On January 6, 2020 the Premier, Hon. Sandy Silver, advised the Speaker, Hon. Nils Clarke, pursuant to Standing Orders 73(1) and 73(2), that the public interest requires the House to meet. Standing Order 75(10) stipulates that “…the Spring Sitting shall commence the first week of March.” The Speaker informed all Members by way of notice that the House shall convene at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, 2020.
You may find the following information useful as regards to the 2020 Spring Sitting.
Government Bills
Pursuant to Standing Order 74 all government bills to be dealt with during the 2020 Spring Sitting will have to be introduced and given first reading by the fifth sitting day – Thursday, March 12, 2020. The introduction of a government bill after that date will require the unanimous consent of the House. At each subsequent stage, the bill would require unanimous consent to proceed, if the government wishes to proceed with the bill during the 2020 Spring Sitting.
Length of the Sitting
Pursuant to Standing Order 75, once all government bills have been introduced the House Leaders shall meet for the purpose of achieving agreement upon the number of sitting days for the 2020 Spring Sitting. The Government House Leader will report to the House by the seventh sitting day - Wednesday March 25, 2020 - on the deliberations of the House Leaders regarding the length of the 2020 Spring Sitting. For your information:
- A 20-day Sitting, the shortest permitted under Standing Order 75(2), would see the House rise on Thursday, April 16, 2020.
- A 30-day Sitting, either agreed upon by the House Leaders or pursuant to Standing Order 75(3) (where there is no agreement between the Government House Leader and at least one other House Leader), would see the House rise on Tuesday, May 5, 2020.
- A 40-day Sitting, the longest permitted under Standing Order 75(2), would see the House rise on Monday May 25, 2020.
Note: The Legislative Assembly will not sit on April 13, Easter Monday. Also, the House may, by adopting a motion, decide to not sit on a day when it would otherwise normally sit. Adopting such a motion could alter the date on which the 20th or 30th sitting day would fall. If the House sits for 37-40 days then it should be noted that the House will not sit Monday May 18, 2020, Victoria Day. Finally, Motion number 121 adopted by the Legislative Assembly on Monday November 25, 2019, will result in the House adjourning from its rising from Thursday March 12, 2020 until 1:00 p.m. on Monday March 23, 2020 due to the Arctic Winter Games.
Private Members' Business
Standing Order 14(1) says,
“After the Daily Routine, on the first Wednesday of a Session that private members' business is to be considered, and every second Wednesday thereafter, the order of business shall be as follows:
Opposition private members' business:
(a) Motions for the Production of Papers
(b) Motions other than Government Motions
(c) Bills other than Government Bills
Motions Respecting Committee Reports
Government Designated Business
Government private members' business:
(a) Motions for the Production of Papers
(b) Motions other than Government Motions
(c) Bills other than Government Bills”
Pursuant to Standing Order 14(2)
“After the Daily Routine, on the second Wednesday of a Session that private members' business is to be considered, and every second Wednesday thereafter, the order of business shall be as follows:
Government private members' business:
(a) Motions for the Production of Papers
(b) Motions other than Government Motions
(c) Bills other than Government Bills
Government Designated Business
Motions Respecting Committee Reports
Opposition private members' business:
(a) Motions for the Production of Papers
(b) Motions other than Government Motions
(c) Bills other than Government Bills”
Therefore, as the 2020 Spring Sitting will commence on Thursday, March 5, 2020, the schedule of private members’ business for the 2020 Spring Sitting will be:
- March 11 - Opposition private members
- March 25 - Government private members
- April 1 - Opposition private members
- April 8 - Government private members
- April 15 - Opposition private members
- April 22 - Government private members (Should the Sitting last 23 or more sitting days)
- April 29 - Opposition private members (Should the Sitting last 27 or more sitting days)
- May 6 - Government private members (Should the Sitting last 31 sitting days)
- May 13 - Opposition private members (Should the Sitting last 35 sitting days)
- May 20 - Government private members (Should the Sitting last 38 sitting days)
Given that the House will not sit on Easter Monday (April 13, 2020), any motion to be debated on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, will have to be on the Notice Paper on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, which means that notice of the motion will have to be given to the House, either orally (during the Daily Routine) or in writing (to the Clerk’s Table before 5:00 p.m.), by Thursday, April 9, 2020. If the House sits for 37-40 days then the House will not sit on Victoria Day (May 18, 2020), any motion to be debated on Wednesday May 20, 2020 will have be on the Notice Paper on Tuesday May, 19, 2020, which means that notice of the motion will have to be given to the House, either orally (during the Daily Routine or in writing (to the Clerk’s Table before 5:00 p.m.), by Thursday May 14, 2020.
Opposition Private Members' Business
Standing Order 14.2(2) says,
“At the beginning of each Session a roster shall be established for the purpose of determining the order of business on Wednesdays when Opposition private members' business has precedence. The roster shall be set in the following manner:
(a) the Official Opposition shall have the first, second and fifth positions on the roster;
(b) a party or group in opposition to the government, other than the Official Opposition, shall have the third, fourth and sixth positions on the roster…”
In the fall session, Mr. Istchenko began debate on Motion Number 113 in position 1 after 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday November 20, 2019. Therefore, Standing Order 14.2(6) applies and if Mr. Istchenko and the Official Opposition desires to continue debate on Motion Number 113 (adjourned Mr. Cathers), then we are in position 1. If, however, Mr. Istchenko and the Official Opposition wish to stand down on this motion then we move to position 2 on the first Opposition private members' day which will take place on March 11, 2020.
The roster for Opposition Private Members’ Business for the 2020 Spring Sitting will be:
- Position 1: Official Opposition (Yukon Party)
- Position 2: Official Opposition (Yukon Party)
- Position 3: Third Party (NDP)
- Position 4: Third Party (NDP)
- Position 5: Official Opposition (Yukon Party)
- Position 6: Third Party (NDP)