Committee systems in Quebec and Ontario pt2: resources and functions.

Part I of this article, published in the Spring issue of the Review, compared the structure and organization of the committee system in Ontario and Quebec. Information was taken from a study called Parliamentary Reform Ten Years Later published by the Quebec National Assembly. It was based on information available in 1993-1994. Part II taken from the same study, looks at the functions of committees in Ontario and Quebec as well as their resources. This project was directed by a committee of experts made up of four individuals with extensive knowledge of parliamentary committees. They included: Professor Rejean Pelletier of Laval University, Mathieu Proulx, former Director of Research on parliamentary procedure for the National Assembly, Gaston Deschenes, of the Research Service of the National Assembly Library, and Valmond Bouliane, Director of the Committee Secretariat of the National Assembly. This extract is reproduced by permission of the Secretary-General of the Quebec National Assembly.

Although the nature and extent of functions performed by parliamentary committees in Ontario and Quebec are similar, a number of differences can be observed in the manner in which tasks are performed.

Public consultation

The main function of Ontario committees is clearly to hear persons, groups and organizations: Table 1 shows that in 1993-94, the ten Ontario committees heard 1,173 witnesses and received 2,103 briefs during 846.91 hours of hearings, 86.3% of the overall committee workload for the reference year.

Most public consultations take place during examination of public bills by one of the four sectoral committees. Public consultation in fact constitutes the main and, in some cases, the exclusive mode of operation of these four committees, which devote between 91.3% and 100% of their time to such activities.

Public consultations also constitute the main mode of operation of the specialized committees, except those responsible for examining budget estimates and private bills. Ministers, who in Ontario cannot be committee members, are seldom present during public consultations.

The contrast with the mode of operation of the Quebec committees is striking, even though 1993-94 was somewhat atypical. In Quebec, public consultations normally represent between one-quarter and one-third of a committee's workload, well below the Ontario level.

The organization of public hearings in Ontario is directed by a subcommittee, although the committee as a whole makes all final decisions. According to information received from the Ontario legislature, the house leaders of the recognized parties never apparently intervene directly in the organization of committee business, although the possibility for doing so exists.

Examination of bills

In Ontario, committee examination of public bills essentially involves hearing interested persons and groups. Detailed clause-by-clause examination receives less emphasis than in Quebec, and the procedure is simpler. The Minister concerned, who is not a committee member, nevertheless participates in the detailed examination as a witness and provides the documents and clarifications required by the Members.

Most public bills are referred for examination to the four sectoral committees, and thus come to the attention of only half as many Members as in Quebec.

All private bills are referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills, which conducts its proceedings along the same lines as the Quebec committees.

[Part 1 of 3] Table 1 Hours of Public Hearings, by Sector of Activity and Committe Committees Number of Witnesses Briefs Public Bills mandates (hours of hearings) Administration of Justice 6 191 324 124.87 General Government 8 298 588 190.85 Resources Development 3 106 187 42.08 Social Development 5 348 643 158.07 Estimates - - - - Finance and Economic 3 125 197 68.53 Affairs Government Agencies 4 87 83 - Ombudsman 1 - 1 - Public Accounts 1 18 80 - Regulations & Private Bills - - - - Total 31 1,173 2,103 584.40 [Part 2 of 3] Table 1 Hours of Public Hearings, by Sector of Activity and Committe Ontario Committees Other Delegated Supervision Other Assembly Legislation of Public mandates mandates (hours) Bodies under S.O. (hours) (hours) (hours) Administration of Justice 1.62 - - - General Government - - - - Resources Development - 31.3 - - Social Development - - - - Estimates - - - - Finance and Economic 27.73 - - 32.80 Affairs Government Agencies - - 79.61 - Ombudsman - - - 0.57 Public Accounts - - - 77.12 Regulations & Private Bills - - - - Total 29.35 31.03 79.61 110.49 [Part 3 of 3] Table 1 Hours of Public Hearings, by Sector of Activity and Committe Committees Mandates Total undertaken hours by Committee (hours) Administration of Justice 12.03 138.52 General Government - 190.85 Resources Development - 73.11 Social Development - 158.07 Estimates - 0 Finance and Economic - 129.06 Affairs Government Agencies - 79.61 Ombudsman - 0.57 Public Accounts - 77.12 Regulations & Private Bills - 0 Total 12.03 846.91

[Part 1 of 2] Table 1 Hours of Public Hearings, by Sector of Activity and Committe Quebec Planning & Infrastructure 1 7 0 3.85 - - - 2.98 - Agriculture, Fisheries & 1 1 0 - - - 4.72 - - Food Social Affairs 0 0 0 - - - - - - Budget & Administration 3 17 17 - 12.67 - 11.07 6.70 - Culture 2 32 34 34.02 - - - 2.02 - Education 3 31 25 19.93 - - 4.10 11.46 - Labour & the Economy 7 35 13 22.4 7.92 - 11.13 15.63 - Institutions 2 59 60 11.57 47.14 - - 2.77 - Total 19 182 149 91.71 67.73 - 31.02 41.56 - [Part 2 of 2] Table 1 Hours of Public Hearings, by Sector of Activity and Committe Planning & Infrastructure 6.83 Agriculture, Fisheries & 4.72 Food Social Affairs 4.72 Budget & Administration 30.44 Culture 36.04 Education 35.49 Labour & the Economy 57.02 Institutions 61.48 Total 232.02

Examination of estimates

The Ontario Standing Committee on Estimates specializes in the annual examination of estimates. In contrast to Quebec, where all budget estimates are referred in early Spring to the appropriate committee according to policy field and following a strict timetable established by the house leaders, the Ontario committee must select the estimates it wishes to examine from among those submitted by the Government. It must examine the estimates of between six and twelve Government departments or agencies.

The selection is made according to a procedure based on alternation between the parliamentary groups. The Official Opposition Members have first choice, followed by the Members of the second Opposition party and then the Government Members. At each turn, each group may select one...