Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Author: Murphy, Elizabeth
• Position: Legislative Reports

The House met in special session from October 16-19, to consider an amendment to the Elections Act 1991 in response to a decision of Madam Justice Gillian Butler striking down as unconstitutional the special ballot provisions of the Act which allowed for the casting of ballots before nominations had closed. It was necessary to amend the statute sooner rather than later in light of an impending by-election.

On November 6, in accordance with the recently-adopted Parliamentary Calendar, the House reconvened for the continuation of the Second Session of the 48th General Assembly.

On November 8, the Commissioner for Legislative Standards tabled the Report on his investigation of an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct by a Member of the House. The Commissioner concluded that there had been a breach and recommended that the Member be reprimanded as prescribed by the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act and apologize in the House of Assembly to the person aggrieved by the conduct. The Member apologized to the aggrieved party and the Members of the House of Assembly.

On November 16, the Privileges and Elections Committee tabled its report on a prima facie breach of privilege referred on May 29. The matter related to the actions of a Member who had been suspended from the House for failing to withdraw unparliamentary language. The Member then tweeted and re-tweeted the House of Assembly webcast clip of the episode including the unparliamentary language. The Committee found that the actions of the Member had amounted to a contempt but as he had resigned his seat they did not recommend that any action be taken. The Committee did caution however that if the former Member had remained in the House a penalty might have been imposed.

The House confirmed the amendments to the Standing Orders which had been adopted provisionally in November 2016--principally the Parliamentary Calendar--and adopted several minor amendments recommended by the Standing Orders Committee more recently relating to Members' Statements, Petitions and the ballots used at the election of the Speaker.

On November 21, Jim...