Dear Friend,
This Fall Sitting of the PEI Legislature came to an end on Thursday. It was short, lasting only 20 days, but a lot of bills (20 Government, 3 Opposition and one Private Member's bill) and motions were passed, many of them with the unanimous approval by MLAs from all three parties in the Legislature.
One thing about the current Legislature that is very different from past legislatures is how much work happens on bills before they come to the floor for debate. Knowing how important buy-in from the opposition parties is to pass legislation in this minority legislature, the government has consulted with both the Green and Liberal caucuses on most bills in advance of the fall sitting in order to address questions or concerns ahead of time. This has given Green MLAs more influence over government bills than most other Official Oppositions in the past.
At the same time, as Official Opposition, the Green Caucus has a special responsibility to hold government to account, and it takes that responsibility seriously by asking tough questions, demanding real answers, and taking government to task when it fails to uphold the principles of good governance.
Read the full roundup here <[link removed]>, or click on items of interest below to find out more!
Green MLAs passed three bills this sitting, including one which requires short-term rental operators to provide the province with data about their rentals in order to help the province get a more informed handle on the impact of short-term rentals on PEI's housing stock and tourism sector.
Read more >> <[link removed]>
The Capital Budget?is a forecast of spending for infrastructure and capital projects such as roads and bridges, public buildings, and equipment (as opposed to the Operational Budget delivered each spring, which details other government program and service expenditures).?
The Capital Budget, like all budgetary matters, is a matter of confidence, i.e. the bill must pass in order for the government to survive. The defeat of a budget bill means that the government has lost the confidence of the House, which typically triggers a new election.
Ultimately, the 2019 Capital Budget <[link removed]> passed with the support of four Green and four Liberal MLAs.
Read more >> <[link removed]>
In addition to the bills mentioned above, the Green Party passed a number of important motions. Unlike bills, motions do not become laws, but motions that pass indicate that a majority of MLAs are in support of a particular course of action and can be effective in establishing the political consensus for legislative and policy changes.
Green motions that passed this session cover topics ranging from poverty to Reconciliation, government fiscal accountability, "Net Zero" buildings, drug treatment courts, the creation of a rental registry and protecting children during school renovations.
Read more >> <[link removed]>
The daily Question Period is one of the key opportunities that our Green MLAs have to hold the government to account. Some of the questions posed by Green MLAs this sitting address subjects such as the Eastern Kings wind farm expansion, plans to convert more public buildings to wood heating, the response to Hurricane Dorian, social assistance gaps and more.
Read more >> <[link removed]>
20 government bills passed this sitting, most with Green Party input and support. PEI now has new laws in place to close loopholes in the Lands Protection Act, to combat youth smoking and vaping, to make the Child & Youth Advocate an independent officer of the Legislature, to open up adoption records, to provide better supports for persons with disabilities, and banning the practice of Conversion Therapy.
Read more >> <[link removed]>
Green Party of PEI
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Green Party of Prince Edward Island - 81 Prince St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4R3, Canada
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