No. 117

No 117

Votes and Proceedings

Procès-verbaux

Legislative Assembly
of Ontario

Assemblée législative
de l’Ontario

Tuesday

March 25, 2014

Mardi

25 mars 2014

2nd Session,
40th Parliament

2e session
40e législature

PRAYERS

PRIÈRES

9:00 A.M.

9 H

ORDERS OF THE DAY

ORDRE DU JOUR

Second Reading of Bill 177, An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act.

Deuxième lecture du projet de loi 177, Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'Assemblée législative.

Debate arose and after some time the House recessed at 10:14 a.m.

Il s’élève un débat et après quelque temps, à 10 h 14, l’Assemblée a suspendu la séance.

10:30 A.M.

10 H 30

The Speaker delivered the following ruling:-

Le Président a rendu la décision suivante :-

On Thursday, March 20, 2014, the Government House Leader, having provided the required notice under Standing Order 21(c), rose on a point of privilege regarding a question posed to the Minister of Finance during Oral Questions on Tuesday, March 18.

The Government House Leader alleged that the Member for Nipissing, while posing his question to the Minister of Finance, knowingly "disclosed the contents of a confidential committee document" and as a result had committed a contempt of the Legislature.

In making his submission, the Government House Leader argued that the Member for Nipissing disregarded an Order of the Standing Committee on Estimates which protected certain documents the Committee received from the Ministry of Finance as confidential. The House Leader also stated that this potential breach of privilege was raised in the House because the Standing Committee on Estimates "is not currently sitting" and that it was brought forward at the earliest opportunity given the need to verify the accusation.

The Member for Nipissing, in both his written and oral submission on this matter, contended that the information contained in his question was sourced from a set of "redacted documents that were to be made public" by the Committee under the same committee Order referred to by the Government House Leader. He also argued that this issue should have been properly raised at the Standing Committee on Estimates and that, in his opinion, it was not raised in a timely manner. I am not concerned with the time taken to raise this matter and find that it was reasonable in the circumstances and for the reasons given by the Government House Leader.

However, after reading and hearing the submissions made on this point of privilege, the Speaker is in the end presented with conflicting opinions but without the means to reconcile them. This power rests with the Standing Committee on Estimates which, as the custodian of the documents in question, is best able to decide if the allegation of improper disclosure is correct, and it can bring this matter properly before the House by adopting and presenting a report if it chooses to do so.

As to the assertion that the Standing Committee on Estimates is not currently sitting, in fact Standing Committees are struck for the duration of a parliament. Although this Committee has completed its consideration of last year's estimates, it can meet on a matter as important as Member's privileges and is the proper starting point if this matter is to be pursued.

The Government House Leader's point of privilege not having been preceded by these necessary steps, I must find that it has been prematurely brought to the attention of the House.

ORAL QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS ORALES

The House recessed at 11:40 a.m.

À 11 h 40, l’Assemblée a suspendu la séance.

3:00 P.M.

15 H

The Speaker informed the House that, in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, His Honour the Lieutenant Governor had been pleased to assent to the following bills in his office on March 25, 2014.

Le Président avise l'Assemblée qu'au nom de Sa Majesté la Reine, Son Honneur le lieutenant-gouverneur a eu le plaisir de sanctionner les projets de loi suivants dans son cabinet le 25 mars 2014.

Bill 53, An Act to proclaim Children and Youth in Care Day.

Projet de loi 53, Loi proclamant le Jour des enfants et des jeunes pris en charge.

Bill 72, An Act to proclaim Pope John Paul II Day.

Projet de loi 72, Loi proclamant le Jour du Pape Jean-Paul II.

Bill 156, An Act to proclaim the month of January Tamil Heritage Month.

Projet de loi 156, Loi proclamant le mois de janvier Mois du patrimoine tamoul.

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

RAPPORTS DES COMITÉS

The Speaker informed the House,

Le Président a informé la Chambre,

That the Clerk received the Report on Intended Appointments dated March 25, 2014 of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(f)(9), the Report is deemed to be adopted by the House (Sessional Paper No. 327) (Tabled March 25, 2014).

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

DÉPÔT DES PROJETS DE LOI

The following Bills were introduced and read the first time:-

Les projets de loi suivants sont présentés et lus une première fois :-

Bill 180, An Act to amend the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act. Mr. MacLaren.

Projet de loi 180, Loi modifiant la Loi sur la planification et l'aménagement de l'escarpement du Niagara. M. MacLaren.

Bill 181, An Act to require the establishment of an advisory committee to make recommendations to the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services for the improvement of highway incident management. Mrs. Martow.

Projet de loi 181, Loi exigeant la constitution d'un comité consultatif pour formuler des recommandations au ministre des Transports et au ministre de la Sécurité communautaire et des Services correctionnels en ce qui concerne l'amélioration de la gestion des incidents de la route. Mme Martow.

PETITIONS

PÉTITIONS

Disbanding the College of Trades (Sessional Paper No. P-10) Mr. Smith.

Ombudsman oversight of Long Term Care Homes (Sessional Paper No. P-46) Mme Gélinas.

Minimum care standards in long-term care homes (Sessional Paper No. P-173) Mr. Fedeli.

Funding the drug Esbriet (Sessional Paper No. P-196) Mr. McNaughton.

Eliminating fees on break open tickets (Sessional Paper No. P-198) Mr. Nicholls.

Price volatility and regional price differences of gasoline. (Sessional Paper No. P-216) Mme Gélinas.

Reject the proposed new gasoline tax (Sessional Paper No. P-221) Ms. Scott.

Une école secondaire francophone de quartier (7e - 12e année d'études) (document parlementaire no P-246) Mme Gélinas.

Local French Secondary Schools (Grades 7-12) (Sessional Paper No. P-247) Mr. Prue.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

ORDRE DU JOUR

Second Reading of Bill 171, An Act respecting insurance system reforms and repair and storage liens.

Deuxième lecture du projet de loi 171, Loi concernant les réformes du système d'assurance et le privilège des réparateurs et des entreposeurs.

Debate resumed and after some time the House adjourned at 6:00 p.m.

Le débat reprend et après quelque temps, à 18 h, la chambre a ajourné ses travaux.

le président

Dave Levac

Speaker

SESSIONAL PAPERS PRESENTED PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 40

DOCUMENTS PARLEMENTAIRES DÉPOSÉS CONFORMÉMENT À L'ARTICLE 40 DU RÈGLEMENT

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS

RÉPONSES AUX QUESTIONS ÉCRITES

Final Answers to Question Number: 397.

RESPONSES TO PETITIONS

RÉPONSES AUX PÉTITIONS

The South Bruce Grey Health Centre (Sessional Paper No. P-203):

(Tabled November 28, 2013) Ms. Thompson.

Time extensions for FIT contracts (Sessional Paper No. P-208):

(Tabled December 3, 10, 2013; February 18; March 18, 2014) Ms. Scott.