CBC broadcaster Evan Solomon seems like a nice young man. In his day job, Solomon hosts Power and Politics, a national affairs show on afternoon TV. Solomon takes to topics with Terrier-like ferocity. And like most Terriers his style is yappy, interruptive, and annoying. Not unlike Jerry Springer without the chair throwing. Solomon's value as a reporter suffers a bit when he lets his self-inflated ego get in the way of thoughtful and productive dialogue causing him more often than not to miss the target. That said, for us retirees, his spot can be a pleasant rainy-day diversion particularly when there's nothing else to do before the real news comes on at 5.
However, last Sunday Solomon peeked out from under the Ottawa toadstool and posted an open letter to B.C. Premier Christy Clark. In his own uniquely sophomoric style, Solomon took Clark to task for canceling the fall sitting of the B.C. Legislature. He acknowledged Clark was busy with a concern over the increasing provincial deficit and the resignation of a number of sitting MLAs but asked if she could squeeze in a little democracy. He presupposed there would be no one in the Clark government to address pipeline opponents or government contract negotiations. He then attempted to draw a convoluted analogy between the cancellation of the fall sitting of the B.C. Legislature and the current political unrest in Libya and Egypt.
Mr. Solomon could use a lesson in provincial politics. First, as the name implies a provincial legislature, legislates. That is it comes together to make laws. Its members, all democratically elected, debate those laws and amend them, defeat them or pass them.
The most important part of any provincial legislative process is the annual budget. Every year the government introduces its budget detailing how revenues will be raised and spent. The Legislative Assembly then resolves itself into the Committee of Supply and debates the spending and administration of every arm of government. This is called the Estimates debates and it's a forum where every MLA can question every aspect of government spending. If you want to find out what the Ministry of Agriculture spends on pencils, you can get the answer during the Estimates debate. This process can last for months, and in years past it has.
The government may wish to introduce legislation and other members may wish to introduce private-members bills. That is their privilege. When the Legislature is sitting there is a 30-minute question period.
The important thing to remember is that the government must convene the Legislative Assembly once a year for a Throne Speech and a Budget, plus a prescribed amount of debate on both those initiatives. Legislation can only come into law after it has been fully debated and passed by the Legislative Assembly. If the government has no need to introduce legislation, then there is no need for the Assembly to sit.
As an aside, and from my perspective as one who sat as a government MLA and cabinet minister, the political schedule is more demanding when the Legislature is not sitting. During this time there are more expectations for MLAs to be in the constituency and if in cabinet touring the province and looking after portfolio matters.
Reading Solomon's missive, he's convinced himself that all debate and discussion on provincial issues comes to an immediate halt if the Legislature is adjourned. Nothing could be further from the truth. Opposition members still have full access to the Legislative press gallery, an aggressive group of veteran reporters who have no problem ferreting out the news. Plus, it is well known that cabinet meets in Victoria on a regular basis and that Minister's schedules are readily available
Solomon also mistakenly concludes that a government is only held accountable when the Legislature is sitting. Who's he trying to kid? In his political bailiwick the Parliament just resumed after a summer recess yet he had no problem going after various ministers and issues while MPs were in their ridings for the summer.
Christy Clark may or may not have made the right decision to not hold a fall sitting. It's her call to be judged by the electorate next spring. However, if there was no need for legislation then why the expense? If the government wants a platform it has one. If the opposition wants to get its message out it has a healthy communications budget and the ear of the Legislative Press Gallery. If protesters want to gather at steps of the Legislature they will be awash in microphones, TV cameras and willing supporters.
Evan Solomon should realize that unlike Ottawa, B.C. has a number of democratic advantages over the rest of Canada. Those advantages include fixed election dates, recall and referendum legislation and most importantly, intelligent political reporters.
