Quebec.

• Date: 22 December 2020
• Author: Chahine, Karim

Proceedings of the National Assembly

Terms of resumption of Assembly sittings

On 15 September 2020, parliamentary Members carried a motion relating to the terms that would be applicable to the organization of the Assembly's proceedings until October 9, 2020. Various measures were adopted to ensure a safe environment for all. In general, the measures were identical to those in the motion that was carried on May 13, 2020.

In order to comply with physical distancing measures recommended by public health authorities, the Assembly, normally composed of 125 Members, continued to sit with a reduced number according to the following distribution, for a total of 36 Members excluding the Chair:

* no more than 20 Members from the parliamentary group forming the Government;

* no more than eight Members from the parliamentary group forming the Official Opposition;

* no more than three Members from the Second Opposition Group;

* no more than three Members from the Third Opposition Group; and

* no more than two Independent Members.

Different scenarios made it possible to modify the number of Members from different political parties and of Independent Members depending on whether the Assembly was in the period of Routine Proceedings or in Orders of the Day or whether Independent Members were present or not.

A provision was included in the motion specifying that every Member may speak and vote from a seat other than their regularly assigned seat.

To ensure compliance with the maximum number of Members allowed to be admitted into the National Assembly Chamber, parliamentarians agreed to continue in accordance with the same procedure for recorded divisions contained in the motion carried on May 13, 2020 during the previous sessional period. All questions must be put in accordance with the procedure for recorded divisions under which the vote of the House Leader or Deputy House Leader of a parliamentary group or, where applicable, of a Member identified beforehand by the latter to the Secretariat, would be valid for all Members of his or her group. A provision has been added for a case where a parliamentary group is not represented at the time a question is put to the Assembly. In such cases, the Chair may suspend the proceedings for no longer than 10 minutes to allow those concerned to be notified that a vote will be held shortly and to allow them time to appear in the House. If a House Leader, Deputy Leader or Member designated to act on behalf of his or her...