Assemblee Nationale: Quebec.

• Position: Legislative Reports

The 38th Legislature opened on May 8, 2007 with the election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the National Assembly. An agreement reached between the three parliamentary groups represented at the Assembly provided for temporary rules concerning the election of the president by secret ballot. Michel Bissonnet, the Member for Jeanne-Mance-Viger, who was the only Member standing as a candidate, was thus declared elected to the office of President. On motion by the Premier, Fatima Houda-Pepin, the Member for La Piniere, and Jacques Chagnon, the Member for Westmount SaintLouis, were declared elected respectively as First and Second Vice-President. Marc Picard, the Member for Chutes-de-la-Chaudiere, was elected as Third Vice-President on motion by the Leader of the Official Opposition, Mario Dumont.

The spring sessional period was primarily devoted to the debate on the opening speech delivered by the Premier, the debate on the budget speech and the consideration of the estimates of expenditure for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008. Furthermore, the National Assembly passed three private bills and nine public bills, two of which concerned Acts that were adopted last year. On June 21, 2007, the Assembly adjourned its proceedings until Tuesday, October 16, 2007.

Composition

A few hours before the beginning of the first sitting of the 38th Legislature, on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, the Member for Pointe-aux-Trembles, Andre Boisclair, announced his resignation as Leader of the Parti Quebecois. The following day, the Members of this political grouping elected the most senior Member of the National Assembly and Member for Abitibi-Ouest, Francois Gendron, as interim Leader of the Second Opposition Group.

The Assembly is currently composed as follows: Liberal Party, 48 Members; Action democratique du Quebec, 41 Members; Parti Quebecois, 36 Members.

Rulings and directives from the Chair

Within the context of the first minority government in Quebec since 1878, it goes without saying that the rules governing the proceedings of the National Assembly needed to be adapted accordingly. Shortly after his appointment, President Bissonnet addressed his colleagues in the following terms: "With this 38th Legislature, a new and different form of governance has emerged at the National Assembly of Quebec. We are all accountable for this new composition of the House before the population of Quebec."

During this short period of parliamentary work, the Chair rendered nine directives, most of which concerned time allocation to the parliamentary...