The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges deliberated whether the procedure for the election of the Speaker and the Executive Council by the Territorial Leadership Committee, as established in 1991, should be incorporated within the rules of the Legislative Assembly.
The standing committee holds the opinion that it is not necessary to amend the rules to incorporate the procedure developed by the Territorial Leadership Committee at present. The procedure is evolving, and the committee does not recommend that the Assembly be bound to a specific process at this time. The committee is also aware that the question of the appointment of Ministers of the Executive Council by the Government Leader has been raised by some Members. The committee is of the opinion that this issue may receive further consideration, but not by this committee.
Emergency Debate
The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges considered the practice of other jurisdictions which allow the orders of the day to be stood down to allow an emergency debate on an urgent issue. The committee felt that the development of such a practice within our rules would be of value.
Currently, the rules may be stood down for emergency debate upon unanimous consent. However, debate on an important issue may be blocked by one Member. The committee is of the opinion that rules should be developed to allow emergency debate upon one hour's notice to the Speaker. Debate as to whether the issue is an emergency could be allowed by the Speaker, and the decision as to whether emergency debate is appropriate would be the Speaker's.
Such a procedure would allow for full debate on an urgent issue, one that cannot adequately be dealt with by the Assembly within the usual House rules and procedures. Although the question of what would constitute an emergency in certain circumstances would be subject to debate and the ruling of the Speaker, the committee anticipates that the procedure would be used for an unexpected event of urgent public importance, rather than an emergency related to issues of political importance.
Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the rules be amended to include a procedure for emergency debate on matters of urgent public importance, upon one hour's notice being provided to the Speaker;
and further, that the Speaker shall rule on the question of whether debate should be allowed.