Well, I wish I could tell you different, however, the BC NDP continues manipulate the Parliamentary calendar to suit their sloppy management of their own legislative agenda.
As a companion to my comments from earlier in November, here are the comments I made on November 21, 2022 in response to the Government House Leader extending debate in the last three days of the Fall sitting schedule. His proposal still falls well short of what is needed.
To be clear, the BC Green Caucus supports the extension of debate time, we will attend the Assembly to debate for as long as it takes to get through the government’s legislative agenda.
We do not support the use of time allocation and closure to shut down debate simply because government cannot manage their own agenda.
[Transcript]
Just a few comments on behalf of the Third Party. I just want to, first of all, I think, acknowledge the fact that we did stand — I think it was on November 3 — to talk about the previous motion, which removed four days of debate on the legislation that we’re resuming today.
I just want to, I think, acknowledge the fact that we are now having a discussion today about extending some time for us to debate the legislation that’s in front of us. I think it should be acknowledged that the result, I think, of the comments that were made is a recognition that there is an incredible amount of work on the legislation that the government has asked this House to consider, including two new pieces of legislation, as has been previously pointed out.
I still do think that we get to a situation at the end of this week where government is going to have to bring a motion for time allocation. We continue to be, as the Third Party, troubled by a practice that does not allow the opposition, on behalf of the people of British Columbia…. We’re here. We’re paid to be here to scrutinize this legislation. It’s an important part of the process, as the new Premier and as the government know well. Without, I think, repeating myself — I spoke at length to the previous motion — I just want to say that we also will be here for as long as necessary in order to debate these bills.
[2:45 p.m.]
If that means having to disrupt life or meetings that have been planned in our constituencies in order to do it — recognizing that next week, there are some planned events that I think a lot of the members here will be at — I do want to also extend to the government that it is a better choice to ask us to come back here and do that work than it is to invoke closure or time allocation.
That is, of course, recognizing next week there are some planned events that I think a lot of the members here will be at. I do want to also extend to the government that it is a better choice to ask us to come back here and do that work than it is to invoke a closure or time allocation.
That is, of course, recognizing that there is a great deal of time that is spent on both sides of this House during committee stage of the debate. I think that there is an opportunity for all the members, both those who are asking questions and those who are answering questions — the ministers — to maybe tighten up a little bit, ensure that we can use the time that we have in front of us this week as efficiently and as best as we possibly can on behalf of British Columbians.
That said, we’ve got a ton of work. With that, I’m going to take my seat. But I just want to let the government know that we are prepared to be here for as long as necessary in order to do the work that British Columbians have asked us to do. HISW̱ḴE SIÁM.
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