Legislative Reports

Legislative Reports ture resumed in Quebec. On March to forest management activities, which 17, the Government broke with tra- was required to come into effect be- dition by tabling appropriations fore April 1, 2005. This was the sec- necessary for the administration of ond extraordinary sitting of the 37th the Government from April 1, 2005 Legislature. to June 30, 2005 rather than tabling Parliamentary Simulations the appropriations for the entire fis- cal year. Close to 140 participants hailing In his ruling on the Government's from 25 Quebec colleges took part in right to proceed in this manner, a Student Forum parliamentary n February 18, 2005, the Pre- President Michel Bissonnet stated simulation, which was held from mier of Quebec announced an that in our parliamentary system, O January 9-13, 2005 at the Parliament important Cabinet shuffle in which the Government and the Parliament Building. The young participants new departments were established each have a role to play in the bud- occupied the seats of the Members (Economic Development, Innova- getary process. Initially, the Gov- of the National Assembly to experi- tion and Export Trade, Tourism, ernment has complete latitude in ence the parliamentarian's work Government Services – including a the preliminary phase of this pro- first hand, both as a legislator and as sector responsible for Online Gov- cess. It is therefore up to the Govern- a controller of governmental activ- ernment) and other responsibilities ment to determine the amount of ity. The Forum parliamentarians were redistributed (Sustainable De- the estimates it will submit to the prepared a budget statement and velopment, the Environment and Assembly and when it will do so. statements by ministers, took part Parks, Education, Recreation and Once the estimates have been sub- in oral question periods and intro- Sports, Families, Seniors and the mitted to the Assembly, the latter's duced three bills, which, this year, Status of Women, Canadian Inter- role is to examine them and to de- concerned sustainable forest devel- governmental Affairs, cide whether or not it will grant opment, the improvement of finan- Francophones within Canada, the them in an appropriation bill. The cial conditions for students and Agreement on Internal Trade, the role of the Chair is to make sure that organ donation. The college stu- Reform of Democratic Institutions the role of the Assembly in budget- dents examined these bills in com- and Access to Information). On this ary matters is maintained. He also mittee before giving final passage occasion, five Members were given indicated that it is not for the Chair following a debate in the National ministerial duties while three Min- to rule on the document tabled nor Assembly Chamber. isters resumed their responsibilities to evaluate it. as Private Members; the Council of Other than the hundred plus The tabling of this document young Members, some fifteen other Ministers thus was raised from 25 to gave rise to the convening of an ex- 27 members. The composition of the individuals taking part in the Fo- traordinary sitting, which was held rum acted as press secretaries and Cabinet is available on the Assem- on March 21, 2005. This urgent bly web site at the following ad- journalists. In keeping with their meeting of the Assembly enabled role, they prepared press confer- dress: the consideration and adoption in http://www.assnat.qc.ca/eng/Me ences and releases and produced a Committee of the Whole of the said daily newspaper, the Vox Populi. mbres/titulaires2.html estimates, the introduction and pas- A record number of 134 Second- Rulings and Directives from the sage of the consequent appropria- ary 3 and 4 students took part in the Chair tion bill, and the completion of the third edition of the Young People's consideration and passage of Bill 71, Parliament, from February 16-18, On March 8, 2005, the proceedings An Act to amend the Forest Act and 2005, at the Parliament Building. of the 1st Session of the 37th Legisla- other legislative provisions applicable SUMMER 2005 /CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW 39 During their activities at the Na- role of the National Assembly, its and “Should the school system be tional Assembly, the apprentice history and its achievements, as secularized?”. Finally, four awards Members experienced important well as the role of Members and the were given, including the Prix de la events in parliamentary life: the President. On this occasion, the stu- Présidence de l'Assemblée nationale,to swearing-in of Members, the debate dents of the high schools that were reward a work on Quebec politics; on the opening speech of the session visited had the opportunity to ex- the Prix de la Fondation Jean- and oral question period. Three bills change views with Mr. Bissonnet on Charles-Bonenfant, awarded to the were discussed, the themes of democracy and parliamentary life author of a doctorate dissertation which were: the implementation of in Quebec. and to that of a master's thesis also measures encouraging young peo- The President's tour constitutes concerning Quebec politics; and, fi- ple to take part in Quebec politics one of the elements of the educa- nally, the Prix Ministère des Relations (adopted); the addition of a home- tional activities programme estab- internationales du Québec (MRI) / work help day to the regular sched- lished by the Assembly. According Ministère des Affaires étrangères de ule (negatived); and the creation of to the President, the primary pur- France (MAEF) granting a scholar- an obligatory on-the-job training pose is to contribute to heightening ship covering the expenses of a session (adopted). the awareness of young people with week's stay in Paris on the occasion regard to the importance of taking of the 2006 edition of Political Book part in democratic life and to pres- Day organized by the French Na- Interparliamentary Relations ent our Assembly as the forum for tional Assembly. debates and expression on the In mid-March, during International issues that concern their daily lives. Johanne Lapointe Francophonie Week, six Quebec On April 5, 2005, citizens were in- Secretariat of the Assembly parliamentarians welcomed diplo- vited to take part in the third edition mats from member countries of La of Political Book Day in Quebec, Francophonie in their ridings. Dur- whose theme was “Ideas Within ing these meetings, the Quebec par- Standing Committee Activity Reach” at the Library of the Na- liamentarians and their guests share tional Assembly. The intention in knowledge in their respective sec- The Cabinet shuffle of February 18, choosing this year's theme was to tors of activity. The President of the 2005 had a significant impact on the make clear the desire for this Day to Assembly views these twinnings as standing committees since the serve as the privileged forum for an opportunity to increase the membership of all 11 committees discussions and debates by uniting awareness of Quebec's population was modified. As regards the chair- parliamentarians, citizens and au- with respect to La Francophonie, in men and vice-chairmen, Jacques thors concerned with political addition to enabling the diplomats Chagnon,theMemberfor books, an extremely rich literary to better understand the realities of Westmount-Saint-Louis, was genre that the National Assembly an electoral division in Quebec. The elected chairman of the Committee wishes to make known, while pro- ambassadors and consuls general on Education, Sam Hamad,the viding its authors with a new venue took part, among other activities, in Member for Louis-Hébert, was to share ever-pertinent views that meetings with representatives from elected chairman of the Committee encourage discussion and the education, culture and tourism on Public Finance, and Pierre reflection. sectors as well as from the business Descoteaux,theMemberfor sector in the electoral division of the The activities of Political Book Day Groulx, was elected vice-chairman Quebec Member with whom they in Quebec began with the launching of the Committee on Institutions. had been paired. of the Répertoire des fonds d'archives Another noteworthy event, the de parlementaires québécois, which is a National Assembly established a Other Activities research tool enabling users to re- select parliamentary committee to trace Members' documents that are hold special consultations regard- On February 14, 2005, the President conserved in various archives ser- ing the choice of a site for the future of the National Assembly began his vices throughout Quebec. Subse- Université de Montréal hospital annual tour of high schools quently, two round tables enabled centre (CHUM). This is the third se- throughout Quebec. The purpose of renowned participants to discuss lect committee to be created in 21 these visits is to allow students to the following themes: “Citizens and years, that is, since the adoption of become better acquainted with the the reform of voting procedures” the current Standing Orders in 1984. 40 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW /SUMMER 2005 Other than to examine a matter of March 3 and 16 to examine Orders of Initiative utmost concern, the establishment respectively the following themes: of a select committee allows a “Valuing the role of Members / Fos- As regards the principal mandates higher number of Members to take tering the autonomy and initiative undertaken at the initiative of the part therein. Indeed, while standing of Members” and “Modernization committees, the Committee on committees consist of between 10 of the organization and proceedings Transportation and the Environ- and 12 members, the select commit- of the National Assembly / Increas- ment examined the orientation, ac- tee consisted of 17 members. ing the efficiency of the work of tivities and management of the Chaired by the Member for Members”. Other sittings are sched- Agence métropolitaine de transport Chambly, Diane Legault, the select uled for spring 2005.

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