ACTIVITY REPORT NatIONAL ASSEMBLY OF QUÉBEC 2012 2013 Parliament building Québec (Québec) G1A 1A3 assnat.qc.ca [email protected] 1 866 DÉPUTÉS assnat.qc.ca/mediassociaux Front cover: The central tower of the Parliament Building seems to watch over the city. Photo: Renaud Philippe, National Assembly Collection ACTIVITY REPORT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF QUÉBEC 2012 2013 This publication was prepared in collaboration with the senior management and the personnel of all the administrative units of the National Assembly. Unless otherwise specified, the information in this activity report covers the National Assembly’s activities from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. Supervision Jean Dumas Coordination Éliane de Nicolini Translation NLP Technologies Inc. Revision and Editing Sylvia Ford Research of photographs Marie-Josée Dufour Collaboration Noémie Cimon-Mattar Andréanne Gélinas France Pelletier Louise Williams Front Cover and Graphic Design Manon Paré Page Layout Isabelle Jacques Photography National Assembly Collection Photographers Clément Allard Christian Chevalier Marc-André Grenier François Nadeau Renaud Philippe Roch Théroux With the participation of: Landtag of Bavaria (Bayerischer Landtag) Senate of the Republic (Mexico) Communications and Educational Programs Directorate Printing Reprography and Printing Division of the National Assembly ISSN 1492-5753 ISBN 978-2-550-67693-5 Legal Deposit - Library and Archives Québec, 2013 Library and Archives Canada, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS A Word from the President A Word from the Secretary General Highlights THE WORK OF MEMBERS The National Assembly........................................................................................................................................... 15 Mission ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 The Three Powers of the Québec State ................................................................................................. 15 The Roles of Members: Legislators, Controllers and Intermediaries.................................................. 15 Changes in the Composition of the Assembly ...................................................................................... 16 By-elections .............................................................................................................................................. 16 Dissolution of the National Assembly .................................................................................................... 17 Royal Proclamations ................................................................................................................................ 18 General Election ....................................................................................................................................... 18 Distribution of Seats ................................................................................................................................ 19 Members of the 40th Legislature as at 31 March 2013 ..................................................................... 22 Parliamentary Work ................................................................................................................................................. 25 The Impacts of a Minority Government on Parliamentary Proceedings ............................................. 25 Re-organization of Standing Committees .............................................................................................. 25 New Conditions for a Quorum ................................................................................................................ 26 Schedule of Sittings ................................................................................................................................. 26 Work Performed at the National Assembly ............................................................................................ 27 Conduct of a Sitting at the National Assembly ..................................................................................... 28 A Closer Look at Routine Proceedings .................................................................................................. 28 A Closer look at Orders of the Day ........................................................................................................ 33 Bills Passed .............................................................................................................................................. 34 Standing Committees .............................................................................................................................. 35 Terms of Reference and Composition of the Standing Committees ................................................... 38 The Importance of Parliamentary Control ............................................................................................. 38 The Orders of the Standing Committees ............................................................................................... 44 Persons Appointed by the National Assembly ....................................................................................... 54 Parliamentary Diplomacy ...................................................................................................................................... 55 Interparliamentary Organizations ........................................................................................................... 55 American Interparliamentary Organizations .......................................................................................... 61 Partner Parliaments ................................................................................................................................. 63 Interparliamentary Cooperation .............................................................................................................. 64 Official Visits ............................................................................................................................................. 66 THE ASSEMBLY AND THE CITIZENS Institutional Activities ............................................................................................................................................ 71 Medals of Honour of the National Assembly ......................................................................................... 71 A National Assembly that Opens its Doors to Citizens ................................................................................ 72 Activities for the General Public ........................................................................................................... 72 A Forum for Exchanges ........................................................................................................................... 76 Research and Education Activities .................................................................................................................... 78 Library of the National Assembly ........................................................................................................... 78 Education on Democracy by the National Assembly ............................................................................ 81 Fondation Jean-Charles-Bonenfant ...................................................................................................... 84 Research Chair on Democracy and Parliamentary Institutions ........................................................... 87 Information and Multimedia ................................................................................................................................. 89 Broadcasting and Webcasting ................................................................................................................ 89 Mémoires de députés Television Series ................................................................................................ 90 The National Assembly Now Active on Social Media ........................................................................... 90 TABLE DES matiÈRES Heritage ................................................................................................................................................................... 91 Documentary Heritage ............................................................................................................................. 91 Promotion of Heritage Objects ............................................................................................................... 91 Architectural and Urban Heritage ........................................................................................................... 92 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES Administrative Organization ................................................................................................................................. 95 Office of the National Assembly ............................................................................................................. 95 Changes in the Administrative Structure ............................................................................................... 96 Personnel .................................................................................................................................................. 96 Organizational Chart as at 31 March 2013 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