Legislative reports: Nova Scotia.

There have been several significant developments in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly during 2000 and the first part of 2001.

Both Russell MacLellan, the Leader of the Liberal Party and Robert Chisholm, the Leader of the New Democratic Party have stepped down as party leaders. Mr. Chisholm remains as a member of the House, but Mr. MacLellan resigned his seat effective June 30, 2000. Wayne Gaudet, MLA for Clare and a Deputy Speaker, became interim leader of the Liberal Party pending a leadership convention. However the New Democratic Party has held a leadership convention that chose Helen MacDonald, a former member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly who, until the 1999 general election, sat for Cape Breton the Lakes, as leader. Meanwhile, John MacDonell, MLA for Hants East, was chosen by the NDP caucus to lead the New Democrats in the House.

As a result of being chosen interim leader of the Liberal Party, one of our deputy speakers, Mr. Gaudet resigned as a deputy speaker and has been succeeded as a deputy speaker by David Wilson, MLA for Cape Breton East.

All members of the House were deeply saddened by the death of Eileen O'Connell, MLA for Halifax Fairview after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer.

On March 6, 2001, by-elections were held to fill the vacancies created by the resignation of Russell MacLellan and the death of Eileen O'Connell. The Leader of the New Democratic Party was one of the candidates in the by-election in Cape Breton North. Although the results of the by-elections had no effect on the majority held by the Government, they did result in a change in status of the two opposition parties. After the 1999 General Election and up until the by-elections, both the opposition Liberals and New Democrats had the same number of members, namely, ten each.

Party Standings

The new Speaker elected after the General Election, Murray Scott, ruled that because both these parties had an equal number of members, there would not be an official opposition party, Accordingly, special arrangements as to precedence in debates and other matters had to be made in view of this unique situation. However, the by-elections resulted in the election of the Progressive Conservative candidate, Cecil Clarke, in Cape Breton North and the NDP candidate, Graham Steele, in Halifax Fairview thus giving the NDP one more seat than the Liberals. Accordingly, the NDP is now the Official Opposition, with John MacDonell continuing to lead that party...