Nova Scotia.

• Author: Boucher, Annette M.
• Position: Legislative Reports

Fall 2016 sitting

The Fall sitting lasted 18 days and the House rose on November 10, 2016.

The Government introduced 10 Bills during the sitting. Bill No. 59, An Act Respecting Accessibility, introduced by the Minster of Community Services on November 2,2016 was not reported back from the Law Amendments Committee to the House and remains on the Committee's agenda. The Bill was criticized by many disabled persons and advocates who appeared before the Law Amendments Committee to speak to the Bill. Thus, the Government determined that the Bill would remain at the Law Amendments Committee stage and would not be reported back to the House this sitting nor would it proceed further to permit additional submissions to be made and possible amendments to be considered to the Bill by the Committee. The Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission planned to host public sessions to provide an overview of the Bill on four evenings in January 2017 at various locations throughout Nova Scotia. The Law Amendments Committee may meet when the House of Assembly is not sitting and therefore it is possible that the Chair of the Committee may reconvene the Committee to continue its consideration of the Bill prior to the Spring 2017 sitting of the House. The only time the Committee is barred from sitting is while both the Committee of the Whole on Supply and the Subcommittee on Supply are meeting as set out in House Rule 62FC.

Sixty-three Private Member's Bills were introduced and the Government advanced an NDP Private Member's Bill through the legislative process. The Bill was an amendment to the Public Interest Disclosure of Wrongdoing Act making the Act applicable to all government agencies, boards and commissions and to school boards.

On November 10, 2016, Royal Assent was given to nine Government Bills, one Private Bill and one Private Member's Bill for a total of 11 Bills. The House then adjourned to be recalled on Notice issued by the Speaker in accordance with House Rules.

Recall of House on December 3, 2016

The House Rules require a 30-day notice of the commencement of a sitting, be given by the Speaker, whenever the House stands adjourned for a period of 10 sitting days or more. The only time when notice can be given less than 30 days before the commencement of a sitting is when the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Government, that the public interest requires that the House shall meet at an earlier time.

On Saturday, December 3, 2016 the...