British Columbia/ Colombie-Britannique.

• Author: Fershau, Jonathan
• Position: Legislative Reports/Rapport legislatifs - Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

The Third Session of the Thirty-eighth Parliament commenced on the afternoon of February 13, 2007 with reading of the Speech from the Throne by Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo. Building upon the government's previous commitments to the "Five Great Goals for a Golden Decade," the government's agenda proposed programs to promote partnerships with First Nations; to address global warming and urban sprawl; to increase available affordable housing; to improve quality, choice and accountability within the health and education systems; and to further open Canada's Pacific Gateway.

The government's commitment to implement tangible solutions to address climate change has been lauded both domestically and internationally. Environmental initiatives announced in the Throne Speech include reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 90 percent of 1990 levels by 2020; incentives for clean energy production; tailpipe emission standards for all new vehicles sold; rebates for consumers electing to purchase hybrid vehicles; and a commitment to make the government of B.C. carbon-neutral by 2010.

Whereas great emphasis was placed on the environment in the Speech from the Throne, Finance Minister Carole Taylor delivered a surplus budget that emphasised a government commitment to increase housing opportunities for all British Columbians. The "Housing Legacy" budget set aside additional funding for emergency shelter beds; additional supports for projects to house the homeless; increases to the shelter allowance and an expansion to the province's Rental Assistance Program; as well as an enhanced exemption for first-time home buyers from the property transfer tax. Budget 2007 also included a reduction in personal income taxes by ten percent for all individuals earning less than $100,000. Government noted that the savings resulting from this tax reduction could be used to assist British Columbians in offsetting rising costs of housing expenses throughout the province.

In light of the significant divergence of critical policy themes between the Throne Speech and Budget 2007, the Leader of the Official Opposition, Carole James, remarked during her Response to the Throne Speech that the government's past Throne Speeches "have been a terrible barometer of the government's true intentions." NDP Finance critic Bruce Ralston added that the 2007 budget only contributed $4 million over three years to specifically address climate change. Mr. Ralston also remarked that the Budget did little for middle-income families facing additional costs associated with post-secondary education and child care.

Sitting hours

Citing a need for the Legislative Assembly to model healthy lifestyles, Government House Leader Mike de Jong moved a sessional motion to alter the legislative sitting hours on February 22, 2007, thereby eliminating extended night sittings. As proposed, the sessional order would maintain the existing morning sitting hours, while changing the afternoon sitting hours to 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday for the entire third session. The Standing Orders had stipulated that the House would sit from 2:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays beginning in March. The amended time allotments for debate would result a net increase of eight sitting hours over the course of spring session as outlined within the parliamentary calendar.

Opposition members opposed the amendment on several grounds. Lead by Opposition House Leader Mike Farnworth, members argued against the amended sitting hours on the basis that the move would primarily benefit Members commuting between Victoria and urban ridings in the lower mainland; the reduced afternoon break would cut into time available to meet constituency delegations in Victoria; and that ending debate at 6:30 p.m. would effectively reduce the public's opportunities to view live parliamentary debate. Furthermore, as the motion was not introduced until the second week of session, time allotted for estimates debate would effectively be reduced by at least one-half hour. The motion to adopt the sessional order was eventually agreed to, on division, on February 26, 2007.

Legislation

The spring session saw several high-profile pieces of legislation adopted by the House. In an effort to modernize the Inquiry Act, Attorney General Wally...