British Columbia.

• Date: 22 September 2021
• Author: Hill, Lisa

Spring Sitting

The First Session of the 42nd Parliament was prorogued on the morning of April 12, 2021, and the Second Session began with the delivery of the Speech from the Throne that afternoon by Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin. The Legislative Assembly also adopted a new Sessional Order enabling the continuation of hybrid proceedings through the end of June. A new provision was added permitting the submission of electronic petitions. In addition, on May 10, the House adopted a Sessional Order changing the sitting times on Thursday afternoons from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. to allow for an earlier adjournment through to the end of the Second Session.

The House adjourned on June 17 and is expected to return on October 4, 2021.

Budget 2021-22 Presentation

On April 20, the Minister of Finance, Selina Robinson, presented the provincial 2021-22 budget, which focused on proposed funding to meet the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and lay the foundation for a post-pandemic recovery. The Official Opposition Critic for Finance, Mike Bernier, called on the government to do more to support families and businesses affected by CO VID-19, housing affordability, and unemployment. The Leader of the Third Party, Sonia Furstenau, highlighted the need for action on climate change and societal inequality. Committee of Supply

The Legislative Assembly adopted a Sessional Order on May 10 authorizing the Committee of Supply to sit in three sections to consider the 202122 Main Estimates; Section A was also authorized to consider bills at committee stage. Unlike 2020, when Committee of...