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Roland Butler, MHA for Port de Grave District and Deputy
Opposition House Leader, has raised questions about the timing of the
closure of the House of Assembly early this morning given the heavy
legislative agenda that awaits following the heavy handed end to the public
sector strike with the passage of Bill 18. "The
government unnecessarily forced us to sit until the wee hours of Tuesday
morning to pass Bill 18, a bill to send public employees back to work who
returned voluntarily over a week ago. Then the government decided to close
the House for a week so they could have a break from the constant
questioning and pressure from the opposition and public sector unions.
"With a full legislative agenda and the summer break
looming, it is obvious that government has been under great stress and has
sought temporary relief. I want to put them on notice that the pressure will
continue until they decide to govern responsibly."
The Liberal Deputy House Leader wonders what
legislative agenda government will pursue when the House resumes sitting
next Monday. The House opened late this session and is expected to sit past
the normal Victoria Day weekend closing date. There are over a dozen pieces
of legislation on the order paper with others expected to be introduced.
"There are numerous pieces of legislation that are
left to be debated. As an opposition, we offered to debate the less
controversial Bills this week, but government still decided to shut down the
House. We have not received a copy of the Insurance Bill that was promised
to us over a month ago.
"If the government expects to pass legislation this
Spring, they need to bring the House back together, get themselves organized
and we may finally be able to move forward. I have only been an MHA for a
few years but I have never seen this level of disorganization and disrespect
for the democratic process." |