British Columbia.

AuthorSourial, Susan
PositionASSEMBLEE NATIONALE - Report

As previously reported, the 4th session of the 39th Parliament recessed on May 31, 2012. As no fall sitting has been announced, it is anticipated that the House will reconvene in February 2013.

Committee Activity

Despite the current recess, several committees have been very active over the last few months.

On August 15, 2012, the Special Committee on Timber Supply released its unanimous report, Growing Fibre, Growing Value. The Committee, appointed by the House on May 16, was tasked with examining how to increase the supply and value of mid-term timber in BC's central interior--an area hit hard by a mountain pine beetle epidemic. During the intense six-week consultation period, 650 submissions were received.

The Committee's key recommendations to increase mid-term timber supply focused on: engaging local communities and First Nations in future plans; finding ways to grow more fibre and maximize its value by utilizing marginally economic stands and/or investing in fertilization; and increasing the supply of area-based tenures to support enhanced levels of forest stewardship and private sector forest investment. The Committee's report also outlined steps for government to facilitate the economic recovery effort in Burns Lake, where the local sawmill had been tragically destroyed by fire in January 2012.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations issued a response to the Committee's report on October 9, 2012, announcing its support for the recommendations emanating from the Special Committee's report and reaffirming its commitment to forest renewal.

The Special Committee to Inquire into the Use of Conducted Energy Weapons and to Audit Selected Police Complaints has begun its review of the implementation of Justice Braidwood's 2009 recommendations on the use of conducted energy weapons (TASERs), as well as an audit of the outcome of randomly selected police complaints (under Part 11 of the Police Act). Public meetings were held in the fall with various expert witnesses briefing the Committee on the status of Braidwood's recommendations and the Committee engaged the Office of the Auditor General to perform the audit. The Committee has until the end of this calendar year to complete its reviews and until May 2013 to table its report.

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services completed its annual budget consultations on October 18, 2012. The Committee heard 214 presentations at 19 public hearings in...

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