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HALIFAX, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Sixty-Second General Assembly

First Session

12:00 NOON

SPEAKER

Hon. Kevin Murphy

DEPUTY SPEAKER

Ms. Margaret Miller

[The First Session of the 62^nd General Assembly was opened on a sunny day.]

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Honourable members, please rise.

THE CLERK « » : The honourable Premier.

HON. STEPHEN MCNEIL » : Members of the House of Assembly, a Commission has been issued by His Honour, Brigadier General the Honourable J.J. Grant, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, which I shall read as follows:

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"The Honourable Premier of Nova Scotia

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Greetings:

Whereas the present General Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia was summoned to meet on Thursday, the 24^th day of October next, then to be begun and held at Halifax, from which date the said General Assembly will meet for the dispatch of business;

And inasmuch as I cannot conveniently be present in the said Legislature until the Members who have been elected to serve in the House of Assembly have elected their Speaker;

Now therefore I have thought fit to require and command you, and do hereby require and command you, to convey and declare to the Members of the House of Assembly that I will defer declaring the causes for which I have summoned them to assemble until the House of Assembly has elected a Speaker who shall be presented in the said House for my approbation.

Given under my Hand and Seal at Arms on this 22^nd day of October, in the year of Our Lord two thousand and thirteen and in the 62^nd year of Her Majesty's Reign.

(Signed) Brigadier General the Honourable J.J. Grant

Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia."

THE CLERK « » : I have the honour to table the returns of the most recent general election and to report that the members present in the House have taken the Oath and signed the Roll and they therefore claim the right to take their seats in this place.

As we do not have a Speaker to conduct proceedings yet, it falls to me, as the Clerk, to conduct the election of the Speaker. We have the traditional receptacle and the ballots are prepared. I ask all members to be seated.

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I will now accept nominations for the Office of the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia.

The honourable Premier.

THE PREMIER « » : Mr. Clerk, I am proud to nominate the member for Eastern Shore, Mr. Kevin Murphy. (Applause)

THE CLERK « » : Does the honourable member accept the nomination?

MR. KEVIN MURPHY « » : I do.

THE CLERK « » : Are there any further nominations for the Office of the Speaker of the House of Assembly?

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There being none it is my honour to declare the Speaker elected by the House. (Standing Ovation)

[The Premier, the Honourable Jamie Baillie and the Honourable Maureen MacDonald escorted Mr. Speaker to the Chair.]

MR. SPEAKER « » : Honourable members of the House of Assembly, I thank you for the great honour bestowed upon me. I will do my best to uphold the prestige and high tradition of the Speaker's Office. I respectfully ask the assistance and co-operation of all honourable members.

I will now accept nominations for the position of Deputy Speaker of the 62^nd General Assembly.

The honourable Premier.

THE PREMIER « » : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I nominate for the position of Deputy Speaker the member for the electoral district of Hants East, Margaret Miller. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER « » : Does the member accept the nomination?

MS. MARGARET MILLER » : I do.

MR. SPEAKER « » : Are there any further nominations?

Hearing none, I now declare the Deputy Speaker elected. (Standing Ovation)

[GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION]

MR. SPEAKER « » : The honourable Government House Leader.

RESOLUTION NO. 1

HON. MICHEL SAMSON « » : Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move a resolution in the following form:

Therefore be it resolved that:

(a) Pursuant to Rule 60 of the Rules and Forms of Procedure, a Special Committee be appointed whose duty it shall be to prepare and report, with all convenient speed, lists of members to compose the Standing Committees of the House and that:

(i) the Standing Committees be constituted for the life of this Assembly;

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(ii) the lists be deposited in the Office of the Chief Clerk and that the Standing Committees be established with full authority from the date the lists are deposited in the Office of the Chief Clerk;

(iii) the Chair and Vice-Chair of each Standing Committee be the members named as Chair and Vice-Chair of that committee;

(iv) the Chair or Vice-Chair of a Standing Committee may be replaced by another member of the same Party by the House Leader of the member's Party filing a notice to that effect with the Chief Clerk and the committee;

(v) notwithstanding Paragraph (5D) of Rule 60, where the House is not sitting, the notice respecting the replacement of a member of a Standing Committee is effective upon filing with the Chief Clerk and the Chair of the Committee and the notice may be tabled upon the House's next sitting;

(vi) the Standing Committees be severally empowered to examine and inquire into all matters and things as may be referred to them by this House; and

(vii) the Standing Committees be severally empowered to, from time to time, report to this House their observations and opinions;

(b) The Special Committee be composed of the following five members: the member for Argyle-Barrington, the member for Cape Breton Centre, the member for Cumberland North, the member for Dartmouth East and the member for Cape Breton-Richmond;

Further, Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Rule 33, I ask that the normal notice for this motion be dispensed with and that this resolution be now adopted.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice.

MR. SPEAKER « » : There has been a request for waiver of notice.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried. (Applause)

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: His Honour, the Lieutenant Governor, is without.

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MR. SPEAKER « » : Let His Honour be admitted.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: His Honour, the Lieutenant Governor.

[The Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable J.J. Grant, preceded by his escorts and the Sergeant-at-Arms, bearing the Mace, entered the House of Assembly Chamber. The Lieutenant Governor then took his seat on the Throne.

The Sergeant-at-Arms then departed and re-entered the Chamber, followed by the Speaker, the Honourable Kevin Murphy, the Chief Clerk of the House, Neil Ferguson, and Assistant Clerk, Annette Boucher.

The Speaker, with the Sergeant-at-Arms on his right and the Clerks on either side, took up his position at the foot of the Speaker's Table.]

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: It is the wish of His Honour the Lieutenant Governor that the ladies and gentlemen be seated.

THE PREMIER « » : May it please Your Honour that the House of Assembly, agreeable to Your Honour's command, has proceeded to the choice of a Speaker and has elected Kevin Murphy, member for the electoral district of Eastern Shore, to that Office and by its direction, I present him for the approbation of Your Honour.

THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: I approve of the Speaker whom the House of Assembly has chosen.

MR. SPEAKER « » : Your Honour's ready approval of the choice with which I have been honoured by the House, having constituted me in due form Speaker of the House of Assembly, it has now become my duty in the name of the representatives of Her Majesty's loyal subjects, the people of this Province, respectfully to demand all their accustomed rights and privileges, and that they shall have freedom of speech in their debates, that they may be free from arrest during their attendance in Parliament, and that I, as their Speaker, may have free access to Your Honour's person.

THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: I most cheerfully grant your request and I declare that this House is now in session.

[The Speaker and the Clerks left the Chamber.

The Lieutenant Governor and his escorts left the Chamber preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms.]

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: His Honour, the Speaker.

[Mr. Speaker took the Chair.]

MR. SPEAKER « » : It says, "The Speaker's personal comments." (Laughter) How much time have you got? (Laughter) I want to . . .

HON. MICHEL SAMSON « » : Can we sit?

MR. SPEAKER « » : You may be seated. (Laughter)

I really do want to extend my thanks, not only to the Premier but to all members of the House of Assembly, and congratulations on getting here today. It shows a true passion for the people of Nova Scotia, so for that I thank you and I'm very much looking forward to a productive session of government over the next three or four years. We'll work together, and we'll keep an air of decorum in here and a spirit of co-operation, with the best interests of the people of Nova Scotia at heart. I thank you for that, and welcome to the House of Assembly. (Applause)

The honourable Government House Leader.

HON. MICHEL SAMSON « » : Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following this historic election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, I want to thank all of our colleagues for being here today and for their unanimous support. With that, I move that the House do now rise to meet again at the call of the Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER « » : The motion is to adjourn.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried.

[The House rose at 12:18 p.m.]