Campbell Government Limits Debate to Grab 29% Pay Raise

May 31, 2007 Campbell Government Limits Debate to Grab 29% Pay Raise On Wednesday, May 30th, at 3:35 PM, Government House Leader Mike de Jong imposed what amounts to closure to force the 29% MLA pay raise and gold-plated pension plan through the Legislature without full debate. Under the guise of the Legislative Calendar, de Jong said: I rise pursuant to Standing Order 81(1) to advise the House that in the absence of an agreement between the Opposition House Leader and myself - the two parties, opposition and government - an agreement as it relates to the completion of business between now and the scheduled end of the session, I move that: Standing Order 81 Motion ADOPTION OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SCHEDULE [Pursuant to Standing Order 81.1(2) the following schedule be adopted for the completion of debate on Bill (No. 31) intituled Human Rights Code (Mandatory Retirement Elimination) Amendment Act, 2007, Bill (No. 34) intituled Homeowner Protection Amendment Act, 2007, and Bill (No. 37) intituled Legislative Assembly (Members' Remuneration and Pensions) Statutes Amendment Act, 2007: Thursday, May 31st 5:30 p.m. Bills 31, 34 and 37 (completion of 2nd reading, committee stage and 3rd reading) Unless previously completed at the times and dates mentioned, the Speaker and the Chair of Committee of the Whole will forthwith put all necessary questions for the disposal of the various stages of the Bills indicated, without amendment or debate. Any divisions called on the second or third reading of the Bills may be taken in accordance with Standing Order 16 and all other divisions, including amendments in the House and divisions in the Committee of the Whole will be subject to the provisions of Practice Recommendation No. 1. Proceedings under this motion shall not be subject to the provisions of Standing Order 81 or the Standing or Sessional Orders relating to times and days of sittings of the House.] The Campbell government's motion means limited legislative debate on the 29% pay raise (Bill 37) and almost no debate on Bills 31 and 34. The Campbell government let the six bills listed below sit on the Order Paper with no indication of whether or not the Legislative Calendar will be honoured so as to allow debate on those bills in the fall. That is particularly unfortunate for Bill 27 which would regulate payday loans. The following list provides links to both the bills and the news releases issued by government at the time the bills were introduced. None of the news releases hinted that the bills would be allowed to die on the Order Paper or that they would be introduced only for purpose of exposure. Bill 17 (Enforcement of Canadian Judgments and Decrees (Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement) Amendment Act, 2007) News release: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007AG0012-000269.htm Bill 25 (Labour and Citizens' Services Statutes Amendment Act, 2007) News release: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007LCS0006-000462.htm Bill 27 (Business Practices and Consumer Protection (Payday Loans) Amendment Act, 2007) News release: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007PSSG0023-000461.htm Bill 28 (Securities Amendment Act, 2007) News release: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007AG0017-000465.htm Bill 29 (Adult Guardianship and Planning Statutes Amendment Act, 2007) News release: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007AG0016-000450.htm Bill 36 (Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Amendment Act, 2007) News release: http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007TRAN0017-000525.htm Bill 1 is a formality; so not counting it, the government introduced only 36 bills in the spring session, and left six of them sitting on the Order Paper. It is hard to find a session when any government brought forward so little. Some argue that the Campbell government simply doesn't believe there is a need to use its legislative powers because it wants to minimize government. Others would say that in the middle of its second term it has already run out of ideas and can't even manage a small agenda so as to complete it with the help of a fixed legislative calendar. The confusion created over Translink with Bill 36 calls for either a fall legislative session necessary or a full retreat from the idea of restructuring the transportation authority. Either way, a responsible government would publicly announce its intentions.