PDF
| British Columbia
| New Brunswick
| Quebec
| House of Commons
|
Quebec
The first session of the
thirty-fourth legislature, which was opened on November 29,1989, was prorogued
by proclamation of the Lieutenant-Governor on Wednesday, March 18, 1992, at
11:00 p.m.
The National Assembly held 185
sittings during this first session, including four extraordinary sittings. The
first two extraordinary sittings were held on August 30 and September 4, 1990.
Their purpose was to discuss the conflict with the aboriginals at Chateauguay
and Oka, administration of the GST and consumption tax reform, and to establish
the Commission on the Political and Constitutional Future of Quebec, better
known as the Bélanger-Campeau Commission. The two other extraordinary sessions,
held October 27 and 28,1991, were called to enable the Assembly to pass Bill
120, An Act respecting health services and social services and amending various
legislative provisions, consideration of which was suspended at adjournment in
June in order to enable the parties involved to resolve a number of points in
dispute. This bill, containing more than 600 articles, provides for a
comprehensive reform of the administration of Quebec's health and social
services.
The National Assembly also passed
other important legislation. The new Civil Code of Quebec, reform of which was
undertaken in 1955, is the result of extensive consultation culminating in a
comprehensive report by the Office de revision du Code civil, which was tabled
in the National Assembly in 1978. Over the past decade, the Assembly has
considered a number of bills, which ultimately constituted the proposed Civil
Code tabled in the Assembly in December 1990, of which 3,168 articles were
ratified in December 1991.
Among the other important bills,
mention should be made of those concerning business hours and days in
commercial establishments, the practice of midwifery , the Quebec sales tax
and, lastly, Bill 150, An Act respecting the process for determining the
political and constitutional future of Quebec. This statute, which arose out of
the Bélanger-Campeau Commission report, provides for a referendum to be held on
Quebec sovereignty and the establishment of two special commissions, the first
to study all matters pertaining to Quebec's accession to full sovereignty, the
second to assess all offers for a new constitutional partnership made by the
Government of Canada and formally binding on the latter and the other
provinces.
Two by-elections were held during
this first session, the first in the riding of Montmorency, left vacant by the
resignation of Liberal MNA, Yves Séguin, also Minister of Labour and Minister
of Revenue. Jean Filion of the Parti Québécois won the seat. The second
by-election took place in the constituency of Anjou, which had been represented
by the former Liberal, then Independent MNA, René-Serge Larouche, until the
latter's resignation. The winning candidate was Pierre Bélanger of the Parti
Québécois.
Thirty-fourth Legislature
When the second session of the
thirty-fourth legislature opened on March 19,1992, the Lieutenant Governor Martial
Asselin, made his first speech from the throne since taking up his duties
on August.9, 1990 and observed that December 17 1992 next would mark the two
hundredth year in which there has been a Parliament constituted in Quebec City.
Activities are organised for the entire year to mark the bicentenary of
Quebec's parliamentary institutions. The Lieutenant-Governor then noted that
Quebec's constitutional status would occupy a large part of the National Assembly's
proceedings and that a considerable show of discipline in the administration of
public funds will be imperative. The main subjects which MNAs will be required
to debate will be funding of the health system, improvements in education
system performance, introduction of a labour force development policy,
industrial, scientific and technological development, Hydro-Quebec projects,
the exploitation and protection of forests, consequences of the globalisation
of markets and trade liberalisation, particularly as regards agriculture, the
environment and the regulation of dangerous wastes, the government's cultural
policy, problems in the Anglophone school system and the prospects for that
community in Quebec, and, lastly, the introduction of a recovery plan for the
Greater Montreal area.
From March 24 to April 7, 1992, the
Assembly debated the opening speech delivered by Premier Robert Bourassa. The
opposition made seven no-confidence motions during the debate.
On March 24, 1992, the President of
the Treasury Board tabled the government's estimates for 19921993. The
estimates totalled $41,019,000, a 5.8 per cent increase over the previous
year's estimates. The main increases came in votes for health and social
services, education and income security.
During March and April 1992, the
main topics debated in the National Assembly, particularly during Question
Period, where developments in the constitutional issue and Quebec's economic
situation. Parliamentarians also addressed other current issues such as the
Dunkel Report and the GA7T negotiations, collective agreements in the public
and para-public sectors, the apprehended effects of the QST (Quebec sales tax,
the Quebec counterpart of the GST), particularly with regard to cultural
industries and, lastly, the role of the Analysis and Information Centre
established by the government following the events of October 1970. This last
was the subject of a no-confidence motion.
The National Assembly changed its
regulations on a number of occasions during this last session. Permanent
amendments were made to the committee system. Provisional amendments were made
to the work schedule of the Assembly and its parliamentary commissions, as well
as certain provisions governing end of sitting debates.
Jean Bédard, Assembly Secretariat
Committees
By April 24, 1992, the eight
standing commissions had held 94 sittings totalling 312 hours for the months of
February to April 1992. This period of the year is usually devoted to public
hearings on the terms of reference which the Assembly assigns to the
commissions and to a number of control and parliamentary activities.
During the quarter, nearly 50
percent of the commissions' working time was devoted to the consideration of
bills, four of which were the subject of public hearings, and 13 of clause-by-clause
study. The commissions took advantage of the sessional breaks to audit the
financial commitments of the departments and public agencies within their
fields of jurisdiction, then, in mid-April, undertook the annual study of
estimates. By April 30, more than half of the envelope of 200 hours allocated
for this purpose had been used. The terms of reference of a number of
commissions should be underscored. The Commission on Development received 31
briefs and heard 28 persons and agencies in the course of its public hearings
on Bill 412, An Act respecting the Office de protection de l'environnement du
Québec and amending various legislative provisions. On April 9,1992, the
Commission also tabled a final report containing 71 recommendations based on
its study, initiated by its members, of the procedure for assessing and
examining environmental impacts. The Commission
also tabled a report on April 15
'1992, which was the culmination of another assembly mandate to examine the
orientations, activities and management of the Quebec Property Assessment
Review Board. The report contained nine recommendations.
The Commission on Social Affairs
held public hearings on a document entitled, Equitable Funding We Can Afford,
which states the government's orientations regarding funding of the Quebec
health care system. The Commission invited 50 individuals and organisations and
heard 39. The Commission also conducted a general consultation on Bill 408, An
Act respecting the Société québécoise de développement de la main-d'oeuvre and
on a document entitled Partners for a Competent and Competitive Quebec. The
Commission received 85 briefs and heard 67 individuals and organisations. The
Commission also had the last word in its report on its review of the situation
prevailing at the Metropolitan Montreal Health Emergency Corporation, The
report was tabled on March 26,1992, and contained five recommendations.
The Budget and Administration
Commission mainly conducted a detailed study of a number of bills including
Bill 407, An Act to amend the Taxation Act and other fiscal legislation. The
Commission also conducted a quarterly study of the government's budgetary
policy and of developments in public finances. It also heard the Auditor
General of Quebec in the context of its study of his report for the 1990-1991
fiscal year, and initiated two new mandates, one on modernisation of the public
service, the other on a review of the public accounts and accountability of
public servants.
The Commission on the Economy and
Labour held public hearings on Bill I SS, An Act to amend the Act respecting
labour relations, vocational training and manpower management in the
construction industry. The Commission received 16 briefs and heard 12
individuals and organisations. The Commission also examined Hydro-Québec's
proposed rate schedule for 1992.
The Commission on Institutions
consulted six experts and conducted a detailed study of Bill 404, An Act to
amend the Act respecting the conditions of employment and the pension plan of
the members of the National Assembly and other legislation.
The Commission on Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food, the Commission on Culture and the Commission on Education
devoted their efforts mainly to regular commission activities such as detailed
consideration of bills, audits of financial commitments, consideration of
budget estimates and 1nterpellation", which is a televised two-hour debate
during which an Opposition member questions the Minister on a topic of public
interest which he has selected.
It should be noted, however, that
the Commission on Education undertook two new mandates, the first an
examination of the orientations, activities and management of the Conseil
supérieur de l'éducation, the second in order to hear the Task Force on Young
People concerning its report entitled "A Quebec that Loves its
Children".
Lastly, two special commissions
established under Bill 150, an Act respecting the process for determining the
political and constitutional future of Quebec, also sat during the quarter.
The Commission on Issues Related to
Quebec's Accession to Sovereignty held 14 public hearings in order to hear
various experts on topics selected by the Commission. It also held eight
working sessions. including two in camera sessions, concerning the direction of
its proceedings. The Commission on Offers for a New Constitutional Partnership,
held five public hearings in order to examine various experts.
Alain Major Commission Secretary
New Brunswick
During the first 34 daily sittings
of the Fifty-second Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Members elected a
new Speaker, amended the Standing Rules, debated the Throne speech, received a
Select Committee Report on the Constitution, introduced controversial
legislation, referred a Question of Privilege, received the budget and
scrutinised the Estimates in the Committee of Supply before breaking for a
short recess on Friday, May 1 .
The Session, which opened February
11, 1992, the earliest date in 25 years, proved unique in a number of ways. For
the first time in New Brunswick's history, members elected a woman, Shirley
Dysart, Member for Saint John-Park, as their Speaker. For the first time, New
Brunswick has two Deputy Speakers and four parties and their leaders,
represented in the House -Liberal, Confederation of Regions, Progressive
Conservative and New Democratic Party. In fact, for the first time since 1987,
there is an official elected opposition on the floor of the House, the Official
Opposition being the recently chartered CoR party. For the first time, a woman
who has been elected Leader of a political party (Elizabeth Weir, N.D.P. -
Saint John South), occupies a seat. For the first time since 1982, the House
has before it a matter of privilege.
Throne Speech
Lieutenant-Governor Gilbert Finn,
O.C., in the fifth year of his term, delivered the Speech from the Throne which
promised a number of measures to strengthen the province's economy: the
development of a Green Paper on tax reform for public discussion; major
initiatives to refocus and rationalise health and community services; a
commitment to balance the Ordinary Account over a four-year period; measures to
stem the loss of retail sales and tax revenue to crossborder shopping; the
establishment of pilot government service centres and consolidation of a number
of others; amendments to the Crown Lands and Forests Act to simplify issuing
leases on Crown land and approving boundary changes to timber licenses; the
development of policies aimed at the creation of 25,000 new jobs over the next
four years; a Citizen's Assembly inviting New Brunswickers to work with members
of the Legislature to find a consensus on renewal of the Canadian federation,
and steps to strengthen the ties between the province's English and French
communities.
Opposition Leader Danny Cameron
(Confederation of Regions Party - York-South), described the Throne Speech as a
document filled with empty rhetoric and hollow promises, stating that New
Brunswickers "deserve more than a document that lacks concern for the vast
numbers of unemployed." He pointed out that the government claims to
support excellence in education but restricts young people from better services
by freezing university funding, forcing cutbacks and higher tuition, and
forcing young people to leave the province for services. He maintained his
party's concern for the health and welfare of New Brunswickers, protection of
the family farm structure, implementation of definitive programs to protect the
environment, and suggested a user-pay method to compensate for the sad state of
the province's transportation system. The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal
Opposition added that to address
the economic crisis, his party plans to investigate the cost of duality and to
look at alternatives to the needless expenditures which result from it.
Rules Changes and Procedural
Issues
After amending the Standing Rules
on February 18,1992, the House appointed two Deputy Speakers who are also
Chairmen of the Committees of the Whole House: Michael McKee, (Liberal -
Moncton North) and Reginald MacDonald, (Liberal - Bay du Vin). Other
rule changes limit statements by members from one and a half minutes to sixty
seconds.
Committees
One of two Select Committees
appointed February 18, the Select Committee on the Constitution was mandated to
seek input from the public, including through a
Citizen's Assembly, on the Report
of the New Brunswick Commission On Canadian Federalism published January 1,
1992 and to report to the Legislative Assembly by March 31, 1992. The all-party
Committee, chaired by Bernard Thériault (Liberal - Caraquet) held six days of
public hearings in February and received presentations or briefs from over 50
individuals or groups. On March 14 and 15, the Committee sponsored a Citizen's
Assembly attended by 60 delegates representing a broad cross-section of social,
economic and cultural groups and organisations. Members of the New Brunswick
Commission on Canadian Federalism participated in the Citizen's Assembly and
exchanged views on constitutional issues with delegates and members of the
Committee.
In its Final Report to the House on
March 27, 1992 the Select Committee on the Constitution's recommendations
addressed several major themes: Canada's Challenge and a Canada Clause
reflecting fundamental values and characteristics; national programs; economic
union; linguistic partnership; aboriginal issues, and reform of Canada's
institutions.
The Committee endorsed the
Commission's acceptance of a "distinct society" for Quebec,
recognition of aboriginal self-government and a reformed Senate. It also
supported the Commission's recommendation regarding constitutional protection
of the two linguistic communities in the province, specifically:
That the Constitution be amended to
include a clause recognising the equality of status, equal rights and
privileges of the English and French linguistic communities in New Brunswick
and that this equality includes the right to distinct educational institutions
and such distinct, cultural institutions as are necessary for the preservation
and promotion of these communities.
On April 7, after 5 hours of debate
often dominated by language issues, and two recorded votes, the House adopted a
motion concurring in the Committee's recommendations and agreeing that said
recommendations serve as a basis of negotiations for New Brunswick's current
round of constitutional discussions.
Shortly after, the Official
Opposition introduced a motion in favour of a constitutional referendum;
specifically:
THAT the Legislative Assembly
petition the Government of Canada to hold a nation-wide referendum on
constitutional change; and
THAT, in the event of a national
referendum, the majority vote of New Brunswickers in said referendum be
considered by the Government of New Brunswick as the position of the province
of New Brunswick regarding the constitutional package; and
THAT, in the event a national
referendum is not held, that the Government of New Brunswick consider holding a
referendum of its own to assess the wishes of the people of New Brunswick prior
to ratification of any final constitutional proposal from the federal
government.
The motion stands on the Order and
Notice Paper for consideration on May 12.
The Select Committee on Maritime
Economic Union was appointed and mandated to seek public input on the
discussion document Challenge and Opportunity, May 1991 and to make
recommendations to the Legislative Assembly by May 29,1992.
The Committee, chaired by James E.
Lockyer, Q.C., C.D., (Liberal -Moncton West) held public hearings on April 15
and 22,1992 and is currently engaged in preparation of its final report to the
House.
Capital Budget
On February 25, Finance Minister
Allan Maher (Dalhousie) introduced the Capital Budget for the 1992-93 fiscal
year. The Capital Estimates will be maintained at the 1991-92 level of approximately
$335 million, sending a positive message to a construction industry struggling
with the current downturn in economic activity. Capital Estimates include $57.3
million in capital improvements and equipment for schools, $19.5 million for
the environment, $45.2 million for health, $8.4 million for university
campuses, and $22 million for the Regional Development Corporation, which
includes funding for the government's commitment to the new Saint John Civic
Centre. Highway infrastructure remains a priority, including the continued
development of a four-lane TransCanada Highway, as well as other arterial
highways and rural roads. A total of approximately $197.3 million has been set
aside for the Department of Transportation.
In accepting the motion to refer
the matter to the Standing Committee on Privileges, Speaker Dysart found that
there was a prima facie breach of privilege and that the matter had been raised
at the earliest opportunity. [Editor's note: The Committee considered the
matter on May 12 and recommended to the House on May 15 that the matter be
referred to the Standing Committee on Legislative Administration.)
Following a three-week adjournment,
the House resumed March 25.
Budget
Prior to presenting its Main Budget
Estimates, the government announced major changes in the area of health care
when Health and Community Services Minister Russ King (Fredericton South),
tabled an overview of the government's strategy entitled A Health and Community
Services Plan for New Brunswick, which the Minister stated would "have an
unquestionably beneficial effect on the health and well-being of our citizens,
while relieving the burden on the taxpayer".
Foremost among the announced
changes is the replacement of the fifty-one existing hospital and health centre
boards by eight regional boards. Other changes include: an overall reduction of
210 beds in 13 small-to-medium hospitals, bringing the ratio to 5.1 per 1000
population and closer to the national average of 4.6 beds; net loss of 273
full-time jobs; extra-mural hospital and single-entry point program extended to
the whole province within two years, and the prescription drug program for
seniors to become "the payer of last resort.
The plan to restructure the health
care system comes less than one month after the government finalised changes to
the education system which amalgamate the province's school districts from 42
to 18.
On March 31, 1992, the government
presented its Main Budget Estimates, recording for the first time since 1988-89,
a $135 million deficit in the ordinary account. Finance Minister Alan Maher
(Dalhousie) stated that his "government has accepted the need for a
deficit this year in the ordinary account because... a fragile economy would
not sustain further expenditure reductions, and modest investments could, in
fact, help stimulate economic recovery. The overall objective of this
budget," he stated, "is to accelerate a fragile economic recovery;
freeze new taxes and allow for modest strategic tax reductions; reduce the
deficit from the year just ending; and introduce a program of capital
investment to further stimulate the economy and create new jobs. The $4.1
billion budget streamlines government services, establishes a responsible wage
policy, allows services to be delivered in the best way possible to all New
Brunswickers, and protects those most vulnerable."
Specific measures include: tax cuts
for gasoline, tobacco, and wine sold to licensed establishments; agreement with
the federal government to have alcohol and tobacco taxes collected at U.S.
border crossings; increase in motor vehicle license fees and fines; no wage
freeze but a two-year wage restraint policy; an approximate 2% increase in
welfare rates; elimination of 749 full-time civil service positions through
attrition and early retirement, and $50 million for job creation.
Opposition Finance Critic Brent
Taylor (CoR - Southwest Miramichi) responded: `17his budget gives the
people of New Brunswick no hope... This budget shows that the government has no
real plans for the future. The only planning we have seen so far is the
planning to consolidate more power for itself and to give less to the public at
large, especially in rural New Brunswick". He claimed the budget was not
the whole budget, that other aspects of the budgetary policy of the government
were not referred to in the speech, and that it was made up in large part by
the measures the government was preparing to impose upon the people of New
Brunswick.
With reference to the government's
claim of public consultation in the budget process, he maintained that
"the public was not really involved in having a peek at the hidden agenda
of the government. The hidden agenda cut hospitals and gutted the
democratically elected school board system".
Mr. Taylor took issue with the
implementation of a program to vote ordinary account budget allocations on a
department basis rather than on a program basis, allowing departmental managers
to transfer funds from one ordinary account program to another for amounts equal
to the lesser of 15 % of the program budget or $200,000 without prior
authorisation from the Board of Management. He felt that the Members of the
Legislative Assembly should be the ultimate managers of government spending and
urged the government to revert to the old procedure of voting departmental
estimates on a program-by program basis. He concluded his remarks by
introducing a non-confidence motion which was subsequently defeated.
Legislative Highlights
To date, of 55 government Bills
introduced, 19 received Royal Assent. In introducing Bill 23, An Act to Amend
the Public Hospitals Act, the government moved toward major changes in the
province's health care system. The Bill, which gives legislative authority to
the government's proposal to amalgamate 51 hospital boards into eight regional
boards along with planned changes to the health care system, stirred a flurry
of interest and resulted in dozens of petitions presented to the House.
Opposition Leader Danny Cameron called the Bill a glaring example of the
Liberal government's arrogance and disrespect for democracy. As of April 1,
1992 no current board has any authority and the legislation transfers to the
Minister temporary control and management of the business and affairs of the 51
hospital boards in the province as the business and affairs relate to hospitals
and hospital services. For a three-month interim, Health Minister King would in
effect, serve as a one person board for each hospital and health centre.
During Committee of the Whole the
opposition parties, led by the Progressive Conservative Party Leader, Dennis
Cochrane (Petitcodiak) attempted a filibuster and introduced numerous
amendments and requested recorded divisions. Following five hours of debate,
the Bill was reported to the House without amendments.
Other noteworthy legislation having
received Royal Assent include Bill 11, AN Act to Amend the Schools Act, which
proposes to clarify the responsibility and authority for the establishment and
organisation of community boards and repeal supplementary programs. Bill 22, An
Act to Repeal the Alcoholism and Drug Dependency Commission of New Brunswick,
abolished the commission and assigned its responsibilities to the regional
hospitals.
Bill 42, Expenditure Management Act
1992, amended and passed after three hours of debate and three recorded votes
was subsequently read a third time on May 1. The legislation attempts to
balance employees’ rights to bargain collectively along with the need for
financial restraint.
Bargaining units whose contracts have
not further wage increases due after the expiry of the one-year wage freeze
implemented in 1991 will be able to return to bargaining as normal at the end
of the freeze.
Bargaining groups which will have
wage increases due to them after the expiry of the way freeze implemented
in1991 will have until the fall of 1992 to negotiate an extension of their
collective agreement. It is intended that such an extension would incorporate a
further two-year wage restraint period followed by the reinstatement of their
deferred wage increases. If any of these bargaining groups are unable to
negotiate an extension to the collective agreement which meets their needs,
they will have the option of cancelling the remainder of their collective
agreement and returning to full collective bargaining.
A bargaining group that decides
neither to negotiate an extension to its existing collective agreement nor
cancel the remainder of its collective agreement and return to the bargaining
table will have a further period of wage restraint imposed by legislation.
As of this writing, the Bill stands
on the Order and Notice Paper awaiting Royal Assent.
Question of Privilege
On February 28, Beverly Brine,
(Confederation of Regions - Albert) raised a question of privilege in the
House, concerning the Legislature's policy of not translating briefs filed with
Standing and Select Committees of the Legislative Assembly. Mrs. Brine felt
that the decision not to provide her an English translation of all briefs
presented to the Select Committee on the Constitution affected her ability to
discharge her function as a committee member.
Members' Allowances and Services
Among the 66 Private Members'
Motions introduced, one by the Official Opposition asked that the government
consider reducing MLAs salaries by 10% and Ministers' salaries by 20%. It was
amended by the government before adoption and the subject matter - salaries,
indemnities, and benefits of Members - referred to the Legislative
Administration Committee for review.
In 1991, the first year of a
government-imposed wage freeze on the civil service, Members accepted a freeze
on their annual sessional indemnity of $35,807, noting that legislators should
play a leadership role when government was asking New Brunswickers to tighten
their belt. In keeping with the government’s restraint policy, the 1992
sessional indemnity for Members will be frozen at the 1991 level.
Loredana Catalli Sonier, Clerk Assistant (Procedural) and Diane
Taylor Myles, Research and Planning Officer
British Columbia
The First Session of the Thirty
fifth Parliament convened on Tuesday, March 17, 1992. The first order of
business was the election of Joan L. Sawick! as Speaker of the Legislative
Assembly. Ms. Sawicki is the second woman to hold this office in British
Columbia.
Seventy-five members took their
places in the Chamber on opening day up from sixty-nine as a result of
electoral redistribution which took effect on election day, October 17, 1991.
Of the 75 MLAs, 26 were reelected, 49 for the first time. There are 18 Ministers
of the Crown including 7 women Ministers, with the following party breakdowns :
NDP 51; Liberal 17; Socred 6 and 1 Independent.
The Speech from the Throne outlined
the following areas the Government proclaimed to be a priority for every
British Columbian: open government defined through a new Freedom of Information
and Privacy Act; amendments to the Members' Conflict of Interest Act;
establishment an independent mechanism for the review of salary benefits,
pensions and severance for all MLAs and broadening the mandate of the Office of
the Ombudsman.
Focussing upon the Government` s
commitment to economic prosperity and diversity as the best way to help pay for
British Columbians social, health and educational programs, the following
measures were announced
a major investment in the future of the tree fruit industry;
protection of the interests of those who earn a living from West Coast
fisheries;
further promotion of a Buy British Columbia program;
establishment of a Cabinet Committee on Crown Corporations;
creation of jobs in the local and regional economies of the Province;
including balanced, sustainable growth for all communities;
pursuing further federal funding of the TRIUMF-KOAN Project, a national
science facility in British Columbia;
preparation of a new Ministry of Tourism Act;
maintenance of the social safety net in the Province;
changes to improve GAIN programs;
conducting a comprehensive review of family and child services programs;
relieving the shortage of affordable housing by requiring local
government to ensure a -fordable rental and special needs housing are provided
for in their official community plans;
improvements in legal aid services in relation to lower costs.
The Speech from the Throne
described a variety of other initiatives to be undertaken by the new NDP
Government and focussed upon measures extending beyond their initial term in
office; the Year 2000 Project; reduction of financial barriers to
post-secondary education; Aids research; health care promotion and cost
containment; waste reduction; a new forests practice code; creation of a
British Columbia Energy Council; and the establishment of the Commission on
Resources and Environment headed by the former Ombudsman, Stephen Owen,
as its Commissioner.
Committees
The House created 13 Select
Standing Committees for the present Session. As well, two Special Committees
have been established: on Constitutional Matters and to Appoint an Ombudsman.
The Select Standing Committee on
Public Accounts has been reviewing two years of Auditor General's Annual
Reports, Public Accounts for the Province and applications for the retention
and disposal of government records.
An innovation at the beginning of
the Thirty-fifth Parliament was the splitting of Committee of Supply into two
sections. Section A comprised of 22 Members determined by the House functions
in the Douglas Fir Committee Room concurrently with Section B which conducts
its business in the Chamber.
The Standing Orders applicable to
the Committee of Supply shall be applicable in both Sections of the Committee.
Within five sitting days of the
tabling of the Main Estimates, the House Leader of the Official Opposition and
the House Leader of the Third Party may jointly advise the Government House
Leader, in writing of three ministerial Estimates which they require to be
considered in Section B of the Committee of Supply, and upon receipt of such
notice in writing, the Government House Leader shall confirm in writing that
they shall be considered in Section B.
As the menace to our resource
sectors seemed to grow each day
All Estimates shall stand referred
to Section B, save and except those Estimates which shall be referred to
Section A, on motion by the Government House Leader.
At thirty minutes prior to the
ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the House, the Chair of Committee A will
report to the House. In the event such report includes the last vote in a
particular ministerial Estimate, after such report has been made to the House,
the Government shall have a maximum of ten minutes, and each Opposition Party.
a maximum of five minutes, to summarise the Committee debate on a particular
ministerial Estimate completed, such summaries to be in the following order:
(1) Third Party; (2) Official Opposition; and (3) Government.
Joan Molsberry, Committee Clerk
House of Commons
What does it mean to be Canadian?
and how do we envision our country in the future? These were questions which
formed a basis for many of the deliberations in the House of Commons in early
1992. Constitutional discussions and special debates were held in the House, in
Parliamentary committees and beyond, as we tried to identify our priorities in
the face of threats to the very things we have so long used to define
ourselves, and have so long held to be near and dear: our resource bases. our
social programs and our tolerance of one another.
Financial proceedings consumed a
great amount of Parliament's time. On February 25, Finance Minister Don
Mazankowski presented his first budget since assuming the portfolio. After four
days' debate following the presentation of the Budget, the motion "That
this House approve in general the budgetary policy of the government"
passed on March 11, 1992 by a vote of 120 to 82.
Main Estimates for fiscal year
1992-92 were tabled on February 27, and Supplementary Estimates (C) for fiscal
year 1991-92 were tabled on March 9. Both sets of Estimates were subsequently
referred to the appropriate Standing Committees for examination. In an unprecedented
move, the House released a document entitled "How the Budget is
Spent," which outlined in detail the expenses of the House of Commons.
Written in prior years as internal document to assist the Standing Committee on
Management and Members' Services with its examination of House Estimates, this
year a draft of the document was leaked and the document was subsequently
released to the public. The Speaker, the Clerk of the House, the Administrator
and the Sergeant at-Arms appeared before the Standing Committee on House
Management on three occasions to explain the information in this document and
in the Estimates.
A key in the process of allocating
to the Government the funds it requires to carry out its business is the
concept of Opposition days or supply days, a time during which the Opposition
sets the agenda and has the opportunity to explain why supply should not be
granted. Hence, as Parliament neared the end of one fiscal year and began a new
one, much of the House's time was also devoted to consideration of these
motions. All but one of approximately one dozen such motions were either
negatived or the proceedings thereon expired.
Due to the often-cited implication
of the Government losing a vote on a supply motion - namely that such defeat
entails a loss of confidence in the Government and hence the need for an
election - most supply motions are not supported by the Government. However,
one NIDP-sponsored motion on February 12 was seen as so important that, after
amendments proposed by the Government and Liberals had been integrated into it,
the amended motion was adopted. It read: That this House call on the government
to support unequivocally any final GATT Accord that:
provides for the maintenance of
viable and effective supply management programs as an essential element of
Canadian agricultural policy;
ensures the ability of Canada,
through a clarified Article Xl, to control effectively imports of milk, eggs,
hatching eggs, chicken and turkey, and products containing a majority of supply
managed products;
permits Canada to retain the Crow
benefit which is necessary for the development of the Canadian prairies and
which continues to be necessary for the viability of that region and the
nation;
reduces export subsidies that so
grievously hurt Canadian producers; and
requires participating governments,
in co-operation and at the request of affected industries, to provide impact
assessments, and
That this House call upon the Prime
Minister to involve himself personally in the GATT negotiations in the
interests of Canada's dairy, egg and poultry producers by meeting with the
President of the European Community in order to secure their support and to do
so in co-operation with other countries that agreed with Canada's position on a
strengthened and clarified GATT Article Xl.
As the menace to our resource
sectors seemed to grow each day with the actions of other countries, the House
held emergency debates or special debates to discuss the issues. With Atlantic
fishermen facing low cod stocks, in part, it was argued, due to foreign
overfishing, on February 19 the House held an emergency debate on the situation
of the Atlantic fisheries. Following a preliminary decision by the United
States Government that provincial government prices for lumber gave what the
U.S. considered countervailable subsidies to the lumber products, a special
debate was held on the situation facing the softwood lumber industry.
Anticipating the June summit in Rio de Janiero, on May 7 the House debated the
motion "That this House take note of the Canadian position at the United
Nations Conference on the environment and development".
Perhaps most disturbing, however,
was the subject of the emergency debate held on May 5: the need for an
immediate and national response to the violent demonstration in Toronto, on
Monday, May 4, 1992. Demonstrations had erupted that day in response to a
general frustration felt about the conditions of minority groups, and had been
unquestionably influenced by the riots in Los Angeles following the acquittal
of four policemen on trial for the beating of Rodney King. Many Canadians were
suddenly forced to wonder if we too have the same difficulties as the United
States, and whether racism is as prevalent in Canada, known internationally for
its tolerance and peaceful ways, as it appears to be the United States.
Amid the discussions of all of
these difficult problems, the Constitution also remained a key subject for
debate. As the country noted the 10th anniversary of patriation the
Constitution and the entrenchment in it of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,
Members of the House and the Government found themselves grappling with new
amendments to the Constitution. In early February, by unanimous consent, the
House agreed to allocate a total of five evenings for "the sole purpose of
allowing Members to make presentations on the results of discussions that they
have had with their constituents on the constitutional issue". The motions
providing for these discussions also permitted Members to table any documents
that supported their verbal presentations, and noted that the same would be
referred to the Standing Joint Committee on the Government of Canada's
proposals for a renewed Canada (the Beaudoin-Dobbie Committee) for examination.
The Beaudoin-Dobbie Committee
deposited its final report with the Clerk late on February 28, after long and
difficult discussions between the members. The highlights of the report were
the recommendations that the Constitution be amended by: adding a Canada
clause; including a clause recognising Quebec as a distinct society; adding
clauses recognising the inherent right to self-government for aboriginals;
including a clause giving the provinces the right to submit lists of nominees
to the Supreme Court; changing the division of powers between the federal and
provincial governments; allowing provincial governments control over labour
market training and Quebec control over cultural matters; including
specifications regarding federal-provincial agreements on immigration; giving
the provinces the ability to opt out of shared-cost programs and to be
reimbursed accordingly; adding provisions regarding an economic union and a
social covenant and entrenching in the Constitution annual First Ministers'
Conferences on economic and social matters.
In addition, Constitutional
negotiations continued beyond Parliament as conferences were held across the
country to discuss many of the proposals suggested by the Beaudoin-Dobbie
Committee. Intergovernmental affairs Ministers, provincial Premiers and others
also met to try to iron out an agreement. In the House, the Government tabled a
document entitled "Canada Referendum Bill. an Explanation" and
followed with the introduction of Bill C-81, The Referendum Act. Debate on the
bill was short, time allocation was moved at all stages, the procedural
wrangles were numerous, and as unanimous consent was denied on the motion to
apply the results of the division on one motion to the others at report stage,
the House sat until after 11:00 p.m. on June 3 to take 30 separate recorded
divisions. The bill passed third reading in the House of Commons on June 4 and
now awaits Senate approval.
In addition to the legislative
happenings on the Referendum Bill, the House also passed the following bills:
C-13, Canadian Environmental Assessment Act; C-21, Debt Servicing and Reduction
Account Act; C-36, Corrections and Conditional Release Act; C-54, Farm Products
Marketing Agencies Act amendment; C-67, Electoral Boundaries Readjustment
Suspension Act; and C-78, An Act to amend certain Acts with respect to persons
with disabilities. The following bills received Royal Assent: C-5, Aeronautics
Act and Aeronautics Amendment Act amendment; C-12, Young Offenders Act and
Criminal Code amendments; C-15, Airport Transfer (Miscellaneous Matters) Act;
C-3 1, Extradition Act amendment; C-32, Canada Assistance Plan amendment; C-33,
Coasting Trade Act; C-35, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 1991; C-53,
Special Economic Measures Act; C-56, Spending Control Act; C-57, Canada Pension
Plan amendment; C-60, Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements and Federal
Post-Secondary Education and Health Contributions Act amendment; C-61,
Borrowing Authority Act, 1992-93; C64, Northwest Territories Act amendment;
C-65, Appropriation Act No. 4, 1991-92; C-66, Appropriation Act No. 1, 7992-93;
C-68, Competition Act amendment (Multi-level Marketing Plans and Pyramid
Selling); C-77, National Defence Act amendment; C-328, An Act respecting
National Public Service Week; and S-2, Canada-Finland Income Tax Convention
Act, 1991, Canada-Czechoslovakia Income Tax Convention Act, 1991, Canada-Mexico
Income Tax Convention Act, 1991 and Canada-Mexico Tax Information Exchange
Convention Act, 1991.
The route which bills follow
through the House was somewhat modified over this period. With the adoption of
the 28th report of the Standing Committee on House Management, the Standing
Orders were amended such that the committee examination stage of a bill would,
as was the case before the 1991 amendments to the Standing Orders, be done by
ad hoc legislative committees to be established within five days of the
beginning of the second reading debate on a bill, instead of by permanent
legislative committees. Changes were also made to the rules regarding
substitutions in the membership of committees, and the priority use of
committee rooms.
Rules governing the conduct of
Private Members Business' in the House were also modified. With the adoption of
the 24th report of the Standing Committee on House Management, voting
procedures were changed so that the Private Member sponsoring the bill or
motion being voted on would be the first to vote. House Management report
Number 27, tabled March 11 and concurred in on April 29, recommended amendments
to the Standing Orders regarding the draw which is held periodically to choose
the items of Private Members Business to be debated in the House. Specifically,
the number of items of Private Members' Business on the List of Precedence was
increased to 30 from 20; draws are now to be held before the number of items on
the list decreases to 15 instead of to 10, and the number of votable items on
the List of Precedence was increased to 10 from six (of these five are to be
bills and five are to be motions). The rationale behind the changes, the Committee
argued, was that since there had been an increase in the number of days on
which Private Members' Business was discussed, and since votable items were now
disposed of after at most three hours of debate, draws have to be held more
frequently. An increase in the number of votable items and items on the List of
Precedence would alleviate the need for such frequent draws. Adoption of other
House Management Committee reports changed the way we see the House of Commons.
The 22nd report recommended that:
Camera angles used during Question
Period should be wider so that viewers can appreciate the context and flavour
of House; when the Speaker rises, the whole House should be shown and when
individual Members rise to ask or answer a question, wider shots should be
employed.
On April 29, after a lengthy and
complicated procedural debate, the House adopted these changes on an
experimental basis for 20 sitting days. On June 5, the Committee tabled its
43rd report, suggesting that the experiment with the new camera angles be
extended until November 6 and that the House also try using the wider shots
during divisions. The report was concurred June 8.
This Committee also tackled the
issue of broadcasting the meetings of committees of the House. In its 23rd
report, the Committee recommended that:
The audio feed provided by the
House of Commons of public committee meetings be able to be recorded.
The audio feed of all public
committee meetings be made available to Members of Parliament, their staffs and
the Parliamentary Press Gallery on Parliament Hill, and can be used for
broadcasting purposes.
The House of Commons should
initially equip one committee room for broadcasting, and the proceedings of all
committees meeting in this room should be taped in full, made available to the
media, and broadcast as part of the Parliamentary Channel.
The recording of the committee
proceedings will be undertaken by or on behalf of the House of Commons, and
under the direct control and supervision of the House personnel. The same
guidelines, rules and policies presently in place for broadcasting the House
itself shall be applied, with necessary modifications as required by the set-up
of the room.
The date of the committee meeting
must appear on the screen at all times in legible print.
The decision as to which committees
shall meet in this room will be made by the House Leaders, or, if they are
unable to agree, by the Standing Committee on House Management. All committees
of the House of Commons, including standing, legislative and special committees,
would be entitled to meet in the specially equipped room to have their meetings
broadcast, provided that priority shall be given to those committees that do
not have a special order from the House permitting any meeting or series of
meetings to be broadcast.
Since the adoption of this report
on March 27, several committees have taken advantage of the opportunity to
broadcast: the Standing Committee on Justice and the Solicitor General for its
examination of the Christine Lamont and David Spencer cases; the Standing
Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Disabled Persons for its inquiry
into the economic integration of disabled persons; the Standing Committee on
the Environment for its inquiry into ozone depletion; the Standing Committee on
Public Accounts for its examinations of chapters of the Auditor General's
report dealing with the COSICS Project, Innovation within the Parliamentary
Control Framework and Vehicle Fleet Management; the Special joint Committee on
Conflict of Interest for its examination of Bill C43, Members of the Senate and
House of Commons Conflict of Interest Act. the Legislative Committee on Bill
C-81, The Referendum Act; the Standing Committee on Labour, Employment and
Immigration for its study of the Business Immigration Program; and the Standing
Committee on Forestry and Fisheries for its examination of the Main Estimates
of the Department.
With tabling on February 13 of the
Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing's four volume report,
the House established a Special Committee on Electoral Reform to examine the
Commission's suggestions. The eight-Member committee, -...empowered to
undertake a comprehensive review of the report of the Royal
Commission...", will have all of the same powers of a standing committee
pursuant to Standing Orders 108(1), 120 and 121, and will study and report on
the Commission's recommendations concerning new spending limits on advertising;
a guarantee of seats in the House of Commons for aboriginals; shorter election
campaigns; proposals for the regulation of the internal affairs of political
parties; financial inducements to recruit more women; registration of all
national parties; and inducements to allow more individuals to seek political
nominations and seats. No report deadline was mentioned in the motion
establishing the committee.
In recognition of the contributions
to Canadian history of a great individual, Louis Riel, on March 10 the House
adopted a special motion which among other things recognised the unique and
historic role of Riel as a founder of Manitoba and his contribution in the
development of Confederation.
As the House enters into the period
preceding the summer adjournment, its pace of work will undoubtedly increase as
it begins sitting extended hours and attempts to complete the consideration of
bills.
Barbara Whittaker, Table Research Branch
|