THE REPORT TO CANADIANS 2012 In 2011, Canada’s 40th Parliament was dissolved and a general election was held. Shortly after the vote on May 2, the government announced that the 41st Parliament would commence on June 2. That meant the House Administration had to act quickly, welcoming 111 newly elected Members to Parliament and preparing them to carry out their democratic duties. This report tells the story of the days after the ballot—and how they set the stage for the country’s next Parliament. Period of this report: April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012 Total number of sitting days: 103 CONtact US Information Services Parliament of Canada Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A9 [email protected] Toll-free (Canada): 1-866-599-4999 Telephone: 613-992-4793 TTY: 613-995-2266 Catalogue Number X9-27/2012 ISSN 1716-8570 Photographs © House of Commons TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview of the House of Commons .....................................2 Message from the Speaker ..................................................4 Anatomy of an Election .......................................................5 Nothing like a Deadline .....................................................8 Getting Down to Business ................................................12 Day One – and Beyond ....................................................16 Summary of Members’ Activities ........................................20 Message from the Clerk ....................................................23 The House Administration .................................................24 Performance Review ........................................................26 Financial Review .............................................................32 Members of the House of Commons 41st Parliament ........Insert OVERVIEW OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS CANADA’S PARLIAMENT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS The Parliament of Canada includes the Monarch MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (the Queen, represented by the Governor The House of Commons is where Members of General), the Senate (composed of members Parliament—the men and women elected by appointed by the Governor General on the Canadians to represent them in our national advice of the Prime Minister) and the House of legislature—come together to make laws, hold Commons (composed of elected Members). the government to account and decide on the affairs of the country. WHAT MEMBERS DO IN THEIR IN THE CHAMBER IN COMMITTEES IN CAUCUSES INTERNATIONALLY CONSTITUENCIES Members debate and Members work together Members join with Members meet with Members represent vote on legislation, to study proposed colleagues in their constituents and the Canada, promote present documents legislation, examine political parties to public to discuss democratic institutions and petitions, ask and proposed government discuss policies and important issues. When and strengthen ties respond to questions, spending, investigate parliamentary strategy. the House is sitting, with other countries by and raise issues current issues, and roughly one week in travelling or receiving of importance to receive input from four is set aside for visitors from abroad. their constituents. citizens and other experts. such exchanges. IN MEMORIAM: THE HONOURABLE JACK LAYTON, P.C., M.P. JULy 18, 1950 – AUGUST 22, 2011 Within four months of the election that saw his party win its greatest number of seats in the House of Commons, the Honourable Jack Layton, Leader of the Official Opposition, succumbed to cancer. Inspiring so many to get involved to create a better Canada, he will be remembered for his unwavering passion, optimism and courage and the message of hope he left for all Canadians. 2 REPORT TO CANADIANS 2012 HOUSE ADMINISTRATION The House Administration provides Members with the services, infrastructure and advice they need to carry out their work both on Parliament Hill and in their constituencies. Its work includes producing Parliament’s daily publications (in both official languages, in print and online), helping Members stay connected through technology, and ensuring the Parliament buildings are secure and equipped to accommodate a number of different activities. In providing non-partisan support to Members, the House Administration is guided by three core values: professional excellence, respect for the democratic process, and balancing continuity and change. SIX SERVICE AREAS • Procedural Services • Parliamentary Precinct Services • Office of the Law Clerk and • Finance Services Parliamentary Counsel • Human Resources, • Information Services Corporate Planning and Communications Services WHO GETS A SEat? procedural issues—everything from points of The House of Commons operates on a model of order to questions of privilege to requests for representation by population, with the number emergency debates. of seats distributed according to each province’s population. After each decennial census, the QUESTION PERIOD Chief Electoral Officer of Canada calculates For 45 minutes each day the House sits, the number of seats required. New electoral Members can ask questions of the government boundaries are then drawn by provincial on important issues. Question Period is a commissions, whose members are appointed busy time: Members asked an average of 39 by the Speaker of the House and the province’s questions during each of the last fiscal year’s Chief Justice to ensure the boundaries are 103 sitting days. established in a fair and unbiased way. StaYING INFORMED HOW Laws ARE MADE All Canadians are encouraged to learn more Government ministers propose new laws by about—and become involved in—the activities introducing bills for debate in the Senate or the of the House of Commons. They can do so by House of Commons. (Bills that involve raising or watching sittings of the Chamber and committee spending public money must be introduced in the meetings live on the Internet at parlvu.parl.gc.ca, House.) Individual Members can also introduce or by attending in person and taking a seat in and debate private Member’s bills during the time the House’s public galleries. Information about set aside for such business in the Standing Orders the House of Commons’ committees is available of the House of Commons. at www.parl.gc.ca, a site that also includes information on each individual Member THE SPEAker’S ROLE of Parliament and on international activities. The Speaker of the House is responsible for maintaining order and decorum and ruling on REPORT TO CANADIANS 2012 3 MESSAGE FROM THE SPEAKER The transition from one Parliament to the next is always a complex undertaking. Last year we saw 111 new Members take their place on Parliament Hill. The House Administration was active and effective in ensuring they—and all Members— were ready for business as Canada’s 41st Parliament got underway, providing the practical and procedural support they needed to prepare for their duties in the Chamber, during committee and caucus meetings, and in their constituencies across our great country. On behalf of all Members of the House of Commons, I want to thank the House Administration for its hard work and dedication. I was honoured to be elected Speaker in June 2011, following in the footsteps of the Honourable Peter Milliken, the longest-serving Speaker in the history of the country. Since taking on this important role, I have strived to live up to his legacy in everything I do as I carry out my duties in the interest of all Canadians. As we move forward with the work of the 41st Parliament, I look forward to strengthening my relationships with all Members. We will continue to serve Canadians well while acting as responsible As Speaker of the House of Commons, I am proud stewards of the history and traditions of this to present the Report to Canadians 2012. Much of important democratic institution. this report focuses on the extraordinarily busy days in May 2011 between the conclusion of Canada’s Andrew Scheer, M.P. 40th Parliament and the beginning of the new Speaker of the House of Commons Parliament on June 2, 2011. 4 REPORT TO CANADIANS 2012 ANATOMY OF AN ELEctION When the Governor General dissolved the 40th Parliament in March 2011 and issued the writs of election at the request of the Prime Minister, the House Administration had to be prepared for every possible outcome. Regardless of the number of new Members—or how quickly they would arrive on the Hill— the House Administration was ready to deliver the administrative, financial and procedural information and services required to welcome them to Parliament and support them in their new roles. MAY 26 Procedural Orientation Session for Members MAY 2 JUNE 2 Federal Convening of Election 41st Parliament JUNE 13 House Administration Service Fair MARCH 26 MAY 19 Dissolution of Administrative 40th Parliament Orientation Session for Members REPORT TO CANADIANS 2012 5 MEMBERs’ SNAPSHOT (AS OF MAY 2, 2011) 308 Members of Parliament 2 Members elected for a second, non-consecutive term 42 111 Seats held by Members Members elected born outside of Canada for the first time 76 73 Seats held by women 50 19 youngest Member Age of the Age of the Average age age Average of Members 232 Age of the oldest Member Seats held by men MEMBERS BY POLITICAL PARTY Conservative: 166 New Democratic: 103 Liberal: 34 Bloc Québécois*: 4 Green*: 1 * Does not hold official party status 6 REPORT TO CANADIANS 2012 HOUSE ADMINISTRATION Liaison Officers to support 9 newly elected Members Transition Officers to support 6 Members not re-elected Meetings scheduled between new Members and House Administration 489 service experts Outgoing