Quebec: Proceedings of the National Assembly.

AuthorChahine, Karim
PositionLegislative Reports

Extension of adjournment and resumption of proceedings

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to comply with public health directives, in particular regarding physical distancing, parliamentarians agreed on March 17, 2020, to suspend proceedings until April 21, 2020, with the possibility of an extension. Acting on the request of the Government House Leader, and given the changing situation, the House leaders agreed to extend the adjournment a first time until May 5, and then a second time until May 13. However, the National Assembly remained closed to visitors.

Terms of resumption of Assembly sittings

On May 13, the Members adopted a special order establishing the terms applicable to the National Assembly sittings until the end of the sessional period on June 12. Various measures were adopted to ensure a safe environment for all.

In order to comply with the physical distancing measures recommended by public health authorities, the Assembly, normally composed of 125 Members, sat 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.

The above distribution was modified during Oral Questions and Answers periods, the number of Government Members being reduced to 16 in order to make room for two additional Members from the group forming the Official Opposition, for a total of 10, as well as one additional Member from each of the Second and Third Opposition Groups, for a total of four Members from each group. During such periods, a Member of the Second Opposition Group filled in for a first absent independent Member and a Government Member filled in for a second absent independent Member.

Again, to ensure compliance with physical distancing directives, the desks in the National Assembly Chamber had to be moved, and several removed. Accordingly, it was established that a Member could take the floor without being in the place usually assigned to him or her. In addition, the presence of pages and other staff members in the Chamber was reduced to a minimum.

Parliamentarians also agreed that, until June 12, all questions would be put in accordance with a procedure for recorded divisions under which the vote of the House Leader or Deputy House Leader of a parliamentary group or, where applicable, of another Member identified beforehand by the latter, would be valid for all Members of his or her group and that, where applicable, the names of those Members would appear in the Votes and Proceedings of the sitting. Furthermore, for the purpose of putting the question on bills mentioned in the special order, it was agreed that the Government House Leader could cast the votes of the independent Members in their absence in accordance with the instructions received from those Members. Last, it was decided that several stages in the consideration of those bills could be carried out during the same sitting.

Exceptionally, the May 13 sitting was limited to Orders of the Day, during which the Assembly adopted and approved the...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT