Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m pleased to provide opening comments on Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. Bill 11 replaces the existing entitlement for Members to travel to their home community after ten consecutive sitting days with an entitlement to do so after eight consecutive sitting or committee days.
The Board of Management is of the view that the intention of the Legislature in providing this entitlement was that Members not be required to be away from their families for more than two weeks at a time while attending to official Assembly business.
As the provision currently stands, Members are not normally entitled to home travel until nearly three weeks have passed when the House convenes on a day other than Monday, which is normally the case. This provision will allow members to return to their home community to consult with constituents and spend time with their families every second weekend. For this reason I am pleased to support this initiative.
I am available to answer any questions that Members may have.
At this time I would like to ask Mr. McLeod if he would like to bring in witnesses.
Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would.
Is the committee agreed?
Agreed.
Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witness in. Mr. Robert McLeod, could you please introduce your witness.
Thank you. I have Ms. Gail Bennett, Principal Clerk, Operations, with me.
Welcome, witness.
We’re on Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. Are there any general comments on the bill?
Clause by clause.
Clause by clause? Okay. If we can move to page 1: Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.
Clauses 1 and 2 approved.
Does the Committee of the Whole agree with the bill as a whole?
Bill 11 as a whole approved.
Does the committee agree that Bill 11 is now ready for third reading?
Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, approved for third reading.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witness out, please.
The next item we need to deal with is Bill 9, which is Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2007–2008. At this time I’d like to ask the Premier if he’d like to make some general comments to introduce the bill.
