No. 37 No 37
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Votes and Proceedings |
Procès-verbaux |
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Legislative Assembly of Ontario |
Assemblée législative de l'Ontario |
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1st Session, 36th Parliament |
1re session, 36e législature |
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Monday, December 11, 1995 |
Lundi 11 décembre 1995 |
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PRAYERS 1:30 P.M. |
PRIÈRES 13 H 30 |
The Speaker addressed the House as follows:-
With the forbearance of the House, I would like to take a few minutes to contemplate the events of last week. The refusal of certain members to vote on Wednesday last and the subsequent disregard for the authority of the Chair caused this House to be in deadlock for several hours. I would urge all members to reflect on these events, not in terms of what ends they may have acheived but rather in terms of their effect on the institution of Parliament. Certainly, there have been occasions in the past when the business of this House has been impeded by the actions of one or more members. However, the circumstances in which we found ourselves last week are unprecedented.
There have been a number of comments and reports with respect to what the Speaker may or may not have done in this particular situation and I must admit there were times when I myself was tempted to pursue another course of action. However, any action that a Speaker takes in these kinds of circumstances must be considered carefully and mindful of the rules by which this House is governed. Standing Order 28(c) is clear. During a division in this Assembly, every member present must vote. While we do have two precedents in this House that suggest a Speaker might cast a vote in the name of the offending member, they conflict in their application. We have more recent and consistent precedents that define a course of action for the Speaker to take. Members will know that course of action to be to name the member who refuses to vote.
The authority of a Speaker to name members of this House for disorderly or unparliamentary conduct is time honoured. It is a tool that the Speaker may use to facilitate the function of Parliament. The use of force to ensure compliance to a decision of the Speaker has never before been required in this House. It is my fervent hope that it is never required again.
The degree of force to be used to remove a member from this House is a decision for the Speaker to make. Any such decision must be considered with great care. The consequences of any further action on my part last week would in my view have had devastating consequences for the future of this House.
The Speaker has a responsibility to facilitate the work of Parliament, but circumstances such as we saw here last week are beyond the control of the Speaker. On March 18, 1982, upon the conclusion of 2 weeks of bell ringing in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Speaker Sauvé had this to say:
" The authority of the Chair is no greater than the House wants it to be. When the rules are clear and offer precise guidance to the Speaker, the authority of the Chair is absolute and unquestioned, for this is the will of the House. On the other hand, when there are no rules to fall back on, the Speaker must proceed very cautiously indeed. The most the Chair can do is to lay the matter before the House which can then itself create a new precedent."
It is my hope that we never again see a situation such as we saw last week. If we do, the Speaker will have a responsibility to consider the new circumstance with great care, keeping uppermost in his or her mind the future of this great institution that we serve.
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PETITIONS |
PÉTITIONS |
Petition relating to North York Branson Hospital (Sessional Paper No. P-15) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Mr M. Kwinter.
Petitions relating to Winter Road Maintenance for the Northern Region (Sessional Paper No. P-18) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Mr F. Miclash and Mr D. Ramsay.
Petition relating to Health Care Funding (Sessional Paper No. P-25) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Mr B. Crozier.
Petitions relating to the Child Care System (Sessional Paper No. P-27) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Mr T. Ruprecht and Mr T. Silipo.
Petitions relating to the Establishment of a Committee to review remarks made by the Minister Responsible for Women's Issues (Sessional Paper No. P-29) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Mr R. Marchese and Mr T. Silipo.
Petition relating to the Resignation of Mike Harris (Sessional Paper No. P-43) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Ms S. Martel.
Petition relating to Reasonable Reductions in the Education System (Sessional Paper No. P-47) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Mr P. Hoy.
Petition relating to Sole Governance for the Sudbury Hospital System (Sessional Paper No. P-48) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Mr R. Bartolucci.
Petition relating to Canadian Foundation on Compulsive Gambling in Windsor (Sessional Paper No. P-49) (Tabled December 11, 1995) Ms S. Pupatello.
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REPORTS BY COMMITTEES |
RAPPORTS DES COMITÉS |
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Mr Barrett from the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills presented the Committee's Report which was read as follows and adopted:- |
M. Barrett du Comité permanent des règlements et des projets de loi privés présente le rapport du comité qui est lu comme suit et adopté:- |
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Your Committee begs to report the following Bills without amendment:- |
Votre comité propose qu'il soit permis de faire rapport sur les projets de loi suivants sans amendement:- |
Bill Pr38, An Act respecting the Waterloo-Guelph Regional Airport.
Bill Pr44, An Act respecting the City of York.
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Mr Wood (London South) from the Standing Committee on Government Agencies presented the Committee's Second Report (Sessional Paper No. 45) (Tabled December 11, 1995). |
M. Wood (London-Sud) du Comité permanent des organismes gouvernementaux présente le deuxième rapport du comité (document parlementaire no 45) (déposé le 11 décembre 1995). |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 106(g)(11), the Report was deemed to be adopted by the House. |
Conformément à l'article 106(g)(11), le rapport est réputé avoir été adopté par l'Assemblée. |
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INTRODUCTION OF BILLS |
DÉPOT DES PROJETS DE LOI |
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The following Bills were introduced and read the first time:- |
Les projets de loi suivants sont présentés et lus une première fois:- |
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Bill 27, An Act to amend the Children's Law Reform Act. Mr J. Hastings. |
Projet de loi 27, Loi modifiant la Loi portant réforme du droit de l'enfance. M. J. Hastings. |
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Bill 28, An Act to amend the Municipal Act to name Civic Holiday as Simcoe Day. Mr S. Gilchrist. |
Projet de loi 28, Loi modifiant la Loi sur les municipalités en vue de désigner le Congé civique sous le nom de fête de Simcoe. M. S. Gilchrist. |
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The following Bills were introduced, read the first time and referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills:- |
Les projets de loi suivants sont présentés, lus une première fois et déférés au Comité permanent des règlements et des projets de loi privés:- |
Bill Pr41, An Act respecting the City of Scarborough. Mr D. Newman.
Bill Pr46, An Act respecting the Township of Sidney. Mr D. Rollins.
Bill Pr49, An Act respecting the City of Oshawa. Mr J. Flaherty.
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The following Bill was introduced, read the first time and referred to the Commissioners of Estate Bills:- |
Le projet de loi suivant est présenté, lu une première fois et déféré aux commissaires aux projets de loi ayant trait à une succession:- |
Bill Pr24, An Act respecting TD Trust Company and Central Guaranty Trust Company. Mr R. Marchese.
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ORDERS OF THE DAY |
ORDRE DU JOUR |
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Debate was resumed on the motion for Second Reading of Bill 26, An Act to achieve Fiscal Savings and to promote Economic Prosperity through Public Sector Restructuring, Streamlining and Efficiency and to implement other aspects of the Government's Economic Agenda. |
Le débat reprend sur la motion portant deuxième lecture du projet de loi 26, Loi visant à réaliser des économies budgétaires et à favoriser la prospérité économique par la restructuration, la rationalisation et l'efficience du secteur public et visant à mettre en oeuvre d'autres aspects du programme économique du gouvernement. |
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After some time, pursuant to the Order of the House of November 23, 1995, the motion for the adjournment of the debate was deemed to have been made and carried. |
Après quelque temps, conformément à l'ordre adopté par l'Assemblée le 23 novembre 1995, la motion d'ajournement du débat est réputée avoir été proposée et adoptée. |
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The House then adjourned at 12:00 midnight. |
À minuit la chambre a ensuite ajourné ses travaux. |
le président
Allan K. McLean
Speaker
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Sessional Papers Presented Pursuant to Standing Order 39(c):- |
Documents Parlementaires Déposés Conformément à l'article 39(c) du Règlement:- |
Ontario Agricultural Museum, Financial Statements for the year ended March 31, 1995 (No. 44) (Tabled December 8, 1995).
Questions Answered (see Sessional Paper No. 5):-
Final Answers to Question Numbers: 16, 17, 116, 117, 119, 120, 121, 127, 128, 131, 133, 135.
Interim Answers to Question Numbers: 97 and 98.
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Responses to Petitions:- |
Réponses aux Pétitions:- |
Petition relating to the Sudbury Action Centre for Youth (Sessional Paper No. P-17):
(Tabled November 17, 1995) Mr R. Bartolucci.
Petitions relating to Community based Justice Programs (Sessional Paper No. P-19):
(Tabled November 1, 2, 1995) Mr A. Curling.
(Tabled November 16, 1995) Mr D. Galt.
(Tabled November 15, 1995) Mr L. Jordan.
(Tabled November 21, 1995) Mr J.-M. Lalonde.
(Tabled November 14, 1995) Mr R. Patten.
(Tabled November 28, 1995) Ms S. Pupatello.
Petitions relating to Northwestern General Hospital (Sessional Paper No. P-21):
(Tabled November 21, 23, 27, 28, 29, 1995) Mr M. Colle.
(Tabled November 27, 1995) Mr J. Gerretsen.
Petition relating to the Childcare System in the Region of Sudbury (Sessional Paper No. P-23): (Tabled November 14, 1995) Mr R. Bartolucci.
Petitions relating to the Child Care System (Sessional Paper No. P-27):
(Tabled November 22, 1995) Ms S. Pupatello.
(Tabled November 15, 20, 23, 1995) Mr T. Ruprecht.
Petition relating to Seaway Valley Farmers Energy Cooperative (Sessional Paper No. P-31): (Tabled November 21, 1995) Mr J. Cleary.
Petitions relating to the Amalgamation of School Boards in Northwestern Ontario (Sessional Paper No. P-34):
(Tabled November 22, 23, 27, 29, 1995) Mr F. Miclash.