Under Standing Order 9 of the House of Assembly, it’s pretty simple:
9. If at 5:30 o’clock in the afternoon except on Wednesday, the business of the House is not concluded, the Speaker shall leave the Chair until 7 o’clock. At the hour of 5 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon the Speaker
adjourns the House without question put. (1951 SO 7 R&S 1999)
Deputy speaker Tom Osborne decided to toss the rulebook in the corner this afternoon during debate on a resolution to fire child and youth advocate Darlene Neville.
The business of the House was not concluded at 5:30 pm.
There was no prior motion to extend the sitting or vary the rules.
Osborne simply interrupted the speaker who had the floor and put the whole 
show off until Monday.
The reason?
The Speaker’s Annual Christmas party – right, not exactly as illustrated - was scheduled to start at 5:30.
-srbp-
3 comments:
Nothing could be further from the truth.
That's a photo of a cabinet meeting in progress.
Actually the standing orders of the legislature also state that a motion to adjourn is always in order, standing order 22 to be exact, read on bond
Yes, such a motion is in order.
But if you check Hansard - speaking of reading - you will see that Osborne in the chair deliberately interrupted the speaker who had the floor in order to give the Government House Leader the opportunity to move the motion in question.
They could have resumed this evening, in accordance with the standing orders and likely finished the whole affair today.
It is fairly obvious they adjourned the House to make the Speaker's Christmas party. Interesting to know what this little delay - unexpected as far as I know - will wind up costing the taxpayers of the province.
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