Legislative Reports Speaker’s Educational Outreach Significant Legislation Program During the fall sitting of the Speaker Dan D’Autremont Legislative Assembly, several has reinstituted the Speaker’s pieces of significant legislation Outreach Program. It aims received Royal Assent: to promote awareness and Bill No. 15, Highway Traffic understanding of the Legislative (Combating Impaired Driving) Saskatchewan Assembly and the democratic Amendment Act, strengthens process through a non-partisan existing legislation by expanding he fall sitting concluded approach. The Speaker’s the ignition interlock program to Ton Thursday, December 6, Outreach Program also provides include mandatory participation 2012. During the fall period of a means of bringing the for first-time offenders; outlining session, 42 government bills and 1 Legislative Assembly to students minimum time frames for private members’ public bill were who are unable to visit. The participation in the program introduced. Speaker has presented to 17 including: one year for the first The Lieutenant Governor, classes since November. offence, two years for the second Vaughn Solomon Schofield gave offence, and five years for the Stacey Ursulescu Royal Assent to 2 bills including third offence; increasing the an Appropriation Bill to defray Committee Clerk mandatory time in the ignition the expenses of the Public interlock program by one year if Service. The other bill to receive a passenger under the age of 16 Royal Assent was Bill No. 66 – is in the vehicle at the time of the The Saskatchewan Advantage Grant offence; and adds new measures for Education Savings (SAGES) Act. to impound vehicles of drivers convicted of offences. 100th Anniversary of the Legislative Building Bill No. 6, Public Health Act, Prince Edward Island will prohibit the marketing, sale In December 2011, a time or access to tanning equipment capsule was removed from the he Second Session of the Sixty- to a person under the age of 18 cornerstone of the Legislative fourth General Assembly was years. It also requires a person Building. The new 2012 time T prorogued on November 9, 2012. who appears to be younger capsule was filled and placed The Third Session of the Sixty- than 18 years of age to produce back into the cornerstone on fourth General Assembly opened identification as proof of age in December 6. Contents included on November 13, 2012, with the order to obtain access to tanning a letter and photo from the Speech from the Throne delivered equipment. The bill provides an Speaker to future MLAs with by the Lieutenant Governor H. exemption for ultraviolet light samples of the Chamber carpet Frank Lewis. Highlights of the treatments as prescribed by a before and after 2012, letters from Speech included new testing for medical practitioner or nurse the Governor General, Grade 4 Grade 9 literacy and Grade 11 practitioner. students, a handwritten letter math skills; an exploration of The Retail Sales Tax Act, from the Premier, a selection of collaborative emergency centres, Bill No. 24, ratifies the seeds from several popular crops and the introduction of pension Comprehensive Integrated Tax grown in Saskatchewan, a sample legislation. Government also Coordination Agreement between of copper from the Dome and announced its goal of 75,000 jobs Prince Edward Island and the many other artifacts. by 2016 and a number of priorities federal government which in health care. 52 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SPRING 2013 provides for the implementation Act in 1982 which regulated the the increase is expected crop of the Harmonized Sales Tax as of amount of property that can insurance losses following the April 1, 2013. be held by any one person or dry summer of 2012. In addition, corporation in the province. tobacco tax revenues are $2.5 Harmonized Sales Tax Mr. Carver will start a review million lower than forecast. In November, the province signed of the Lands Protection Act in Capital Budget the Comprehensive Integrated January 2013, studying the existing Tax Coordination Agreement legislation, holding consultations In late November, the province with the Government of Canada and determining what changes, if issued its capital budget for which provides the framework any, might be needed. 2013-14, with $83.9 million necessary for the implementation in infrastructure investments of the Harmonized Sales Tax Judicial Review – Provincial planned for the year. The Minister (HST) in Prince Edward Island. Nominee Program of Finance announced that It confirms the province’s policy In early November, in compliance spending would be more closely to eliminate the Provincial Sales with the decision of a judicial aligned to traditional levels, Tax, currently at 10 per cent, and review, the province released the signaling an end to the stimulus replace it a value-added tax of names of the corporations that spending of recent years. 9 per cent. Combined with the received investments through the Gilbert R. Clements Goods and Services Tax, this will Provincial Nominee Program, a create a 14 per cent HST, which federal-provincial partnership Gilbert R. Clements died on will come into effect on April 1, designed to expedite immigration November 27, 2012, at the age 2013. The agreement indicates for individuals and their families of 84. “Mr. Clements made an that the province will provide who met provincial criteria in outstanding contribution to the specific point-of-sale rebates of support of business and economic public life of this province during the provincial portion of the HST development. The program had his long and distinguished career for books, heating oil, children’s a significant impact on the Island as a member of the legislative footwear and children’s clothing, economy with businesses having assembly, cabinet minister as well as a 35 per cent rebate access to millions of dollars of and lieutenant governor,” said for charities and qualifying non- investment capital. In June of Premier Robert Ghiz. “He will profit organizations. A new Prince 2010, then-Acting Information be especially remembered for his Edward Island Sales Tax Credit will and Privacy Commissioner, commitment to the protection and allow a rebate of up to $200 to low Judith Haldemann, upheld the enhancement of the environment and modest income individuals decision of the administrator of and his loyalty to the people he and families in the province to the program, Island Investment represented.” Mr. Clements was assist with the transition to the new Development Incorporated, first elected to the Prince Edward taxation system. to withhold the names of the Island Legislative Assembly in the district of Fourth Kings in 1970. Appointment of Lands businesses which participated He was subsequently reelected in Protection Act Commissioner. in the program. Hearings on the matter were held at the Supreme 1974, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1989 and On November 8, 2012, Court in March 2012 and the 1993. In 1981, he served as interim Wes Sheridan, Minister of decision was issued on November leader of the Liberal Party and Finance, Energy and Municipal 2, 2012. leader of the Official Opposition. Affairs, announced the In 1995, he was appointed as the appointment of Horace Carver to Fiscal Update province’s Lieutenant Governor. the position of Lands Protection The Minister of Finance, He held a number of cabinet Act Commissioner. Mr. Carver Energy and Municipal Affairs positions in the government of served three terms in the Prince issued a fiscal update for the Premier Alex B. Campbell and Edward Island Legislature with province on November 29, 2012. was Minister of Finance in the roles as Attorney General and Mr. Sheridan indicated that the government of Premier Joe Ghiz. as Minister of Community and 2013 deficit is expected to come Cultural Affairs as well as that of in at $79.6 million, an increase Marian Johnston Government House Leader. He over the budgeted deficit of $74.9 Clerk Assistant and Clerk of Committees was active in the drafting and million. The primary reason for passage of the Lands Protection CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SPRING 2013 53 of the Committee wereDoug The physical layout of the Graham, Stacey Hassard, Sandy Chamber makes the public Silver and Jan Stick. Established gallery a prime location for a during the 2012 Spring Sitting, protest, from the perspective the Select Committee had been of those seeking attention for a given access to the records of given issue. The public gallery Yukon its namesake (which had not (due to its placement above the tabled a final report) from the main entrance to the Chamber) n December 13th, the 2012 preceding Legislature. The is in clear view of all MLAs and OFall Sitting of the 1st Session Committee was not tasked of the media gallery. The attempt of the 33rd Legislative Assembly with drafting a bill, but with of protesters to demonstrate adjourned. The 28-day sitting had reporting to the House “its in the gallery (as opposed to convened on October 25th. findings and recommendations outside the legislative Chamber) respecting the central issues has increasingly brought Assent that should be addressed in the Speaker – charged with During the course of the Fall whistle-blower protection maintaining order and decorum Sitting, the following bills (all legislation.” The Committee’s in the House – into the sights of Government bills) received final report is online at: http:// those seeking to stage a protest Assent: www.legassembly.gov.yk.ca/pdf/ in the gallery. The latter perceive • Bill No. 7, Second Appropriation whistle_blower_committee_final_ themselves as having a “right” to Act, 2012-13 report__4dec2012.pdf protest in the Chamber though this is contrary to parliamentary • Bill No. 42, Donation of Food Protesters in the Gallery Act rules and practice. • Bill No. 43, Act to Amend the The presence of protesters in the Other protesters during the Securities Act public gallery was a recurring Fall Sitting were motivated by feature during the Sitting.