Nova Scotia.

AuthorBoucher, Annette M.
PositionLegislative Reports

The Fall 2015 sitting commenced on November 12 and ended December 18, 2015.

The sitting was highlighted by a variety of situations that in some cases were a bit out of the ordinary.

Emergency Debates

On the first sitting day, the Speaker received two Emergency Debate requests within 18 minutes of each other. The Speaker determined that both requests met the threshold test set out in the Rules and he thus proceeded to put the request received first in time to the House. The House unanimously agreed that the matter would be debated at the time of adjournment and the first debate took place from 3:41 to 5:41 pm in accordance with the Rules. On November 13, the second day of the sitting, the Speaker put the second Emergency Debate request to the House to determine whether the debate would take place. As several "Nos" were recorded on the verbal vote, the Speaker, in accordance with the Rules, asked the Members who supported the motion to stand in their places and be counted--as more than 10 Members stood, the Speaker determined, in accordance with the Rules, that the debate would take place at the moment of adjournment that day. The debate commenced at 11:10 am and concluded at 1:04 pm

Parliamentary Privilege

In the days leading up to the commencement of the Fall sitting, the then Minister of the Environment, Andrew Younger, invoked his parliamentary privilege and chose not testify at a criminal proceeding wherein he was the alleged victim of an assault. A series of events followed resulting in the Premier removing the Member from both Cabinet and the Government Caucus. On November 12, Mr. Younger took his place in the Chamber as an Independent Member. During Question Period on the first sitting day four of the 17 questions touched on the events surrounding Mr. Younger.

On November 13, each and every one of the 18 questions asked by the two Opposition parties during Question Period related to matters involving Mr. Younger.

On November 19, Government Notice of Motion # 2455 was passed unanimously in response to the release to the media of a partial recording of a taped conversation between Mr. Younger and the Premier's Chief of Staff on February 12, 2015. The motion directed Mr. Younger to produce the entire tape recording of February 12, 2015 conversation to the Chief Clerk by noon on November 20, failing which the Speaker would issue a Warrant and authorize the Sergeant-at-Arms to obtain the recording from Mr. Younger and transmit it to the...

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