Prince Edward Island.

• Author: Johnston, Marian
• Position: Legislative Reports

On May 13, 2011, the Fourth Session of the Sixty-third General Assembly was prorogued after 38 sitting days. A provincial general election is scheduled for Monday, October 3, 2011.

Suspension of Leader of the Opposition

On May 13, 2011, during Oral Question Period, the Leader of the Opposition, Olive Crane, made the following statement, "Premier, why do you continually mislead and deceive this House..." Speaker Kathleen Casey advised that the use of these words was unparliamentary and directed the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw her remarks, which she refused to do. Speaker Casey requested the retraction an additional three times and each time was refused. She then advised that pursuant to the Rules of the Legislative Assembly (Rule 38), she had no choice but to name the Hon. Leader of the Opposition for disregarding the authority of the chair. Madam Speaker addressed the Leader of the Opposition as Olive Crane, and then requested a motion to suspend the member from the service of the House, declaring a brief recess for members to consider the matter. Following the recess, Madam Speaker entertained interventions from the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition, after which she called on Sonny Gallant (Government House Leader) who moved, seconded by Wes Sheridan (Finance and Municipal Affairs), that the Leader of the Opposition be suspended from the service of the House for the remainder of the sitting [prorogation occurred later that day]. The motion was carried in the affirmative, and the Sergeant-at-Arms escorted Ms. Crane from the Chamber.

Naming occurs rarely in the Prince Edward Island Chamber. Prior to this occasion, a member was last named and suspended from the service of the House on December 5, 2001, when the then-Leader of the Opposition, Ron MacKinley, was suspended for the remainder of that sitting day.

Royal Visit

Prince Edward Island has long welcomed holiday-makers and honeymooners to its red shores, but perhaps none have been so warmly received as Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who visited the province in early July. Following months of planning and preparations, the highly-anticipated official welcome to Prince Edward Island took place at Province House on the morning of July 4, 2011. An estimated 20,000 people lined historic Great George Street, with some royal watchers arriving before dawn to assure themselves a prime vantage point. Following the events in Charl0ttetown, Their Royal...