Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Author: Murphy, Elizabeth
• Position: Legislative Reports - Conference notes

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In 2004 the House of Assembly amended the House of Assembly Act to provide for fixed election dates quadrennially on the second Tuesday of October. The Forty-Fifth General Assembly was dissolved on September 17th and the General Election took place on October 9th. The results were: 43 Progressive Conservatives, three Liberals and one New Democrat elected.

There was a judicial recount in the District of the Isles of Notre Dame which had been held by Leader of the Opposition Gerry Reid as there was a difference of only seven votes between the Progressive Conservative, Derrick Dally and the incumbent. Upon completion of the recount on November 8th Mr. Dalley, the Progressive Conservative candidate, was confirmed as the Member for the District by a 12-vote margin.

In the District of Grand Falls Windsor--Buchans the election had to be postponed owing to the untimely death of the Liberal candidate, Dr. Gerry Tobin, on October 1. The seat was won by Susan Sullivan, the Progressive Conservative candidate, at the election on November 6th increasing the number of Progressive Conservative seats to 44.

The Members elected on October 9th were sworn on November 1st. Roger Fitzgerald, Member for Bonavista South, was acclaimed Speaker. Mr. Fitzgerald was twice acclaimed as the other candidate for the District of Bonavista South, Clayton Hobbs had to withdraw from the campaign because of illness. Jack Byrne was elected Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees and Tom Osborne was elected Deputy Chair of Committees.

Auditor General Reports

On September 14th the Auditor General tabled a review of Constituency Allowance Claims for the period 1989-90 to 2005-06. The review identified inappropriate expenditures and claims for which there was no documentation or inadequate documentation. The Auditor stated in the Report that he is confident that with the adoption of the Green Commission Report and the restoration of independent scrutiny by the Auditor General and Comptroller General and the hiring of professional accountants to staff the Corporate and Members' Services Division of the House of Assembly the financial management and controls have significantly improved.

On September 17th the Auditor General table a report pursuant to section 16 of the Auditor General Act which allows the Auditor General to "inquire into and report on a person or organization that has received financial aid from the government of the province or in respect of...