British Columbia.

• Author: Arril, Jennifer
• Position: Legislative Reports

Legislation

The spring sitting of the fifth session of the 40th Parliament adjourned on May 19, 2016. Prior to adjournment, Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon attended the Legislative Assembly to give Royal Assent to 19 government bills and one private bill. Among these were Bill 2, the Great Bear Rainforest (Forest Management) Act, which protects most of the globe's largest intact temperate rainforest on British Columbia's central coast from logging, and Bill 23, the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act, which requires all public post-secondary institutions to establish sexual misconduct policies within one year. Thirty-seven private members' bills were also introduced during this session.

The Legislative Assembly also convened a special four-day summer sitting on July 25, 2016 to enable the City of Vancouver to impose a vacancy tax on empty homes. Legislation to implement this measure, and to add an additional 15 per cent property transfer tax on Vancouver real estate purchased by foreign nationals --Bill 28, Miscellaneous Statutes (Housing Priority Initiatives) Amendment Act, 2016--received Royal Assent on July 28, 2016. Royal Assent was also given for Bill 27, the Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2016 --which amends the provincial Human Rights Code to explicitly protect gender rights and gender expression, following unanimous agreement to advance the legislation through all stages in one day.

Estimates Process

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Linda Reid, ruled on May 17, 2016, on a point of order raised by Andrew Weaver, Member for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. The Member had expressed concern that the Committee of Supply had not properly completed consideration of the estimates of the Office of the Premier because a pause in the proceedings in order to confer and clarify with Committee Members on the status of business had resulted in the Committee being improperly constituted and unable to consider or adopt the motion regarding the estimates in question. The Speaker indicated that such informal pauses were not unusual, as Presiding Officers often consult informally with Members during proceedings to clarify the status of business, or to coordinate matters relating to the management of business. The Speaker concluded that the Committee of Supply had remained properly constituted at all times, correct procedures had been followed, the Premier's final motions had been moved with the unanimous consent of the Members present, and...