New Brunswick.

AuthorMcCleave, John-Patrick
PositionLegislative Reports

The Fourth Session of the 57th Legislative Assembly opened on November 5, 2013, and adjourned on May 21, 2014, sitting a total of 69 days. Of note during the session was the referral of the budgetary estimates of certain government departments by the House to three separate standing committees; this occurred for only the second time. The House referred the estimates of the Department of Health to the Standing Committee on Health Care and the estimates of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to the Standing Committee on Education. The Standing Committee on Estimates also considered various estimates along with the Committee of Supply, which is the usual practice. A motion was adopted to extend the hours allocated for the consideration of estimates to a total of 120 hours, 40 hours more than previous years. The extra time was allocated to the Standing Committees on Health Care and Education.

Legislation

During the session, 79 bills received Royal Assent. The Government House Leader and Natural Resources Minister Paul Robichaud introduced Bill 84, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Act. The bill makes amendments regarding Members' expenses, creating a new reporting system for MLA and constituency office expenses. Expense reports will now be prepared by the Legislative Assembly and posted quarterly to the Assembly's website.

Finance Minister Blaine Higgs introduced Bill 85, Teachers' Pension Plan Act. The legislation formalized the agreement for pension reform between the provincial government and the New Brunswick Teachers' Federation. The new pension plan will no longer require special payments, and will eliminate the deficit facing the current plan. The public service and MLAs have also undergone pension reform this session, moving to a shared risk pension model.

Wayne Steeves, Member for Albert, introduced Bill 86, An Act Respecting Floor Crossing. The Private Member's Public Bill requires a Member who ceases to belong to the caucus of a political party to either sit as an Independent Member or resign his or her seat.

Bill 87, Fiscal Transparency and Accountability Ad, introduced by Higgs, is intended to bring more accountability to budgeting and the costing of election promises. Governments will now be required to set out a multiyear plan to return to balanced budgets. If a deficit is recorded, it must be reduced by at least $125 million, and if a surplus is reported, a surplus is then required the following...

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