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HALIFAX, FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Sixty-third General Assembly

First Session

12:00 NOON

SPEAKER

Hon. Kevin Murphy

DEPUTY SPEAKER

Mr. Chuck Porter

[The First Session of the 63^rd General Assembly was opened on a sunny day.]

ACTING SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Honourable members, please take your places.

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:

"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 Friday, the 16^th day of June 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 13^th day of June, in the year of Our Lord two thousand and seventeen and in the 66^th 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.

At this point, we do not have a Speaker, and as the Chief Clerk, it falls to me to oversee the election of a Speaker. I will accept nominations for the Office of the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

The honourable Premier.

THE PREMIER « » : It is my honour, and I am proud, to nominate the member for Eastern Shore, Hon. Kevin Murphy. (Applause)

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

HON. KEVIN MURPHY « » : I do.

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

There being no further nominations, I declare the Speaker elected by the House, the honourable member for Eastern Shore. (Standing Ovation)

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

MR. SPEAKER « » : Please be seated.

Honourable members of the House of Assembly, I thank the House for the great honour it has 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.

Before we get to that, is this where I can insert my own comments? My trusty Clerk. The two bosses have spoken. I happen to have a couple of notes.

Just before we proceed with the election of the Deputy Speakers, I do want to first of all thank you, Premier, very much for your nomination and your faith in me. It is very much appreciated. I want to thank all the members of the Assembly for your continued faith, for those returning members and for those new members. I welcome you all aboard.

It's a very privileged group that we have here and as the Chief Clerk mentioned during the swearing-in ceremonies, it should not be lost on anybody at any time when you are sitting in your seat here that you are among a very special group of people who have had the privilege to call themselves Nova Scotians, but a very select group that have had the privilege to sit in this House and represent your communities and the Province of Nova Scotia as we aim to make this a better place for everybody.

A couple of quick, housekeeping items before I proceed. Mrs. Speaker, who is sitting in the Speaker's Gallery here with me, has said from day one, going back to 2013 - and, if you've noticed, evidenced by the subtle mousetraps in the corners in many of the rooms in this great, grand building - that we should have an Assembly cat. This is one of the initiatives that I am going to work on in this term.

I also want to mention, as a matter of housekeeping, to the new Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, I have strict orders from your Mom to keep things in order with you.

It also dawned on me in the last 24 hours, since receiving word that this is my second term as Speaker, I've not had an opportunity to sit on the floor of this Assembly and give my Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne. So if you'll indulge me for the next 50 minutes or so, I just want to let you know that going back to 1970, I was born the humble child of (Interruption) The former Speaker is calling for a recount here already. (Laughter)

I do want to thank all members for the humble opportunity to sit here in this dais and preside over these proceedings in this House on behalf of all Nova Scotians. It's not lost on me what a great responsibility it is, not only for me but for each of you. You have my word that I will do my absolute best to ensure that every single member of this Assembly gets a fair and honest and unbiased shake at bringing the concerns of their communities forward as we again aim collectively to make Nova Scotia a better place for everybody, so thank you very much, I appreciate it. (Standing Ovation)

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Now we'll move on and we'll accept nominations for the position of Deputy Speaker in the Sixty-Third General Assembly.

[GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION]

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

RESOLUTION NO. 1

HON. GEOFF MACLELLAN « » : Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Be it resolved that:

(a) The honourable member for Hants West and the honourable member for Lunenburg be the Chairmen of Committees and Deputy Speakers of the House of Assembly:

(b) The member for Hants West be the Deputy Speaker within the meaning of subsection 14(3) of the House of Assembly Act and within the meaning of the House of Assembly Management Commission Act;

(c) The annual salary of the Deputy Speaker, established pursuant to the House of Assembly Act, be divided equally between the two Chairmen of Committees and Deputy Speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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

Is it agreed?

I hear several Noes.

The notice is tabled.

The honourable Government House Leader.

HON. GEOFF MACLELLAN « » : Mr. Speaker, pending the disposition of the previous motion and to ensure that we have a Deputy Speaker in the interim, I therefore nominate the member for Hants West as Deputy Speaker.

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

MR. CHUCK PORTER » : I do.

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

The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.

HON. JAMIE BAILLIE » : Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to nominate for Deputy Speaker, the member for Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER « » : Does the honourable member for Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg accept the nomination?

HON. ALFIE MACLEOD » : Yes.

MR. SPEAKER « » : The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.

MR. GARY BURRILL: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to place in nomination for the position of Deputy Speaker, the member for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River.

MR. SPEAKER « » : Does the honourable member for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook- Salmon River accept the nomination?

MS. LENORE ZANN » : I do.

MR. SPEAKER « » : We will now proceed with the election for Deputy Speakers and I will ask the Clerks to distribute the ballots.

The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.

HON. JAMIE BAILLIE « » : Could I ask that you clarify the method of voting? Is it a simple plurality of votes when there are multiple candidates or will we have subsequent ballots until someone gets 50 per cent? I think all members would like to know how this will eventually be determined.

MR. SPEAKER « » : The Clerks will distribute the ballots and there will be a secret ballot cast. The members will be asked to write down the name of the member they wish to occupy the position of Deputy Speaker. Rule 6B says: "(m) if one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, that candidate shall be declared elected; (n) if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the candidate receiving the fewest votes ceases to be a candidate;"

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Then we would proceed with a second vote.

We will adjourn for a couple of minutes while the Clerks distribute the ballots.

[12:14 p.m. The House recessed.]

[12:16 p.m. The House reconvened.]

MR. SPEAKER « » : Order, please. Before we ask the Clerks to collect the ballots, I want assurance that every member received a ballot. Okay, I will ask the Clerks to collect the ballots.

The Clerks will now collect the ballots in the traditional Speaker's Hat.

The Clerks will now retire to the anteroom to count the ballots. I invite the House Leaders for all Parties to attend as scrutineers. The House will adjourn for a couple of minutes while we await the result.

[12:19 p.m. The House recessed.]

[12:26 p.m. The House reconvened.]

MR. SPEAKER « » : Order, please. The Chief Clerk has advised me that one candidate received the majority of the votes, more than 50 per cent.

Therefore, I now declare the honourable member for Hants West the Deputy Speaker. (Applause)

[GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION]

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

RESOLUTION NO. 2

HON. GEOFF MACLELLAN « » : 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 Clare-Digby, the member for Glace Bay, the member for Halifax Atlantic, and the member for Sackville-Cobequid;

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.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

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

The motion is carried.

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

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

[12:30 p.m.]

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

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

The Acting 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 Clerks, Annette Boucher and Nicole Arsenault.

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

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

THE PREMIER « » : Your Honour, first of all, on behalf of all members of this Assembly, let me extend our gratitude to you and Mrs. Grant for the distinguished honour that both of you have shown when you are representing the Queen in our province, whether it is in small communities, in rural parts of our province, or in this beautiful capital city. Both of you have been distinguished representatives of Her Majesty, and I would say all members of this House feel blessed that we have had a chance, in our small time in elected office, to interact with you and Mrs. Grant. On behalf of all of us, I wish you the very best as you move into retirement and back home to Pictou County. (Applause)

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 of 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 this 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. I declare that this House is now in session.

[The Speaker and Clerks left the Chamber.

The Lieutenant Governor and his Private Secretary left the Chamber, preceded by the Acting Sergeant-at-Arms.]

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

[Mr. Speaker took the Chair.]

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

HON. GEOFF MACLELLAN « » : 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 now stands adjourned.

[The House rose at 12:37 p.m.]