Hardy loses bid for legislative renewal

NDP Leader Todd Hardy continued to insist Monday changes to the way the legislature operates are necessary and needed urgently.

NDP Leader Todd Hardy continued to insist Monday changes to the way the legislature operates are necessary and needed urgently.
After question period, Hardy’s request for the business of the legislature to be adjourned to allow his proposed Legislative Renewal Act to receive second reading was turned down by Speaker Ted Staffen.
‘I believe Bill No. 108 is a matter of urgent public business and that it is imperative that all members demonstrate a commitment to consult with Yukon people about measures that would be taken to make the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly more accessible, accountable and relevant to the people we are elected to serve,’ Hardy said as he rose to speak on it.
The proposal would see a select committee formed to consult Yukoners on potential changes to how the assembly operates.
Reforms could range anywhere from changing the hours the legislature sits to abolishing party politics, depending on what came out of the consultation.
‘We want to bring people back into the legislative assembly,’ Hardy said. ‘We want them to feel there’s relevance in what we do.’
Liberal house leader Gary McRobb supported Hardy’s move and Yukon Party house leader Brad Cathers was against it.
However, it was Staffen who noted that matters deemed of ‘urgent pubic importance,’ according to the legislature’s standing order 16 (5), is designed to allow members to debate, but not decide on matters not on the order paper.
He also pointed out it wouldn’t be possible procedurally for Hardy’s bill to receive second reading because while it could be debated, there could not be a vote under the standing order.
The order (section 16(10)), he said, states: ‘A debate on a matter of urgent public importance does not entail any decision by the assembly.
‘It could be taken up on a day when opposition private members’ business has precedence,’ Staffen said.
As Hardy pointed out in an interview following the discussion though, there are no days left in the fall sitting for that as the legislature is set to conclude this sitting on Thursday.
‘That’s part of the problem; we only have so many motion days. Many of them are wasted by the government themselves,’ he said.
The two opposition parties have Wednesdays to debate their issues, with each taking turns.
Cathers argued Hardy should have brought up the matter earlier in the sitting.
‘This is simply a political maneuver at the closing of the legislature; therefore we have to express that opinion,’ he said after stating the government co-operates with the opposition.
‘This is simply political gamesmanship.’
Hardy argued the issue has been brought up on numerous occasions.
The NDP brought it forward in previous sittings and also raised it as a bill in this one.
‘We also were dealing with the Smoke Free Places Act, which we felt was extremely important, so we called that in our motion day,’ he said. ‘But that doesn’t mean that the other motions aren’t as important.’
Since there was a select committee that went out and conducted consultations on the smoking ban, the NDP opted to focus on that first and now it is moving on to its proposed Legislative Renewal Act.
While the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges (SCREP) is dealing with matters around legislative renewal, McRobb argued there has been ‘virtually no progress’ by the committee, with only two meetings in the past year.
‘That is absolutely shameful,’ he said after noting the committee is headed by the Yukon Party’s Klondike MLA, Steve Nordick, who was too busy to hold a meeting last spring.
‘This is leading to the frustration shared by members on this side of the house,’ he said.
SCREP is set to meet today, McRobb said.