Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Author: Murphy, Elizabeth
• Position: Legislative Reports

The Second Session of the 45th General Assembly opened on March 15th as Lieutenant Governor Edward Roberts delivered the second Throne Speech of the Williams Administration. Prior to the start of the Session, on February 14th, the Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada signed the Atlantic Accord agreements altering the equalization arrangements between the Federal and Provincial Governments.

On March 2nd the Minister of Fisheries and Acquaculture, Trevor Taylor, announced Government's intention to implement a raw materials shares (R.M.S.) system in the crab fishery as a pilot project. Early in the Spring sitting, the policy, which was opposed by some sectors of the fishing industry, was the cause of some disruptions in the business of the House. On a number of occasions the Speaker Harvey Hodder, ordered the Public Galleries cleared for the remainder of the day. On two occasions the House met with the Galleries closed and on one occasion the House did not meet at all because of the presence of protestors around the Confederation Building. on two occasions the Opposition caucuses left the Chamber after the sitting had started and on the two days when the Galleries were closed from the beginning of the day the Opposition caucuses did not attend the sitting.

The House adopted some amendments to the Standing Orders during the Spring sitting the most significant being the abolition of debate upon and appeals of Speakers' rulings; the limiting of the time allocated to the Member responding to the Minister of Finance in the budget debate to the greater of the time used by the Minister and three hours; and the abolition of the rule of anticipation.

On June 9th, 10th and 24th the House met in special session to debate Bill 41 An Act To Amend The Fishery Products International Limited Act. The purpose of the Bill was to allow Fisheries Products International to sell 40 per cent of its U.S.-based marketing division to form an income trust. Government announced that there would be a free vote on the Bill which was adopted with a number of Government Members, including the Premier, voting against the measure.

The House passed 38 Bills during the Spring session. One of the most vigorously debated...