The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
One-thirty o’clock p.m.
The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly informed the House of the unavoidable absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, whereupon Mr. Chandra Herbert, Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole, took the Chair, pursuant to Standing Order 12.
Prayers and Reflections by Ms. Malcolmson.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That, notwithstanding Standing Order 36 and Standing Order 37, Members be permitted to speak and vote from a seat other than their assigned place for today’s sitting.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That the order of adjournment of the House of March 5, 2020 be rescinded, and that the House be deemed to have been adjourned until 1.30 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2020.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That, notwithstanding Standing Order 25, the daily routine of business for today’s sitting be comprised of Oral Question Period and Presenting Reports by Committees only, and
That, notwithstanding Standing Order 25 and Standing Order 47A, the proceeding of Oral Question Period be limited to one question with one supplemental question from each opposition caucus member.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. J. Horgan (Premier) made a ministerial statement regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the province.
Mr. de Jong made a statement.
Mr. Olsen made a statement.
Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”
By leave, as designated by the Committee, Ms. Dean presented the Report of the Special Committee to Appoint an Auditor General for the fifth session of the Forty-first Parliament, March 2020.
The Report was taken as read and received.
By leave, Ms. Dean moved that the Report be adopted.
A debate arose.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, Ms. Dean moved —
That pursuant to the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2), Michael A. Pickup be appointed as Auditor General of British Columbia, for one eight-year term commencing on July 27, 2020.
Motion agreed to.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
The Hon. C. James (Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier) presented to the Speaker a Message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Janet Austin
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith:
Supplementary Estimates — Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2021;
and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
March 19, 2020.
Ordered, that the Message, and the Supplementary Estimates accompanying same, be referred to the Committee of Supply.
Order called for Committee of Supply.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section B of Committee of Supply.
(In Committee — Section B)
52. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $5,000,000,000 be granted to Her Majesty to defray the expenses of Other Appropriations, Contingencies (All Ministries): Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery to March 31st, 2021.
Section B of Committee of Supply reported the Resolution and completion of the supplementary estimates of Other Appropriations, Contingencies (All Ministries): Pandemic Response and Economic Recovery.
Report to be considered forthwith.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
Order called for consideration of reports of resolutions from Committee of Supply.
The Hon. C. James (Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier) moved —
That the reports of resolutions from Committee of Supply on March 23 be now received, taken as read and agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. C. James (Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier) moved —
That there be granted to Her Majesty, from and out of the consolidated revenue fund, the sum of 5 billion dollars towards defraying the charges and expenses of the Public Service of the province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. C. James (Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier) presented to the Speaker a Message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Janet Austin
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 15) intituled Supply Act (No. 2), 2020 and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
March 19, 2020.
Bill introduced and read a first time.
By leave, Bill (No. 15) permitted to be advanced all stages this day.
The Speaker declared a short recess for distribution of the Bill.
Bill (No. 15) was read a second time.
On the motion of the Hon. C. James (Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier), Bill (No. 15) was referred to a Committee of the Whole House to be considered forthwith.
Bill (No. 15) was committed, reported complete without amendment, read a third time and passed.
By leave, the Hon. C. James (Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier) moved —
That Bill (No. 12) intituled Supply Act (No. 1), 2020 be withdrawn from the Order Paper.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. M. Farnworth (Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General) on behalf of the Hon. H. Bains (Minister of Labour) presented to the Speaker a Message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Janet Austin
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 16) intituled Employment Standards Amendment Act (No. 2), 2020 and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
March 22, 2020.
Bill introduced and read a first time.
By leave, Bill (No. 16) permitted to be advanced all stages this day.
The Speaker declared a short recess for distribution of the Bill.
Bill (No. 16) was read a second time.
On the motion of the Hon. M. Farnworth (Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General), Bill (No. 16) was referred to a Committee of the Whole House to be considered forthwith.
Bill (No. 16) was committed, reported complete without amendment, read a third time and passed.
The Speaker declared a short recess.
Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor having entered the House, and being seated in the Chair —
Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, read the title to the following Act:
Bill (No. 16) Employment Standards Amendment Act (No. 2), 2020.
Her Honour was pleased in Her Majesty’s name to give assent to the said Act.
The said assent was announced by Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, in the following words:
“In Her Majesty’s name, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor doth assent to this Act.”
Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, read the title to the following Act:
Bill (No. 15) Supply Act (No. 2), 2020.
Her Honour was pleased in Her Majesty’s name to give assent to the said Act.
The said assent was announced by Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, in the following words:
“In Her Majesty’s name, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor doth thank Her Majesty’s loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence, and assents to this Act.”
Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor was then pleased to retire.
The Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
1. That the House, at its rising, do stand adjourned until it appears to the satisfaction of the Speaker, after consultation with the government, that the public interest requires that the House shall meet, or until the Speaker may be advised by the government that it is desired to prorogue the fifth session of the Forty-first Parliament of the Province of British Columbia. The Speaker shall give notice to all Members that he is so satisfied or has been so advised and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice, and, as the case may be, may transact its business as if it has been duly adjourned to that time and date.
2. That, by agreement of the Speaker and the House Leaders of each recognized caucus, the location of sittings and means of conducting sittings of this House may be altered if required due to an emergency situation or public health measures, and that such agreement constitute the authorization of the House to proceed in the manner agreed to. The Speaker shall give notice to all Members of the agreement.
3. That, in the event of the Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Deputy Speaker shall act in his stead for the purpose of this order; in the event that the Deputy Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole shall act in his stead for the purpose of this order; and in the event that the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, another Member designated collectively by the House Leaders of each recognized caucus shall act in his stead for the purpose of this order.
Motion agreed to.
And then the House adjourned at 4.58 p.m.
HON. DARRYL PLECAS, Speaker
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