Quebec.

• Author: Bolduc, Nicole
• Position: ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE

The Assembly adjourned its proceedings on June 10, 2011, for the summer recess. In accordance with the Standing Orders of the National Assembly, proceedings will resume on September 20, 2011. From the beginning of the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Legislature, on February 23, 2011, to the close of proceedings, the Members passed 17 public bills and 3 private bills.

Ruling from the Chair

On May 26 the President gave a ruling on questions that had been raised following the introduction of Bill 19, An Act to establish a temporary electoral representation regime and to suspend certain provisions of the Election Act. More particularly, certain Members argued that a consensus on the content of a bill amending the Election Act must be reached before even introducing such a bill.

According to the Chair, Parliament delegated its powers with regard to electoral matters by creating the Chief Electoral Officer and the Commission de la representation electorale du Quebec. It did not, however, lose interest in preserving the electoral system's integrity.

The President recalled his role as guardian of the rights and privileges of the Assembly and of its Members. He must not replace the courts in analyzing the constitutionality of bills that are submitted to the Assembly. The Chair can in no way prevent a Member from introducing a motion or a bill to the Assembly. Only the Assembly may determine the advisability of introducing a bill, examining it and assessing its content. Furthermore, to refuse to debate a matter owing to an initial lack of consensus seems to run counter to the very reason why deliberative assemblies exist.

However, the Chair well appreciates the wish often expressed by the Assembly to have a broad consensus when the time comes to modify the Election Act, particularly as regards electoral representation. By taking into consideration all of the statements made and by analogy with the notion of constitutional convention, the Chair believes that we have here a form of parliamentary convention, since there exists a strong political need to obtain the broadest possible consensus in matters concerning electoral representation.

Composition of the National Assembly

Last June 6, Pierre Curzi, Member for Borduas, Lisette Lapointe, Member for Cremazie, and Louise Beaudoin, Member for Rosemont, all Members of the Official Opposition, informed the Chair of their decision to sit as independent Members. Subsequently, two other Members of the...