ORDERS OF THE DAY — Continued
No. 4 — Monday, February 24, 2025 — 10 a.m.
1 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That a Special Committee to Review the Public Interest Disclosure Act be appointed to review the Public Interest Disclosure Act (S.B.C. 2018, c. 22), pursuant to section 50 of the Act.
That the Special Committee have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Special Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. conduct consultations by any means the Special Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Special Committee.
That the Special Committee report to the House by February 19, 2026, and that during a period of adjournment, the Special Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
That the Special Committee be composed of the following Members: Darlene Rotchford (Convener), Rosalyn Bird, Jennifer Blatherwick, Dana Lajeunesse and Lawrence Mok.
2 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services be empowered to exercise oversight of each of the following statutory officers: Auditor General, Chief Electoral Officer, Conflict of Interest Commissioner, Human Rights Commissioner, Information and Privacy Commissioner and Registrar of Lobbyists, Merit Commissioner, Ombudsperson, Police Complaint Commissioner, and Representative for Children and Youth. This includes:
a. considering and making recommendations on the annual reports, rolling three-year service plans, budgets, and any other matters respecting the effective and efficient administration of each statutory office;
b. inquiring into and making recommendations with respect to other matters brought to the Committee’s attention by a statutory officer; and,
c. considering and making decisions regarding the terms and conditions of employment of each statutory officer arising as a request of a statutory officer during their term of appointment.
That the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in sections 6, 7, 19, 20, 21 and 23 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) and that the report in section 22 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) be referred to the Committee.
That the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in sections 47.02 and 47.03 of the Human Rights Code (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 210).
That the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in section 3 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act (S.B.C. 2000, c. 23).
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. conduct consultations by any means the Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
3 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That a Special Committee to Appoint Statutory Officers be appointed to select and unanimously recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of:
a. an individual to hold office as Auditor General, pursuant to section 2 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2);
b. an individual to hold office as Chief Electoral Officer, pursuant to section 4 of the Election Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 106); and,
c. an individual to hold office as Conflict of Interest Commissioner, pursuant to section 14 of the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 287).
That the Special Committee have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Special Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
d. retain personnel as required to assist the Special Committee.
That the Special Committee report to the House on each of its recommendations as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Special Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
That the Special Committee be composed of the following Members: Janet Routledge (Convener), Harman Bhangu, Linda Hepner, Stephanie Higginson and Qwulti’stunaat / Debra Toporowski.
4 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That all reports of the Auditor General of British Columbia transmitted to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly be deemed referred to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts. For greater certainty, the following exceptions are provided:
a. the report referred to in section 22 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) shall be referred to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services; and,
b. reports of the Auditor General respecting the Legislative Assembly prepared under the provisions of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 258) shall be referred to the Legislative Assembly Management Committee.
That the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be the Committee referred to in sections 10 and 14 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2).
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
d. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
5 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills be empowered to consider:
1. Public Bills in the Hands of a Private Member committed to the Committee pursuant to Standing Order 84A and within 30 sitting days of a Bill’s committal:
a. report each such Bill back to the House with or without amendment; or,
b. recommend back to the House that any such Bill not proceed further.
2. Private Bills referred to the Committee pursuant to Standing Order 105 and to report to the House on any such Bill as soon as possible.
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. conduct consultations by any means the Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
6 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth be empowered to foster greater awareness and understanding among legislators and the public of the B.C. child welfare system, including the specific needs of Indigenous children, youth, families and communities, and in particular to:
a. receive and review the annual service plan from the Representative for Children and Youth (the “Representative”) that includes a statement of goals and identifies specific objectives and performance measures that will be required to exercise the powers and perform the functions and duties of the Representative during the fiscal year;
b. be the Committee to which the Representative reports, at least annually;
c. refer to the Representative for investigation the critical injury or death of a child;
d. receive and consider all reports and plans transmitted by the Representative to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly; and,
e. undertake, pursuant to section 30 (1) of the Representative for Children and Youth Act (S.B.C. 2006, c. 29), a comprehensive review of the Act or portions of the Act at least once every five years, but by no later than April 1, 2027, to determine whether the functions of the Representative described in section 6 are still required to ensure that the needs of children and young adults as defined in that section are met.
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. conduct consultations by any means the Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
Copyright © King’s Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada