Quebec.

• Author: Chahine, Karim
• Position: Legislative Reports

Proceedings of the National Assembly

Early adjournment of proceedings

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, at the March 17, 2020 sitting the parliamentarians agreed that the proceedings would adjourn until 1:40 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 and that they would remain adjourned if the President received notice from the leaders of the four parliamentary groups that it was in the public interest that the Assembly remain adjourned until a later date or until further notice was given to the President by the leaders of the four parliamentary groups.

In addition, on March 12, 2020, after consulting the Premier and the leaders of the parliamentary groups, Francois Paradis, President of the National Assembly, announced that the National Assembly would be closed to visitors as of March 13, 2020 and that only activities related to parliamentary proceedings and administration would be maintained.

Extraordinary sitting

At the request of Premier Francois Legault, the Assembly met for an extraordinary sitting on Friday, February 7, 2020 to introduce an exceptional legislative procedure in order to conclude consideration of Bill 40, An Act to amend mainly the Education Act with regard to school organization and governance. The Bill was passed on the following vote: Yeas 60, Nays 35, Abstentions 0.

Budget Speech

On March 10, 2020, Eric Girard, Minister of Finance, delivered the Budget Speech, and the estimates of expenditure for 2020-2021 were tabled. At the next sitting on March 11, 2020, interim supply was granted, and Bill 57, Appropriation Act No. 1, 2020-2021 was passed. The Assembly's 25-hour debate on the Budget Speech began the next day, but it was shortened by the motion moved by Simon Jolin-Barrette, Government House Leader, to adjourn the proceedings until April 21, 2020 due to the exceptional circumstances resulting from COVID-19. The motion was carried unanimously. The motion moved by the Minister of Finance that the Assembly approve the Government's budgetary policy was therefore carried at the March 17, 2020 sitting.

Bills passed

The National Assembly passed eight bills after proceedings resumed on February 4, 2020. Five of them were passed at the March 17, 2020 sitting after the motion by the Government House Leader was carried unanimously, which resulted in their consideration being shortened:

* Bill 31, An Act to amend mainly the Pharmacy Act to facilitate access to certain services (title modified a second time);

* Bill 37, An Act mainly to establish the Centre d'acquisitions gouvernementales and Infrastructures technologiques Quebec;

* Bill 40, An Act to amend mainly the Education Act with regard to school organization and governance;

* Bill 41, An Act respecting mainly the implementation of certain provisions of the Budget Speeches of 17 March 2016, 28 March 2017, 27 March 2018 and 21 March 2019;

* Bill 43, An Act to amend the Nurses Act and other provisos in order to facilitate access to health services;

* Bill 48, An Act mainly to control the cost of the farm property tax and to simplify access to the farm property tax credit;

* Bill 57, Appropriation Act No. 1, 2020-2021; and

* Bill 58, Appropriation Act No. 3, 2019-2020.

Tabling of proposals for parliamentary reform

On February 20, 2020, Mr. Jolin-Barrette, Government House Leader and Minister Responsible for Laicity and Parliamentary Reform, tabled a document...