Speaker’s alleged lack of impartiality

On May 21, 2024, Chris Warkentin (Grande Prairie—Mackenzie) rose on a question of privilege concerning the Speaker’s impartiality. He alleged that the Liberal Party’s promotional material, which featured the Speaker’s involvement in an upcoming event, contained partisan language against the Leader of the Official Opposition.

Additionally, Mr. Warkentin criticized the standard procedure of addressing concerns over the Speaker’s conduct via a substantive motion during Routine Proceedings. He suggested that this method was flawed as it allowed the government to indefinitely delay the House’s decision on the matter. The Speaker recused himself from the preparation of the ruling, deferring to the Deputy Speaker.

On May 27, 2024, the Deputy Speaker ruled on the matter. He referenced a previous decision from December 5, 2023, where he had found a prima facie question of privilege regarding the Speaker’s impartiality and directed Members to use substantive motions for such issues. However, the Deputy Speaker acknowledged the current process’s inadequacy in promptly addressing concerns related to the Speaker’s impartiality.

Ultimately, the Deputy Speaker ruled that the Speaker’s actions constituted a prima facie question of privilege. Consequently, Mr. Warkentin moved a motion stating that the Speaker stands in contempt of the House, and that the office of Speaker shall be vacated. On May 28, 2024, the question was put on the privilege motion, and it was negatived.

Alleged breach of Deputy Speaker’s impartiality

On May 30, 2024, Lindsay Mathyssen (London– Fanshawe) rose on a question of privilege. She stated that a picture of the Deputy Speaker, in his robes, had been used to advertise a political event hosted in October 2023 by a Conservative Party constituency association. She referenced other recent questions of privilege where the issue of inappropriate use of the Speaker’s robes was also considered, which raised concerns over the use of House of Commons resources and about the impartiality of the Deputy Speaker.

Other members rose on the matter and argued that the situation was different, as the picture of the Deputy Speaker in question was in the public domain, the advertisement contained no partisan criticism, and the Deputy Speaker was not involved in creating the advertisement, as it was not produced by his own constituency association. The argument was also made that the Deputy Speaker’s behavior must be governed by “good taste and judgment,” but that they were not subject to the same strict rules of neutrality as the Speaker. In a ruling delivered on June 11, 2024, the Speaker found that no prima facie question of privilege existed.

Question of privilege related to the record of the Proceedings of the House

On June 6, 2024, Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) rose on a question of privilege regarding the accuracy of the parliamentary record of the House, in relation to remarks made by Brad Redekopp (Saskatoon West) on June 4, 2024, during debate on Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments. During debate, Mr. Redekopp had misquoted a parole board’s ruling, saying that it had predicted an Indigenous defendant “was likely to reoffend because of his racial background.” In actuality, the parole board’s words had been that the individual “was likely to reoffend regardless of his racial background.” Mr. Redekopp rose to admit his mistake and apologized for having misspoken. He confirmed that upon realizing his mistake, he had contacted the editors of Hansard to request that the record be changed, to reflect his intent to accurately quote the parole board’s findings. The request was granted.

Ms. Gazan argued that Mr. Redekopp’s request to swap the word “because” with the word “regardless” in the Hansard was inappropriate and argued that that revisions to Hansard should not alter the substance and meaning of what members say in the House.

On Monday, June 17, 2024, the Speaker delivered his ruling. He referred to House editing protocols and the Member’s admission of a mistake and his request for a correction, explaining the editorial decision was to ensure clarity and coherence in the record. The Speaker concluded that the matter did not constitute a question of privilege and considered the issue resolved.

Financial procedures

Budget 2024

On April 16, 2024, the House considered the ways and means motion No 20 for the budget presentation. The budget debate took place on April 18, 29, 30, and May 1, 2024, and was adopted by the House on May 1.

Consideration of Estimates in Committee of the Whole

On May 5, 2024, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4) (a), the Leader of the Opposition, Pierre Poilievre (Carleton), moved a motion to refer to committees of the whole all votes of the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, under Department of Health and under Department of Justice. The votes under Department of Justice were considered on May 23, 2024, and deemed reported. The votes under Department of Health were considered on May 29, 2024, and deemed reported.

Private Members’ Business

Recurring debate on 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 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. Thus far, it has been debated for a total of four hours, on January 29, February 6 and 14, and June 10, 2024. Typically items of Private Members’ Business would get only two hours of debate per stage.

Other Matters

Nominations and appointments

On June 5, 2024, the House received a message from  the  Senate,  informing  it  that  that  it  had referred the Certificate of Nomination for Christine Ivory as Parliamentary Librarian to the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament for consideration and report. On June 13, 2024, by unanimous consent, the House adopted the motion to appoint Ms. Ivory to that role.

Eric Glavin

Table Research Branch

Québec

Proceedings of the Assemblée nationale du Québec

Composition

On April 16, 2024, Eric Lefebvre, Member for Arthabaska, withdrew from the parliamentary group forming the Government. He currently sits as an independent Member. Mario Laframboise, Member for Blainville, was appointed as the new Chief Government Whip in his stead. The Assemblée nationale is now composed of 125 Members: 88 from the Coalition avenir Québec, 19 from the Québec Liberal Party, 12 from Québec solidaire, and four from the Parti québécois, along with two independent Members.

Budget process

Following the debate on the budget speech, Eric Girard, Minister of Finance, moved that the Assemblée approve the Government’s budgetary policy. The motion was carried on March 28, 2024, and on May 2, 2024, the budget process was completed with concurrence in the reports from the committees that had examined the budget estimates, and then passage of the appropriation bill.

Legislative agenda

From April to June 2024, 20 bills were introduced in the Assemblée: 13 government bills and seven private Members’ bills. During the same period, 17 government bills and one private bill were passed, including:

• Bill 52, An Act to enable the Parliament of Québec to preserve the principle of parliamentary sovereignty with respect to the Act respecting the laicity of the State. The bill renews the override provision set out in section 34 of the Act respecting the laicity of the State, which would otherwise cease to have effect on June 16, 2024, five years after the date of its coming into force.
• Bill 59, An Act to interrupt the electoral division delimitation process. The bill maintains the current electoral map ahead of the next general election scheduled for fall 2026, after which the delimitation process will recommence.
• Bill 37, An Act respecting the Commissioner for Children’s Well-Being and Rights. The Commissioner is added to the list of persons appointed to public office by the Assemblée nationale on the recommendation of the Premier and with the approval of at least two thirds of the Members.

Of the 18 bills passed during this period, 13 were passed unanimously.

Visit by the Prime Minister of France

Gabriel Attal, Prime Minister of France, visited the Assemblée nationale on April 11, 2024, for the 21st edition of the alternating meeting of the Québec and French first ministers. He made a speech in the Salle de l’Assemblée nationale (the Salon Bleu) and talked with the leaders of the parliamentary groups. It was the first time a French Prime Minister had addressed the Assemblée nationale since Laurent Fabius in 1984.

Remembering May 8, 1984

Forty years ago, on May 8, 1984, an armed individual entered the Hôtel du Parlement and killed three people and injured 13. To commemorate the tragedy, Nathalie Roy, President of the Assemblée nationale, invited all parliamentarians to pay tribute to the victims and the injured. During the tribute, a wreath of flowers was placed in the Salle de l’Assemblée nationale by the Sergeant-at-Arms, who was accompanied by constables wearing ceremonial dress.

Cancellation of a reprimand

In 2017, following an inquiry by the Ethics Commissioner, Claude Surprenant, then Member for Groulx, was reprimanded by the Assemblée nationale. In December 2023, in light of new elements, the Assemblée asked the Commissioner to determine whether there were grounds for reopening the 2017 inquiry. In a report tabled on May 9, 2024, the ad hoc Commissioner concluded that there were no grounds to justify reopening the inquiry and recommended the cancellation of the reprimand. On May 30, 2024, the Assemblée adopted a motion in that respect.

Ministerial statement

On June 7, 2024, Premier François Legault made a ministerial statement to announce the creation of an advisory committee on Québec’s constitutional issues within the Canadian federation. As provided for in the Standing Orders, the leaders of the three opposition groups made comments following the statement. Though there is a daily period dedicated to this kind of statement, none had been made since 2020.

Closure of the Salle de l’Assemblée nationale

June 7, 2024, was the final sitting day held in the Salle de l’Assemblée nationale as we know it, due to the renovation work that will take place in the next two years. Starting in September, Assemblée sittings will be held in the Salle du Conseil législatif. The parliamentarians will therefore be moving from the Salon Bleu to the Salon Rouge.

Committee Proceedings

Bills

Protection of elected officials

The Committee on Planning and the Public Domain carried out clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 57, An Act to enact the Act to protect elected municipal officials and to facilitate the unhindered exercise of their functions and to amend various legislative provisions concerning municipal affairs, the amended text of which was passed unanimously by the Assemblée nationale on June 6, 2024.

The new legislation enacted by the bill allows elected municipal officials to apply to the Superior Court for an injunction if they are the subject of comments or actions that unduly hinder the exercise of their functions or invade their privacy. It makes anyone who threatens, intimidates or harasses an elected municipal official liable to a fine of up to $1,500. Anyone who interferes with the conduct of a sitting of a municipal council is also liable to a fine.

The bill proposes certain modifications to the Act respecting the National Assembly, notably to provide Members of the Assemblée nationale, like elected municipal officials, the means to apply for an injunction. The bill also provides that the address appearing on the nomination papers of a candidate for office as a member of a municipal council or as a Member of the Assemblée nationale is no longer public information.

Clause-by-clause consideration of the bill, which required over 37 hours of work distributed over seven meetings, resulted in the passage of 61 amendments, including one made to the title of the bill. The purpose of the amendments was, in particular, to specify that expressing an opinion with proper regard for democratic values does not hinder the work of an elected official. This was in response to groups who expressed concerns that the bill could encroach upon freedom of expression. The new legislation, which is aimed notably at promoting the role of elected municipal officials and improving their retention, was praised by the municipal sector.

Family law reform

The Committee on Institutions held public hearings on Bill 56, An Act respecting family law reform and establishing the parental union regime, before examining the provisions clause-by-clause. The bill, passed on May 30, 2024, amends the Civil Code to provide for the formation of a new parental union regime for de facto spouses who are the parents of the same child and for the creation of a patrimony that includes the family residence.

This is the third part of an important family law reform that began in 2021 with Bill 2, An Act respecting family law reform with regard to filiation and amending the Civil Code in relation to personality rights and civil status, and continued in 2023 with Bill 12, An Act to reform family law with regard to filiation and to protect children born as a result of sexual assault and the victims of that assault as well as the rights of surrogates and of children born of a surrogacy project.

Examination of the budget estimates

The examination of the annual budget estimates took place during the weeks of April 15 and 22, 2024. Under the Agreement relating to the concept of parliamentary group, to the conduct of proceedings in the Assembly and in parliamentary committees, to budgetary aspects and to other measures promoting work-family balance, applicable for the duration of the 43rd Legislature, the mandate was carried out over 120 hours according to the schedule of ordinary hours of meeting. Of the time allocated, 100 hours were for the Members sitting in opposition, and 20 hours were for the parliamentary group forming the Government.

Order of initiative

Within the framework of an order of initiative, adopted in December 2023, on examining ways to facilitate organ and tissue donation, in particular the establishment of presumed consent, the Committee on Health and Social Services held advisory meetings on May 2, 2024, to hear five witnesses, in addition to those heard during the consultations of January 30 to February 1, 2024. Notably, the May 2 meetings were private, deliberative meetings, not public hearings like those of January and February. The order of initiative was ongoing when these lines were written.

Creation of a Select Committee

On June 6, 2024, the Assemblée nationale carried a motion to create the Select Committee on the impacts of screens and social media on young people’s health and development. Pursuant to Standing Order 178, the committee will examine various issues, including young people’s screen time, screen time control measures, access to social media, and cyberbullying.

Following the adoption of the motion, the parliamentary groups determined who the Committee members would be, including who would serve as the Chair and the Vice-Chair: Amélie Dionne, Member for Rivière-du-Loup–Témiscouata, and Enrico Ciccone, Member for Marquette.

Lastly, the motion provided that the Committee would be able to travel and meet in places outside the precincts of the Assemblée nationale, and that it would have to table its report no later than May 30, 2025.

The last time a select committee was created was in March 2021, during the 42nd Legislature. That committee concerned the evolution of the Act respecting end-of-life care, and its mandate ended when its report was tabled in December 2021.

Olivier Champagne

Direction de la séance et de la procédure parlementaire

Roxanne Guévin

Direction des commissions parlementaires

Nunavut

House Proceedings

The winter 2024 sitting of the 2nd Session of the 6th Legislative Assembly convened on February 22, 2024, and concluded on March 12, 2024. The proceedings of the Committee of the Whole during the winter 2024 sitting were dominated by the consideration of the Government of Nunavut’s proposed 2024-2025 main estimates and departmental business plans.

Three bills received Assent during the winter 2024 sitting:

• Bill 37, Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2024-2025

• Bill 39, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 4, 2023-2024

• Bill 40, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2024-2025

The spring 2024 sitting of the 2nd Session of the 6th Legislative Assembly convened on May 23, 2024, and concluded on May 31, 2024.

Nine bills received Assent during the spring 2024 sitting:

• Bill 38, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 2, 2023-2024

• Bill 41, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act

• Bill 42, An Act to Amend the Dental Profession Act

• Bill 44, An Act to Amend the Creditors Relief Act and the Public Service Garnishee Act

• Bill 45, An Act to Amend the Cities, Towns and Villages Act and the Hamlets Act

• Bill 46, An Act to Amend the Coroners Act

• Bill 47, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2024-2025

• Bill 48, An Act Respecting the Constituencies of Nunavut

• Bill 49, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Bills 48 and 49 were introduced as House Bills under the authority of the Legislative Assembly’s Management and Services Board. Speaker Tony Akoak appeared before the Committee of the Whole on the occasion of its clause-by-clause consideration of the bills.

Bill 48 amended the Nunavut Elections Act to implement some of the recommendations of the 2023 report of the Nunavut Electoral Boundaries Commission, which was tabled by the Speaker at the Legislative Assembly’s sitting of October 19, 2023.

Bill 49 amended the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to include new provisions that broadly mirror those which are presently in the Integrity Act in respect to the appointment of a Special Information and Privacy Commissioner in certain defined circumstances.

Re-appointment of Representative for Children and Youth

On May 23, 2024, the Legislative Assembly unanimously approved a motion recommending that Jane Bates be re-appointed Representative for Children and Youth for a second five-year term of office.

Committee Hearings

From April 19 to 20, 2024, the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts held a televised hearing on the 2022- 2023 annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut, Graham Steele. A number of Government of Nunavut officials also appeared as witnesses.

From April 22 to 23, 2024, the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts held a televised hearing on the 2020- 2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 annual reports of the Representative for Children and Youth, Ms. Bates. A number of Government of Nunavut officials also appeared as witnesses.

The hearings were presided over by Standing Committee Chair and Iqaluit-Tasiluk MLA George Hickes. Mr. Hickes subsequently presented the standing committee’s reports to the House during its spring 2024 sitting.

Alex Baldwin

Office of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut

Northwest Territories

The second session of the 20th Assembly began on May 23, 2024, and concluded on June 13, 2024.

As part of a new formality of the House brought forward by the Speaker, the Legislature had its first ever Hindu prayer to open proceedings on June 5, 2024.

Legislation

Two pieces of legislation were introduced.

• Bill 7: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, provides minor amendments to several existing Acts. It completed second reading on June 12, 2024.
• Bill 8: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, is a Private Member’s Bill, brought forward by the Member for Yellowknife Centre. This Bill seeks to raise the maximum amount of loans that can be made to one person under the Student Financial Assistance Act from the current limit of $60,000 to a higher limit of $90,000. It completed second reading on June 12, 2024, and is now before Standing Committee for review.

Budget

During this sitting, the House unanimously passed the 2024-25 budget. Appropriation Act Operations Expenditures allocates $2.23 billion for operations to March 31, 2025, and $700 million in borrowing for the 2024-25 fiscal year. This budget was reviewed and passed in the House on June 13, 2024.

This budget found $48 million in expenditure savings; however, departmental spending still increased $24 million compared to budget 2023-24. The budget’s largest increases are for:

• $37 million for the Department of Health and Social Services,
• $30 million for a contribution to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to address low water levels and avoid power rate increases for residents, and
• $29 million for the 2022 flood and 2023 wildfire response and recovery.

Additionally, one Supplementary Appropriations Act for 2024-25 was tabled. The first supplementary infrastructure and operational estimates for 2024-25 provided:

• $142 million in new funding for capital investments and operations expenditures,
• $91.2 million for community government infrastructure projects,
• $36 million for infrastructure cost escalations, and
• $3.6 million to complete infrastructure projects not completed in 2023-24.

Much of this Supplementary Appropriation Bill allocated funds for the continuation of infrastructure projects which were not completed in 2023-2024.

Mandate

On the first day of session, the Premier tabled the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) 2023 to 2027. This document outlines how the newly elected government will work to advance progress on the priorities of the 20th Assembly.

On the last day of session, the Premier tabled the Mandate Letters for the Executive Council of the 20th Assembly. The GNWT’s Executive Council consists of 15 portfolios, amongst seven Cabinet Members, with six Ministers and the Premier.

Petitions

Three petitions were brought forward in this session. Two did not strictly conform with the rules of the Assembly, so they were put forth as tabled documents instead.

A petition to stop the closure of the Men’s Unit at the Fort Smith Correctional Centre received 574 signatures, which was tabled on June 10, 2024 (TD 117-20(1)).

A petition to stop the Proposed Government Wellness and Recovery Center Building in Downtown Yellowknife received 1,062 signatures and was tabled on June 10, 2024 (TD 118-20(1)).

A petition calling for Improved Fertility and Family Planning Supports in the Northwest Territories was presented on June 12, 2024, and it received a total of 368 signatures. Of those signatures, 189 were from residents of the Northwest Territories.

Committee Reports

During this session there were eight Committee Reports tabled by several Standing Committees. Four were on annual Statutory Officer reports, one was on a Bill, one was on the Public Accounts, and one was on a Committee Project to Conduct a Review on the Land and Water Use Permitting Regulatory Framework in the Northwest Territories.

Additionally, as a first for our Assembly, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight submitted a report on the Main Estimates. The purpose of that report was to publicly state the position of the Committee in their review of the proposed 2024-25 Main Estimates and identify key policy initiatives and goals that the Government should consider in advancing their Business Plans.

Motions

There were 10 significant motions moved during this session. Three motions were centred on enhancing territorial resources to the RCMP and on crime reduction efforts. Those were: Motion 31-20(1) Cross- Border Crime Reduction Forum; Motion 32-20(1) Increasing RCMP Response in Hay River; and Motion 34-20(1) Supporting RCMP Response to Mental Health.

Another three motions were about allocating more financial resources to municipalities to remove barriers from block land transfers, to promote economic development, and to ensure all communities have proper resources to create and maintain emergency plans. Those were: Motion 29-20(1) Municipal Block Land Transfer; Motion 33-20(1) Municipal Funding Gap; and Motion 35-20(1) Emergency Plan Support for Municipalities and Community Governments.

Three other motions focused on improving the quality of life for northerners by urging the GNWT to consider debt elimination for seniors, allocating more funding to address core housing need across the territory, and to complete the Mackenzie Valley Highway. Those were: Motion 28-20(1) Consideration for Elders and Seniors in Debt Elimination; Motion 30- 20(1) Maintaining NWT Housing Stock; and Motion 37-20(1) Mackenzie Highway Business Case.

The last motion brought forward urged the GNWT to work with the Government of Canada to finance temporary housing for residents of Enterprise, who lost 80 per cent of their community due to wildfires in 2023, Motion 38-20(1) Consideration for the Hamlet of Enterprise to Receive Top-Up Federal Funding.

Assent

On June 13, 2024, the final day of session, the Commissioner provided Assent to Bill 2: Missing Persons Act, and the budget and supplementary financial legislation, Bills 9 and 10. The House is adjourned until October 17, 2024, at 1:30pm.

Pascal Erasmus

Acting Manager of Research

Alberta

2024 Spring Sitting

The First Session of the 31st Legislature resumed on February 28, 2024, and adjourned on May 29, 2024. The spring sitting saw the introduction and passage of 13 Government Bills and three Private Bills. In addition, two Private Members’ Public Bills received Royal Assent.

Government Bills introduced during the latter part of the spring sitting included:

Bill 17, Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence Act, which will establish a new Crown corporation to develop a recovery-oriented system of care and advance the Alberta recovery model to help those struggling with addiction and mental health issues.

Bill 18, Provincial Priorities Act, which will require provincial entities such as municipalities and universities to obtain approval from the Government of Alberta before entering into or extending any agreements with the federal government.

Bill 20, Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, which establishes rules of conduct for elected municipal officials as well as for the overall administration and operation of municipal authorities, and permits party affiliations for municipal candidates in Edmonton and Calgary.

In addition, Bill 21, Emergency Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, came into force on May 30, 2024. It increases the provincial government’s authority when responding to disasters such as wildfires, floods, or drought. To reduce the likelihood of a general election occurring during such disasters, it also moved the province’s fixed election date from the spring to the fall. Therefore, the next provincial election, which had been expected in May 2027, is now anticipated to occur five months later, in October 2027.

Composition of the Assembly

On June 10, Shannon Phillips, MLA, confirmed she would be resigning as the Member for Lethbridge- West at the end of the day on July 1, 2024. First elected in 2019, she served as the Minister of Environment and Parks for the 29th Legislature, and as Minister Responsible for the Status of Women from May 2015 to February 2016. She was elected to her third term as an MLA in 2023. Following her resignation the composition of the Assembly sits at 48 members in the United Conservative Caucus, 37 New Democrat Members, one independent Member, and one vacant seat.

NDP Leadership Contest

On January 16, Rachel Notley, MLA, Leader of the Official Opposition and former Premier, triggered a leadership contest when she announced her intention to resign as leader of the New Democratic Party of Alberta. On June 22 the contest was decided when it was confirmed that Naheed Nenshi, former Mayor of Calgary, had secured over 80 per cent of the vote on the first ballot. That same day Ms. Notley resigned as Leader of the Official Opposition; however, she continues to serve as the Member for Edmonton- Strathcona. Christina Gray, MLA, is now the Leader of the Official Opposition as Mr. Nenshi does not currently have a seat in the Legislative Assembly.

Committee Business

On May 8 the Select Special Ethics Commissioner and Chief Electoral Officer Search Committee recommended that Shawn McLeod be appointed Ethics Commissioner. The Assembly accepted the recommendation, and on May 26 Mr. McLeod began a five-year term as Alberta’s fifth Ethics Commissioner.

The Committee has renewed its search for a Chief Electoral Officer candidate as that position is currently vacant.

On May 29 the Standing Committee on Families and Communities completed its review of the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act and presented its report in the Assembly. The Committee made two recommendations, that the Act provide a clearer definition of nonmonetary benefits and that the June 30 reporting date for severance payments made from January to June be removed, leaving all severance payments to be disclosed on an annual basis on December 31.

The Select Special Conflicts of Interest Act Review Committee considered the written submissions received as part of its review of the Conflicts of Interest Act and invited oral presentations from selected individuals and organizations. On June 17 the Committee heard from officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Ethics Commissioner as well as Professor Randall Morck, University of Alberta; Professor Ian Stedman, York University; Mark Young, Canadian Society for the Study of Practical Ethics; and Todd Loewen, who appeared in his capacity as the Member for Central Peace-Notley.

Having been advised of a pending vacancy in the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer position, which assumes the responsibilities of the Chief Electoral Officer when that position is vacant, the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices met on June 20 and recommended to the Lieutenant Governor in Council that LaRae Petrowsky, Director of Election Operations with Elections Alberta, be appointed Acting Chief Electoral Officer pursuant to section 3(2) of the Election Act. The necessary Order in Council was issued, and Ms. Petrowsky took on her temporary new responsibilities effective July 4.

Jody Rempel

Committee Clerk

Prince Edward Island

First Session, Sixty-seventh General Assembly

The Legislative Assembly currently stands adjourned, after the winter-spring sitting concluded on April 23, 2024. It remains the First Session of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly, which began in May 2023. The House is scheduled to meet for the fall sitting on November 5.

Budget and Legislation Passed

After considering the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure in Committee of the Whole House over 24 sitting days, the House approved Government’s 2024-25 operating budget, which totals $3.2 billion with an $85 million deficit. During the sitting, 13 bills passed all stages and received Royal Assent; of these, 12 were Government bills, and one was a Private Member’s bill. Twelve bills remain on the Order Paper for consideration when the House reconvenes.

Committee Activities

The standing committees of the Legislative Assembly were busy during the May to June period.

The Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability met with multiple groups and individuals on the topic of trapping and snaring, following the presentation of a petition in the House calling for these activities to be prohibited in PEI. The committee also received a briefing on saltwater intrusion and toured the provincial tree nursery.

The Standing Committee on Education and Economic Growth examined recent changes to immigration and the Provincial Nominee Program, opportunities for careers in the trades, inclusive education, and the work of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Lifelong Learning.

The Standing Committee on Health and Social Development met with several groups regarding the UPEI medical school; it also examined upstream investment in children’s mental health and a report proposing a basic income guarantee benefit for PEI.

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met with the Auditor General regarding his 2024 annual report and heard from the Department of Finance, Health PEI and the PEI Housing Corporation regarding the implementation of the Auditor General’s recommendations.

The Standing Committee on Rules, Regulations, Private Bills and Privileges met to consider its work plan. Committees are expected to continue their work in September.

Ryan Reddin

Director of Parliamentary Research

British Columbia

Spring Sitting Period

The Legislative Assembly concluded its spring sitting period on May 16, 2024. A long adjournment motion was adopted authorizing the Speaker to recall the House should the need arise. Consistent with practice in recent years, the motion also allows for the alteration of the location and means of conducting the sittings of the House by agreement of the Speaker and the House Leaders of each recognized caucus, if required due to an emergency or public health measures. The Legislative Assembly is not scheduled to resume prior to dissolution of the 42nd Parliament and the 43rd provincial general election anticipated on October 19, 2024.

Estimates and Legislation

The Committee of Supply spent 179 hours considering the 2024-25 Main Estimates, compared to an average time of 177 hours across each of the Main Estimates during the 42nd Parliament.

During the spring sitting period, a total of 27 bills, including one private bill, received Royal Assent. The bills addressed a variety of topics, including: consolidating regulation of some legal professions; addressing systemic racism; establishing safe access zones around schools; automatically increasing the minimum wage in alignment with BC’s consumer price index; Indigenous self-governance of child and family services; reducing poverty among vulnerable British Columbians; increasing penalties for offences related to commercial transport; and enabling BC First Nations to acquire, hold, and dispose of land in their own name.

Of note, Bill 25, Haida Nation Recognition Amendment Act, 2024, recognizes the Haida Nation’s Aboriginal title throughout Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off BC’s west coast. The amendments confirm and enact a bilateral Haida title lands agreement negotiated between the Province of British Columbia and the Haida Nation. On April 22, 2024, the House adopted a motion to permit Gaagwiis, Jason Alsop, President of the Council of the Haida Nation, to address the House. After the bill received First Reading, Gaagwiis made his address following a ministerial statement by Premier David Eby, and responses from all recognized caucuses.

Time Management

On March 4, 2024, the Legislative Assembly adopted a Sessional Order to enable certain proceedings of the House to be undertaken in three concurrent sections, namely sections A, B and C. All three sections were authorized to examine Estimates while Sections A and B were also authorized to consider public bills at committee stage. The Sessional Order was amended on May 15, 2024, to authorize section C to also consider public bills at committee stage.

Standing Order 81.1 (2) allows a Minister to propose a motion without notice for the purpose of allotting a specified number of days or hours for the consideration of one or more stages of a bill when an agreement on the allocation of time for business in the House cannot be reached with the other recognized caucuses. The Legislative Assembly adopted two motions on May 14, 2024, pursuant to this Standing Order, to effect time allocation for three government bills awaiting various stages of consideration. The House also adopted motions to adjust sitting hours during the last week of the spring sitting period. This included extending the sitting from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on May 15, 2024, and having one continuous sitting on May 16, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (rather than two sittings of 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.).

Standing Order Amendments

Since June 2020, the Legislative Assembly has enabled remote participation for Members through sessional orders. On March 13, 2024, the Legislative Assembly agreed to amend the Standing Orders to authorize remote participation for Members on a permanent basis. The amendments include an expectation that all Members make every effort to attend the service of the House in person with a higher expectation placed on the Executive Council, particularly for Oral Question Period, and when a Minister is to answer questions on any assigned votes within the estimates in the Committee of Supply, or to answer questions on a bill in a Committee of the Whole House. In a related change, the Standing Orders were further amended to extend the overall time available for divisions. Previously, the question was stated not sooner than two and not longer than five minutes following the division call; the question will now be stated not sooner than five and not longer than 10 minutes following the division call, allowing Members more time to participate in divisions and formalizing the practice adopted since hybrid proceedings were implemented. The amendment also specified that Members participating remotely should not connect or disconnect from videoconferencing technology while a division is taking place.

In addition, the Speaker issued corresponding guidance for Members participating remotely, including expectations with respect to conduct and decorum, procedural considerations including quorum and voting, and technical requirements. The guidance applies to all proceedings of the House, including Committee of the Whole, and Committee of Supply, and to parliamentary committee proceedings. These amendments and the guidance align with a recommendation of the Working Group on Parliamentary Culture from its February 2024 report, which related to authorizing remote participation on a permanent basis (see Spring 2024 issue).

On May 9, 2024, the Legislative Assembly agreed to amend the Standing Orders to implement significant changes for the consideration of Private Members’ business. The amendments are based on the recommendations of the October 2023 report of the Special Committee to Review Private Members’ Business and represent the most substantive changes to the Standing Orders in several decades. Private Members’ business in BC is primarily conducted during two hours on Monday mornings reserved for Private Members’ Time. Currently, the first hour is used for Private Members’ statements and the second to consider Private Members’ motions. Very few Private Members’ bills are debated or passed in BC. The amendments shorten the time spent on statements to 30 minutes, provide equal precedence to Private Members’ motions and bills in the order of business on Monday mornings, and implements a draw at the beginning of a new Parliament to establish the assigned placement of Private Members to propose business for the duration of that Parliament. New time limits have also been added for individual speaking times for both motions and each stage of debate for bills, as well as overall time limits to dispose of the main question. Private Members’ bills will now be committed to a new Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills after a bill has received Second Reading. The new Committee will be required to report the bill back to the House with or without amendment within 30 sitting days. The amendments also enable all items of Private Members’ business to maintain their place on the Order Paper at the start of a new Session in the same Parliament. The amendments will take effect on September 9, 2024, intended to be in place for the start of the next Parliament.

Members’ Farewell Addresses

The House adopted motions on May 2, 9, and 16, 2024, to allow Members not seeking re-election in the 43rd provincial general election to deliver a farewell address. Seventeen Members made such addresses reflecting on their time as a Member and highlighting their efforts to serve their constituencies and the province at large. Many Members paid tribute to other Members and Legislative Assembly staff, and shared reflections on serving their communities, as well as amusing anecdotes about their time at the Legislative Assembly.

Parliamentary Committees

A number of parliamentary committees presented reports during the spring sitting period. The Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth and the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts presented their annual summaries of activities on April 29 and May 14, 2024, respectively. The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services presented its Interim Report on Statutory Offices on May 15, 2024. The report provides a summary of the financial and operational updates provided by the province’s nine statutory officers, including progress updates on priority areas and performance metrics. This year, the Committee also received updates regarding the overall workplace culture in each office, including information about respectful workplace policies and procedures.

Two committees completed inquiries on specific policy issues. The Select Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fish and Food presented its report, Carbon Sequestration and Related Technology in British Columbia’s Agricultural Sector, on April 11, 2024. The Committee made 12 recommendations aimed at promoting the adoption of practices and technologies that sequester carbon, reducing barriers to government programs, and streamlining data collection. The Special Committee to Review Passenger Directed Vehicles presented its report on May 9, 2024, with 34 recommendations aimed at ensuring effective regulation of the passenger directed vehicle industry; improving service provision, including accessibility and services in small, rural, and remote communities; and enhancing data collection to support evidence-based decision-making.

The Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills presented two reports on May 8, 2024: one on the revision of the Civil Forfeiture Act (S.B.C. 2005, c. 29), pursuant to the Statute Revision Act, and another on the Committee’s review of Bill Pr 401, Vancouver Foundation Act.

Two special committees tasked with recommending the appointment of statutory officers also presented reports. On April 11, 2024, the Special Committee to Appoint an Information and Privacy Commissioner presented its report with a unanimous recommendation to the Legislative Assembly that the Lieutenant Governor appoint Michael Harvey for a six-year term. On the same day, the Legislative Assembly adopted the report and a motion recommending that the Lieutenant Governor appoint Mr. Harvey as Information and Privacy Commissioner, who serves concurrently as the Registrar for Lobbyists. On May 15, 2024, the Special Committee to Appoint a Human Rights Commissioner presented its report with a unanimous recommendation that the Legislative Assembly appoint Kasari Govender for a second five- year term. The Legislative Assembly subsequently adopted the report and a motion to reappoint Ms. Govender.

Party Standings

Selina Robinson, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville, left the BC NDP caucus to sit as an Independent Member on March 6, 2024. In addition, Lorne Doerkson, MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin, and Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South, left the BC United caucus to join the Conservative Party of British Columbia caucus on May 31 and June 3, 2024, respectively. As of writing, party standings are: 55 BC NDP, 24 BC United, four Conservative Party of British Columbia, two BC Green Party, and two Independents.

Reconciliation Action Plan

The Legislative Assembly’s first Reconciliation Action Plan was adopted by the Legislative Assembly Management Committee on May 7, 2024, and released publicly by the Speaker on May 8, 2024, during an event held at the Parliament Buildings. The event was attended by Members, staff, and Indigenous representatives from the First Nations Leadership Council, Songhees Nation and Esquimalt Nation, as well as members of the Speaker’s Indigenous Reconciliation Advisory Committee.

The Action Plan covers 2024-2028 and includes five commitments related to understanding, education, inclusion, representation, and commemoration. It also outlines seven initial actions, including: issuing an official apology to First Nations in BC; more inclusion of Indigenous customs and cultures into the rules, practices, and symbols of the Legislative Assembly; and developing a plan for a memorial garden to commemorate the tragic legacy of Indian Residential Schools in BC and across Canada. The Action Plan also includes commitments to continue to strengthen relationships with Indigenous Peoples who will guide the development of further actions.

In conjunction with the release of the Action Plan, the Legislative Assembly also released a research publication, First Nations and the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia: A Record of Historical Actions, Decisions and Statements in Legislative Proceedings, 1872 – 1972. This publication documents the evolution of the historic relationship between the Legislative Assembly and First Nations through 874 records of decisions and debates related to First Nations during the first 100 years of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

Lisa Hill

Committee Research Analyst

Yukon

2024 Fall Sitting

The 2024 Fall Sitting of the First Session of the 35th Legislative Assembly is expected to commence during the first week of October, pursuant to the provisions in Standing Order 75(10). As the 2024 Spring Sitting concluded on May 2, after 32 sitting days, the Fall Sitting can be a maximum of 28 sitting days in length.

Electoral boundaries

As noted in Yukon’s previous legislative report, on May 10, 2024, the Electoral District Boundaries Commission submitted an interim report to the Speaker, pursuant to section 415(2) of the Elections Act.

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.

Following the release of the interim report, the Commission gathered feedback, holding 15 public hearings in communities across the territory. Additionally, two virtual public hearings were held by videoconference and the public was invited to submit written comments throughout the process. The submissions received have been largely critical of the reduction in the number of rural ridings.

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.

Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform

The Yukon Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform is continuing its examination of electoral systems. The citizens’ assembly must issue a report by October 31, 2024, recommending whether the current voting system should be retained or another model should be adopted.

The 38-member citizens’ assembly is comprised of two individuals from each Yukon electoral district and is chaired by Sara McPhee-Knowles. A roughly representative cross-section of the territorial population was selected by the Yukon Bureau of Statistics according to the terms of reference adopted by the Legislative Assembly on November 7, 2023.

The first two gatherings of the citizens’ assembly took place in May and June. The learning sessions were open to the public via videoconference and covered topics including governance values, the political development of Yukon, and different voting systems.

Allison Lloyd

Acting Deputy Clerk

Ontario

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario had a busy spring meeting period before the House adjourned on June 6, 2024. During this period two by-elections were held, significant amendments to the Standing Orders were adopted, and a Member delivered a speech in an Indigenous language in the House for the first time.

Standing Order Amendments

On March 27, 2024, Deputy Government House Leader Trevor Jones, moved a motion to amend the Standing Orders. Debate on the motion spanned several days before carrying on April 8, 2024. This is the second amendment to the Standing Orders this year.

The motion included a broad range of amendments, such as allowing time for independent Members to respond to ministerial statements, permitting any Parliamentary Assistant to respond during adjournment debates, as well as modifying the process for substituting Members in committee. Noteworthy changes were also made to the mandate of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (SCPHA) and to the rules regarding the presentation of petitions, as follows:

Mandate of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

Additional responsibilities were conferred on the SCPHA. The Committee is now empowered to, at the beginning of a Parliament and from time to time as required, appoint or revise the membership of the other standing committees and of any select committees as indicated by the House. However, the amendments do not affect the authority of the House to appoint or revise committee memberships by routine motion.

Petitions

Another amendment changed the rules for the presentation of petitions. Members are now required to present petitions by giving a summary of their contents, rather than by reading the text of the petitions in full (which had previously been permitted). In response to this change, the Speaker made a number of statements outlining the information that may be included in a summary, and reminding Members that brief statements allow for more petitions to be presented within the time allotted to the proceeding.

Order and Decorum

This spring, the Speaker made several statements regarding order and decorum, reminding Members that attire or accessories conveying a political message may not be worn in the Chamber, unless the House has granted unanimous consent for a Member to do so. Members made several attempts to obtain the unanimous consent of the House to wear the keffiyeh, but none were successful. On a few occasions, Members were warned for wearing the keffiyeh in the Chamber, and subsequently named. On May 6, 2024, the Speaker made a statement regarding the controversy, clarifying that he was enforcing the existing rules and practices of the legislature and that the keffiyeh was not being singled out since any garment making a political statement is disallowed in the Chamber.

By-election Results

On May 2, 2024, by-elections were held in the ridings of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex and Milton following the resignations of Monte McNaughton and Parm Gill, respectively. The newly elected MPPs Zee Hamid of Milton and Steve Pinsonneault of Lambton— Kent—Middlesex, both representing the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, were introduced in the House and took their seats for the first time on May 27, 2024.

Indigenous Language Spoken in the Chamber

As a result of a Standing Order amendment adopted on March 26, 2024, Members are now permitted to address the House in an Indigenous language spoken in Canada, in addition to English and French. On May 28, 2024, Ontario received international news coverage when MPP Sol Mamakwa delivered a speech and asked questions during Question Period in Anishininiimowin (known as Oji-Cree in English). Simultaneous interpretation into English and French was provided, and the remarks were transcribed in syllabics in Hansard. Guests, including MPP Mamaka’s mother, filled the galleries to witness this historic moment.

Committee of the Whole

On June 5, 2024, the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole to consider Bill 200, An Act to amend various Acts with respect to homebuyers and homeowners, properties of cultural heritage value or interest and certain planning matters. This is noteworthy because up until this most recent meeting, the Committee of the Whole had met only 11 times since 1998. Few bills have been referred to the Committee since a lengthy filibuster in 1997, during which the Committee met around the clock for the better part of 10 days. The June 5 meeting was considerably briefer, with the Committee of the Whole stage lasting about 12 minutes before the bill was reported back to the House without amendment. Bill 200 was then immediately called for Third Reading, which carried that same day, and it received Royal Assent the following day.

Adjournment and Cabinet shuffle

On June 6, 2024, the House adopted a motion providing that when it adjourn that day it shall stand adjourned until October 21, 2024. This represents a change to the parliamentary calendar, with the adjournment period beginning one week ahead of the regular schedule and a delayed start to the fall meeting period, which otherwise would have begun on September 9, 2024. Prior to adjourning, the House also authorized several committees to meet during the summer adjournment period.

Shortly after the House rose for the summer, a Cabinet shuffle was announced. New members of the Executive Council include Natalia Kusendova- Bashta as Minister of Long-Term Care, Mike Harris as Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Sam Oosterhoff as Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, Stephen Crawford as Associate Minister of Mines, Nolan Quinn as Associate Minister of Forestry, and Mr. Jones as Associate Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

Committees

After the Estimates were tabled on April 22, 2024, the policy field committees met to select Estimates for review. Having been authorized by the House to do so, the committees will meet for this purpose in June, September and October of 2024.

Standing Committee on Justice Policy

On April 18, 2024, the House referred a study on Intimate Partner Violence to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy. The Committee is expected to begin its study this summer.

Public Accounts

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts held hearings on its review of the following audits from the 2023 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario:

• Tourism Support Programs
• Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Ottawa Convention Centre
• Review of Government Advertising
• Special Report on Changes to the Greenbelt

The Committee also tabled its report on the Value- for-Money Audit: Ontario Energy Board: Electricity Oversight and Consumer Protection from the 2022 Annual Report of the Auditor General on May 28, 2024.

The following Government Bills were also considered in committee:

• Bill 159, An Act to amend the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019

• Bill 162, An Act to enact the Protecting Against Carbon Taxes Act, 2024 and amend various Acts

• Bill 165, An Act to amend the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 respecting certain Board proceedings and related matters

• Bill 166, An Act to amend the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act

• Bill 171, An Act to enact the Veterinary Professionals Act, 2024 and amend or repeal various acts

• Bill 180, An Act to implement Budget measures and to enact and amend various statutes

• Bill 185, An Act to amend various Acts

• Bill 188, An Act to amend the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 and various other Acts

Thushitha Kobikrishna

Committee Clerk

Saskatchewan

Adjournment of the spring sitting

The spring sitting of the fourth session of the twenty- ninth legislature was adjourned on May 16, 2024. Prior to adjournment of the sitting, committees spent more than 75 hours in consideration of estimates before the sums were reported, approved, and included in an appropriation bill. On May 8, 2024, Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty gave Royal Assent to the appropriation bill along with eight other bills, bringing the total number of bills passed during the session to 25.

Condolence Motions for Former MLAs

Motions of condolence honouring nine former MLAs who recently passed away were moved by Premier Scott Moe and Deputy Premier Donna Harpauer and spoken to by members on both sides of the House on May 6, 2024. The Assembly subsequently passed a transmittal motion authorizing the Speaker to transmit copies of the official records of the tributes to the bereaved families.

Naming of a Member

During adjourned debates on April 15, 2024, Speaker Randy Weekes rose and stated that, as Speaker, he had received “hundreds and hundreds” of text messages from the Government House Leader, the Deputy Government House Leader, and the Minister of Finance. He proceeded to read into the record a text message he had received from the Minister of Finance in response to a ruling he made earlier that day, which accused him of allowing the Assembly to “become a joke and a stage for an opposition puppet show.” He informed the member that if she was inclined to comment on his rulings, she should rise on a point of order. He then asked her to withdraw and apologize for the message, which she did.

As proceedings resumed, Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison made an unparliamentary comment that was not audible on the official record. When the Speaker asked him to withdraw and apologize, he refused and left the Chamber. Mr. Harrison was subsequently named by the Speaker for disregarding the authority of the Chair and suspended for the remainder of the sitting day.

Speaker’s Allegations of Intimidation and Harassment

On May 15, 2024, the second last day of the spring sitting, the Speaker rose before orders of the day and, without leave being asked or granted, read into the record a letter written to him by former Sergeant-at- Arms Terry Quinn in late November 2021, shortly after The Legislative Assembly Amendment Act, 2021 was introduced in the Assembly. As discussed in previous articles, this legislation reduced the Sergeant-at- Arms’ jurisdiction to the floor of the Chamber of the Legislative Assembly while establishing a new security team for the Legislative Building, which reports to the Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. In the letter, Mr. Quinn alleged that, following the bill’s introduction, statements made both inside and outside of the Chamber by then Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Christine Tell assassinated his character, defamed his reputation, and amounted to harassment. The Speaker then read into the record an email sent to Minister Tell by Mr. Quinn’s wife, which further alleged that the minister’s comments had hurt and humiliated their family.

That evening, Speaker Weekes posted a photo on social media of his Saskatchewan Party membership card cut in half, accompanied by the caption “Enough is Enough.”

The following day, the Government House Leader moved a motion to adjourn the spring sitting. Before putting the question on the motion, however, the Speaker rose and, again without asking leave, made a personal statement containing numerous allegations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour by the Government House Leader and other members of the government caucus. Among these were assertions that House leadership had attempted to influence his decisions by way of intimidating and harassing text messages and threatening gestures, claims of physical intimidation by both government MLAs and caucus staff, and allegations that the Government House Leader had both sought permission to carry a handgun in the Legislative Assembly and brought a hunting rifle into the building.

At the conclusion of his remarks, the Speaker put the question on the motion to adjourn the session, and the Assembly adjourned.

Government House Leadership Changes

On May 24, 2024, Mr. Harrison announced his resignation as Government House Leader after disclosing that he had brought a firearm into the Legislative Building roughly a decade ago. Former Deputy Government House Leader Lori Carr replaced Mr. Harrison as Government House Leader, while Paul Merriman was appointed Deputy Government House Leader. Mr. Harrison remains a member of cabinet.

Meeting of the House Services Committee and Passage of Amended Motion

Following the allegations made by Speaker Weekes, a 2016 email sent by a former Acting Sergeant-at-Arms detailing the aforementioned incident was leaked to the media and the public. This prompted the Opposition to request a meeting of the Standing Committee on House Services to investigate the Speaker’s allegations. Speaker Weekes, who serves as Chair of the committee, scheduled a committee meeting for June 17, 2024.

During the House Services committee meeting, Opposition MLA Vicki Mowat presented three motions. The first motion proposed calling on Premier Moe, Mr. Harrison, Ms. Carr, and the Premier’s senior advisor Reg Downs to appear as witnesses before the committee at a future committee meeting. The second motion sought the appointment of an independent investigator to examine all the Speaker’s allegations. The third motion called for the appointment of an independent investigator to carry out an investigation into the Speaker’s allegation that the member from Meadow Lake brought a long gun into the Legislative Building. The first motion was amended to instead call for the utilization of the legislature’s anti-harassment policy by any member wishing to make a harassment complaint, while the latter two motions were voted down.

Cabinet Responsibility Change

On May 17, 2024, Premier Moe announced that Colleen Young, MLA for Lloydminster, would replace Gordon Wyant, MLA for Saskatoon Northwest, as Minister of Advanced Education. Mr. Wyant, who previously confirmed he will not seek re-election in 2024, resigned from his cabinet position earlier that day. This marks Ms. Young’s first appointment to cabinet.

Additionally, on May 27, 2024, Joe Hargrave resigned from his position as Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement and confirmed he would not be running in the upcoming provincial election. Premier Moe subsequently announced Terry Jenson, MLA for Martensville-Warman, as the new Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement. This appointment also marks Mr. Jenson’s first time serving in cabinet.

Member Resignation

On June 10, 2024, Mr. Wyant resigned as the Member for Saskatoon Northwest. Following his resignation, he officially announced his candidacy for Saskatoon mayor.

Party Leadership Change

Nadine Wilson, MLA for Saskatchewan Rivers, announced on May 16, 2024, that she was stepping down as leader of the Saskatchewan United Party (SUP). Ms. Wilson, who sits as an independent member in the Assembly, has served as SUP’s leader since the party was officially registered in late 2022. Jon Hromek, who does not hold a seat in the legislature, replaces Ms. Wilson as leader.

Governor General Visit to Legislative Building Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, visited Saskatchewan’s Legislative Building on April 22, 2024, during her first official visit to the province. A welcoming ceremony to greet the Governor General was held at the Legislative Building and attended by Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty, Premier Moe, students, members of the public, and other dignitaries. An Honour Guard of troops from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was also present for inspection. The visit focused on issues including climate change, mental health, education, and reconciliation.

Resignation From Caucus

On June 24, 2024, Speaker Randy Weekes announced his resignation from the Saskatchewan Party caucus. He will remain in his role as Speaker while serving as an independent member for the constituency of Biggar-Sask Valley.

Tamikani Nkhata

Procedural Assistant

New Brunswick

The Third Session of the 60th Legislature adjourned on April 2, 2024, after concluding the Budget Debate in the prescribed five sitting days. The House sat again on May 7 to resume the spring session.

Committee Activity

The Standing Committee on Estimates and Fiscal Policy, chaired by Ryan Cullins, met in the Legislative Assembly Chamber for four weeks in April to review and approve the budgetary estimates of various government departments and entities. The Committee presented its report to the House on May 7.

The Standing Committee on Economic Policy, chaired by Deputy Speaker Michelle Conroy, held 12 meetings in May and June to consider 21 pieces of The Standing Committee on Private Bills, also chaired by Mr. Cullins, met to discuss Bill 31, An Act to Amend An Act Respecting the Law Society of New Brunswick; Bill 43, An Act to Incorporate the New Brunswick Regulatory College of Medical Radiation Technologists; and Bill 44, An Act to Amend the New Brunswick Association of Social Workers Act. The Committee presented its report to the House on May 28, recommending the three bills to the favourable consideration of the House.

On June 4 and 6, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Chuck Chiasson, met with Paul Martin, the Province’s Auditor General, for the release of the Report of the Auditor General of New Brunswick, Volume I, Performance Audit, 2024. The report made recommendations as a result of the audits of travel nurse contracts; pupil transportation policies and guidelines; the New Brunswick Housing Corporation’s strategy entitled NB Housing Strategy: Housing for All; and the Mental Health Trust Fund. The Committee subsequently held an additional three days of hearings to scrutinize the public entities who contracted private nursing agencies at a cost of over $173 million, as the audit found a lack of data-driven decision-making, vendor-selection processes, and proper contract development, management, or oversight.

Changes to Cabinet and Resignations

As a result of Gary Crossman’s resignation as Minister of Environment and Climate Change effective April 19, his ministerial responsibilities were transferred to Glen Savoie. On May 2, Mr. Savoie officially became Minister of Environment and Climate Change in addition to Minister of Local Government, Minister responsible for La Francophonie, and Government House Leader.

On April 30, Mr. Crossman resigned as the Member for Hampton, citing that his political beliefs no longer aligned with the direction of his party. First elected in the 2014 general election, Mr. Crossman was re-elected in 2018 and 2020. During his time at the Legislature, in addition to serving as Minister of Environment and Climate Change, he served as Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation and as a chair and member of various standing committees.

On the same day, Trevor Holder resigned as the Member for Portland–Simonds. First elected in the 1999 general election, Mr. Holder was re-elected in 2003, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2020. During his time at the Legislature, he served as Minister of Environment and Local Government; Minister of Tourism and Parks; Minister of Wellness, Culture and Sport; Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, and Deputy Speaker. He served on various standing and select committees, most notably as Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

Another change to Cabinet occurred on June 20, when Mike Holland resigned as Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development, Minister of Indigenous Affairs, and as the Member for Albert. Mr. Holland also served on various standing and select committees during his time at the Legislature and will now take on new professional challenges in the private sector. Minister of Justice and Attorney General Hugh J.A. Flemming will assume responsibility for the Natural Resources and Energy Development portfolio, while Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation Réjean Savoie will add the Department of Indigenous Affairs to his responsibilities.

Visit of the Governor General of Canada

On June 4, Premier Blaine Higgs and Speaker Bill Oliver officially welcomed Governor General Mary Simon and Whit Fraser to the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly. After her inspection of the military guard of honour and salute, the Governor General greeted the assembled Members outside on the grounds of the Legislature, and then proceeded inside to sign the Distinguished Visitors Book in the Office of the Speaker.

Legislation

Forty-eight bills were introduced during the Third session of the 60th Legislative Assembly, of which 41 received Royal Assent. Legislation of note in the spring session included:

• Bill 36, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicle Act, introduced by Public Safety Minister Kris Austin, implemented an immediate roadside suspension program, which grants peace officers discretion to issue an immediate roadside suspension or charges under the Criminal Code should a person fail or refuse a roadside screening test. The program is based on similar models in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba that have contributed to a reduction in alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities. The Bill was twice amended by the Minister on May 31 and received Royal Assent on June 7.
• Bill 37, An Act to Amend the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act, introduced by Mr. Austin, required applications for a salvage dealer licence to include a fire marshal-approved safety and layout plan; increased administrative penalties for noncompliance of the Act; established ministerial authority to temporarily suspend a salvage dealer licence during noncompliance investigations and to apply special conditions to a salvage dealer licence. This bill arose from an investigative report by a joint Government of New Brunswick and Port of Saint John task force on the industrial explosion in the Port of Saint John at the American Iron and Metal facility on September 14, 2023. The Bill received Royal Assent on June 7.

• Bill 47, Accessibility Act, introduced by Post- Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Greg Turner, instituted an accessibility office, a compliance director, and an advisory board through which accessibility standards will be developed, codified by regulation, and enforced. The Act outlines in its purpose that a more accessible New Brunswick will be achieved by 2040 by creating standards respecting government services, transportation, education, employment, the built environment, housing, information and communications, and sport and recreation. The Bill received Royal Assent on June 7.

Resolutions

Motion 49, introduced by Opposition Critic for Post- Secondary Education, Training and Labour Marco LeBlanc, urged the government to refrain from spending any public funds on advertising campaigns directed at other levels of government. After being debated for the prescribed 120 minutes, the motion was defeated.

Motion 50, introduced by Ms. Conroy, urged the Parliament of Canada to pass Bill S-273, An Act to declare the Chignecto Isthmus Dykeland System and related works to be for the general advantage of Canada. The motion was carried and was forwarded to the Prime Minister of Canada; the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities; and all New Brunswick Members of the House of Commons and Senators.

Sitting Days and Standings

The Third Session of the 60th Legislature adjourned on June 7 after 50 sitting days. The next provincial general election is scheduled on or before October 21. The current standings in the House are 25 Progressive Conservatives, 16 Liberals, three Greens, one Independent, and four vacancies.

Alicia R. Del Frate

Committee Clerk and Parliamentary Assistant

Manitoba

2nd Session of the 43rd Legislature

The Second Session of the 43rd Legislature resumed on March 6, 2024 and adjourned for the summer officially on June 3, 2024. Technically the Assembly sat until the following morning until 12:52 a.m. as there were multiple recorded votes on 21 Government Bills that received Concurrence and Third Reading. It was a relatively busy session as in addition to those Bills, six Private Members Bills also received Royal Assent in the wee hours of that morning.

The House is set to resume sitting on October 2, 2024. This upcoming sitting period promises to be extremely busy, especially for Committees, as the Estimates process in the Committee of Supply still needs to be completed and the Official Opposition designated the following four Bills (they had the option to designate up to five Bills) for delayed consideration in the Fall:

Bill 7 – The Public Sector Construction Projects (Tendering) Repeal Act repeals The Public Sector Construction Projects (Tendering) Act that concerned tenders issued by government and other public sector bodies in relation to construction projects. That Act prohibited the issuing of a tender that would require the successful bidder to employ unionized employees or non-unionized employees for work on the project.

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

Bill 16 – The Regulatory Accountability Reporting Act and Amendments to the Statutes and Regulations Act requires the government to make available to the public and the Assembly an annual report on its regulatory accountability initiatives. The Regulatory Accountability Act will also be repealed and the Bill will make the following amendments to The Statutes and Regulations Act to:

• clarify when consultation on a proposed regulation is required;
• change the time period for consultation from 45 days to 30 days;
• provide that a regulation may not be declared invalid solely for failing to comply with the Act’s requirements for regulatory accountability; and
• deal with the repeal of The Regulatory Accountability Act.

Bill 21 – The Public Schools Amendment Act expands 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.

In addition, 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.

The Advocate for Children and Youth Act Review

On March 4, 2024, the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs began its comprehensive five-year review of The Advocate for Children and Youth Act, as mandated by legislation. At this meeting, a motion was passed to conduct the review in the following manner: 1) to hear recommendations from the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, and 2) to hear an unlimited number of public presentations. It was also agreed that the Committee would accept written submissions.

This was the first time in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba’s history that such a review took place. Due to its lack of precedent or detailed guidelines for such a process, extensive consultation, research, and surveying of other jurisdictions was done in advance of presenting potential options to the Committee Members. Fortunately, several other jurisdictions have conducted similar reviews in the recent past, and the Manitoba Committees Branch is appreciative of its counterparts for helpfully sharing their knowledge. The Committee heard 10 public presentations and received 10 written submissions. Many individuals shared their personal stories and experiences in addition to feedback on the legislation itself. This five-year review was certainly a learning experience and has set a new precedent in Manitoba.

Assembly interaction with the Office of the Ethics Commissioner

The Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act came into force on October 4, 2023. It replaced The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Conflict of Interest Act. The Act allows any Member of the Legislative Assembly, who has reasonable grounds to believe that another Member has contravened the Act, to ask the Ethics Commissioner to give an opinion whether another Member has breached the Act. Only a Member of the Legislative Assembly can make this request. The request must be made on a form provided by the Commissioner and must set out the grounds for the belief and the nature of the alleged contravention which must not be more than two years old.

On January 12, 2024, Mike Moyes, Caucus Chairperson of the governing New Democratic Party, formally filed complaints with the Legislative Assembly’s Ethics Commissioner against former Premier and then Progressive Conservative Opposition Leader Heather Stefanson, and Red River North MLA Jeff Wharton, a former Progressive Conservative Cabinet Minister. On May 28, 2024, Moyes tabled two more complaints, this time against Opposition House Leader Derek Johnson and former MLA and Progressive Conservative Minister Cliff Cullen. On June 3, 2024, Caucus Chairperson of the Official Opposition, Greg Nesbitt, filed a complaint against current Minister Ian Bushie.

The legislation requires a Member making the request to table a copy of it in the Assembly within five sitting days or distribute it to all Members via the Speaker if the House is not sitting on the day the complaint was filed. The Commissioner thereafter initiates an investigation. After conducting an inquiry, the Commissioner must give a written report to the Member whose conduct is the subject of the inquiry and to the Speaker. If, after conducting an inquiry, the Commissioner is of the opinion that the Member has contravened the Act, the Commissioner may recommend that any of the following penalties be imposed:

• the Member be reprimanded;
• the Member be fined an amount not exceeding $50,000;
• the Member’s right to sit and vote in the Assembly be suspended for a specified period or until the fulfilment of a condition imposed by the Commissioner;
• the Member’s seat be declared vacant.

However, the Commissioner must recommend that no penalty be imposed if the Commissioner determines that there was a contravention of the Act but is of the opinion that

• the Member was acting in accordance with the Commissioner’s recommendations; and
• the Member had, before receiving those recommendations, disclosed to the Commissioner all the relevant facts that were known to the Member.

The Commissioner may also recommend that no penalty be imposed if the Commissioner is of the opinion that

• a contravention occurred even though the Member took all reasonable measures to prevent it; or
• a contravention occurred that was trivial or that was committed through inadvertence or an error of judgment made in good faith.

The Assembly will likely have to consider a report of the Commissioner this Fall as the Act requires such consideration within 10 sitting days after the report is tabled. This will also be the first time in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba’s history that such a review will need to take place. The Assembly can either order the penalty recommended by the Commissioner be imposed or can reject the recommendation. The Assembly cannot impose a penalty other than the one recommended by the Commissioner and cannot inquire further into the matter or impose a penalty other than the one recommended by the Commissioner. The Assembly’s decision is final and conclusive, however, there is no time limit for the House to deal with a report if it found that the filing Member had no reasonable grounds to make the complaint.

Virtual participation permanent – Originated by Sessional Order

The Assembly has adopted a number of rule changes that will take effect at the start of the next Session (currently scheduled for November 19, 2024), which, among other items, will permanently incorporate provisions that enable virtual participation of Members. A Sessional Order originally initiated virtual sittings on October 7, 2020, to deal with the pandemic. The original Sessional Order had been extended on numerous occasions due to its successful implementation; however, that Sessional Order was allowed to lapse upon the dissolution of the 42nd Legislature in order to allow the newly elected Assembly to decide upon it being accepted on a permanent basis. The Order was largely reinstated on November 9, 2023 and has been extended in the interim until the session resumes after which the new rules will take effect.

Further Rule Changes

In addition to adapting the rules to make virtual participation permanent, the Legislature passed further changes to the rules of the House that will also take effect at the start of the next Session. Some of the other permanent rule changes include:

Amending the Sessional Calendar to ensure that the House does not sit on Indigenous Veteran’s Day or Orange Shirt Day.

• Further clarification of Specified Bill criteria;
• Clarification of emergency provisions;
• Exempting the election of the Speaker from virtual provisions;
• Adding Ministerial Statements to the provision allowing Ministers to include up to 50 names in Hansard;
• Requiring Whips to provide Committee Clerks a Membership list at least one hour before meetings;
• Extending virtual provisions to presenters and allowing for more Members to question presenters during meeting, whilst limiting the number of out- of-province presenters to two, unless there is an agreement by the House Leaders or the unanimous consent of the Committee hearing the presenters;
• Provisions streamlining the Budget process.

Resignation of Heather Stefanson and By-election Results

After 23 years of service, former Premier Heather Stefanson announced her resignation which officially took effect on May 6, 2024. She became Manitoba’s first woman Premier in 2021 and she served in that role until the Progressive Conservatives were defeated by the New Democratic Party in the October 2023 election. On June 18, 2024, voters in the Tuxedo constituency elected New Democratic Party candidate Carla Compton. She was elected in the Winnipeg riding that has previously only voted Progressive Conservative in its entire four- decade history.

New Clerk of Committees Melanie Ching

In May 2024, Melanie Ching was hired as the new Clerk Assistant/Clerk of Committees. Melanie studied Political Science at Carleton University, where she worked as a Senate Page. She continued at Carleton and completed a Master of Arts in Canadian Studies before joining the federal public service as a junior policy analyst. She moved home to Winnipeg in 2019 and joined the Manitoba public service as a senior policy analyst. We are very excited to have Mel as part of the team and wish her the best of luck in her career here at the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

Greg Recksiedler

Research Officer/Clerk Assistant

Newfoundland and Labrador

Conclusion of Spring 2024 Sitting

In accordance with the parliamentary calendar, the Assembly resumed for the Spring sitting on April 15 and sat for approximately six weeks, adjourning to the call of the Chair on May 29.

During the remainder of the Spring 2024 sitting the Legislature passed 15 bills, which received Royal Assent on May 29.

The annual budget process continued, with Standing Committees reviewing the Estimates and other related proceedings until April 29. The Budget passed in the House of Assembly on May 2.

Due to continuing circumstances surrounding protests in the vicinity of the parliamentary precinct and visitors not respecting established protocols in the public galleries, the Speaker issued a further public statement on April 14 recognizing the ongoing demonstrations, highlighting the rights of Members to perform their duties without obstruction and requesting the cooperation of those visiting the premises.

The Minister of Justice raised a point of privilege on May 21 regarding the alleged premature disclosure of Bill 74, An Act to Amend the Limitations Act. The Speaker recessed the Assembly to consider the point of privilege and later ruled the Minister had established a prima facie breach of privilege by way of contempt. In accordance with Standing Order 34, the matter then took priority over all business of the Assembly and the Minister moved, and the Assembly voted, that the matter be referred to the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections.

On May 22, the following day, the Opposition House Leader rose on a point of privilege regarding remarks made by the Minister of Justice the day prior respecting the previous point of privilege. After some debate, the Speaker recessed the House to consider the point of privilege and later ruled there was no prima facie breach of privilege.

Also on May 22, the Member for Torngat Mountains, Lela Evans, rose on a point of privilege regarding early access to bills and the timing of government briefings in order to appropriately scrutinize legislation in preparation for debate. While the Speaker found that there was no prima facie breach of privilege, he committed to the Assembly that he would write the Standing Orders Committee on behalf of Members to consider whether any amendments may be made to address the issues raised by the Opposition House Leader and the Member for Torngat Mountains.

Vacancies

On May 24, the Member for Waterford Valley and Minister of Health, Tom Osborne, announced he would be retiring as of July 2024. Mr. Osborne is this Assembly’s longest-serving Member, having served 28 years. His storied career spans various caucuses and parliamentary roles, including Speaker of the House of Assembly from 2015 to 2017.

A writ of election was issued by the Chief Electoral Officer on July 24, 2024. Jamie Korab (Liberal) was elected on August 22 and sworn-in on September 13.

Confederation 75

On April 1, 2024, the province marked its 75th year since Confederation with Canada in 1949. Along with a plethora of events and other commemorative opportunities provided by the Province, the Assembly’s participation included a social media campaign, a reconfiguration of the public gallery foyer displays and several education and outreach initiatives, including the Mace tour, which is detailed further in a separate article in this edition.

Commemorations will continue throughout the remainder of 2024.

Moose Hide Campaign 2024

On May 15, the Assembly participated in the Moose Hide Campaign, a grassroots movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians committed to protecting women and children and speaking out against gender-based and domestic violence. The campaign is grounded in Indigenous ceremony and traditional ways of learning and healing, and this year marked the seventh consecutive year of the Assembly’s participation.

Members of the House of Assembly began the day with reflection and prayer in the Assembly Chamber. The ceremony included a video message from Raven Lacerte, co-founder and national ambassador of the Moose Hide Campaign, a short video documentary regarding the Campaign, as well as reflection and prayer from Inuk Elder Emma Reelis.

Public Accounts Committee Public Hearing

On June 20, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts held a public hearing to follow up on matters contained in several reports of the Auditor General. At the hearing the Committee considered matters contained in the following reports:

• Adult Custody and Community Corrections Audit Report;
• Food Premises Inspection & Licensing Program Audit Report;
• Innovation and Business Investment Corporation Audit Report; and
• Office of the High Sheriff Audit Report.

Witnesses from the following entities appeared before the Committee to respond to questioning from Committee members:

• Adult Custody and Community Corrections, Department of Justice and Public Safety;

• Office of the High Sheriff, Department of Justice and Public Safety;
• Department of Health and Community Services;
• Department of Digital Government and Service NL; and
• Department of Industry, Energy and Technology.

On June 26, the Committee issued a statement on the hearing and the testimony provided.

Ceremony at the National War Memorial

On May 25, the remains of an unknown Newfoundland and Labrador First World War soldier killed on the battlefields of France arrived in this province. It marked the emotional and historically significant culmination of many years’ effort to return the remains.

From June 28-30, Confederation Building – in which the parliamentary precinct also resides – opened for public viewing of the lying in state of the unknown soldier.

The province celebrates July 1 as Canada Day, and also as Memorial Day, a time to remember the hundreds of people from the Royal Newfoundland Regiment who died during the battle of Beaumont- Hamel in northern France. On July 1, the Memorial Day ceremony and burial of the unknown soldier took place in downtown St. John’s at the National War Memorial, where the remains are now entombed. The Speaker, the Clerk and MHAs were honoured to attend ceremonies in their official capacities on behalf of the Legislature.

Mark Jerrett

Policy and Communications Analyst