Today the House of Assembly passed a resolution to establish a Select Committee of Rules and Procedures Governing Virtual Proceedings of the House of Assembly. The Select Committee is tasked with determining the manner in which the House may conduct virtual proceedings such that Members can continue to fulfill their parliamentary duties as legislators and provide for accountability at a time when it is difficult to regularly attend the House in person due to travel restrictions, health vulnerability, and physical distancing requirements.

The resolution passed today provides authority for the Select Committee to determine the manner in which virtual proceedings of the House may be held. It provides that virtual proceedings may include a proceeding of the House with any combination of Members physically present in the Chamber, and Members present remotely by other technological means (including video conference or audio only platform). The measures recommended by the Select Committee and adopted by the House of Assembly will also apply, as appropriate, to meetings of other Committees of the House and the Management Commission.

The Select Committee includes the current Members of the Standing Orders Committee, in addition to the Opposition House Leader, Third Party House Leader, and an unaffiliated Member (as agreed to by the unaffiliated Members, or chosen by the Speaker if there is no agreement). Its report must be tabled with the Clerk of the House of Assembly as soon as possible, but no later than July 1, 2020. Once presented to the Clerk it will be deemed to have been presented to and adopted by the House of Assembly on that date.

The complete resolution is outlined below.

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Media contact
Bobbi Russell
Policy and Communications Officer
House of Assembly
709-693-9434
bobbirussell@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Motion Respecting Hybrid Virtual Proceedings of the House of Assembly in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mr. Speaker, I give notice and, by leave and seconded by the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, move the following motion:

That while the COVID-19 pandemic and required public health orders continue, the House of Assembly Members need to fulfil their parliamentary duties as legislators and to provide for accountability and transparency.

Therefore be it resolved:

1. That, notwithstanding any Standing Order of this House, the House may wish to sit from time to time in virtual proceedings in a manner to be determined further to this resolution;

2. That, with respect to a sitting of this House, “virtual proceedings” may include a proceeding of this House with any combination of the following:

a. Members physically present in the Chamber; and
b. Members present remotely by other technological means, including by a video conferencing or audio only platform;

3. That a Select Committee of Rules and Procedures Governing Virtual Proceedings of this House of Assembly be established to determine the manner in which the House may conduct virtual proceedings, which proceedings must satisfy the following requirements:

a. A virtual proceeding must be a proceeding of parliament conducted under the authority of the Speaker in the manner agreed to by Members.
b. The manner of the proceeding must protect and uphold the parliamentary privilege enjoyed individually and collectively by this House and its Members.
c. All Members must be able to access and use any video conferencing or audio platform chosen by the Standing Orders Committee.
d. The platform chosen by the committee must be secure for the purpose of a public meeting of this House.
e. The platform must be trusted by the Members and be transparent;

4. That the Select Committee consist of the current members of the Standing Orders Committee, the Opposition House Leader, the Third Party House Leader and an unaffiliated Member as agreed to by the unaffiliated Members, or where there is no agreement, an unaffiliated Member as chosen by the Speaker;

5. That the chair of the Standing Orders Committee shall be the chair of the Select Committee;

6. That the Select Committee may, at the discretion of the chair, meet using teleconference, virtual or other means to conduct its meetings;

7. That the report of the Select Committee shall be tabled with the Clerk of the House of Assembly as soon as possible, but in any event no later than July 1, 2020 and shall be deemed to have been duly presented to and adopted by the House of Assembly on that date;

8. That the measures recommended by the Select Committee and adopted by the House shall apply, as appropriate, to meetings of other Committees of the House and the Management Commission; and

9. That the measures recommended by the Select Committee and adopted by this House by the passing of this motion shall remain in place until December 3, 2020 unless earlier revised or replaced by this House of Assembly.