Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Author: Murphy, Elizabeth
• Position: Legislative Reports

The Fourth Session of the Forty-Eighth General Assembly convened on April 4.

The House began disseminating the proceedings via closed captioning on that date. Routine Proceedings and special proceedings (e.g. Speech from the Throne, Budget) are available via the House of Assembly webcast and via the House of Assembly television channel for viewers in certain locations.

Privileges and Elections Committee

On April 8, the Chair of the Privileges and Elections Committee tabled the Committee's Final Report to the House of Assembly on the Development of a Legislature-Specific Harassment-Free Workplace Policy.

The report included a proposed policy applicable in cases of complaints against Members of the House of Assembly and recommended changes to the principles of the Code of Conduct for MHAs as well as the Code of Conduct provisions outlined in the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act. The report was not concurred in before dissolution.

On April 15, the Committee tabled a report on a point of privilege raised by the Member for Mount Scio regarding the premature disclosure of a report of the Commissioner for Legislative Standards by the Member for Terra Nova. The Committee found that the circumstances of this case were such that a contempt had not been made out.

On April 16, the Minister of Finance delivered the 2019-2020 Budget.

General Election

A writ of general election was issued on April 17. At dissolution the standings were 27 Liberals, 8 Progressive Conservatives, 2 New Democrats and 3 unaffiliated Members.

The General Election, which took place on May 16, resulted in a minority parliament comprising 20 Liberals, 15 Progressive Conservatives, three New Democrats and two unaffiliated Members.

49th General Assembly

Members of the 49th General Assembly, with the exception of the Member for Labrador West, were sworn on June 10 in the morning. A judicial recount had been held for the District of Labrador West as the difference in outcome between the New Democratic and Liberal candidates was five votes. The final tally was a two-vote majority for the New Democratic...