CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — It was called a “radical change” during a sitting of the legislature on Wednesday.
Green MLA Hannah Bell introduced a report from the Standing Committee on Rules, Regulations, Private Bills and Privileges, informally known as the “committee on committees”, fulfilling a commitment set out by the Dennis King government in its throne speech last week.
The report recommended that all political parties be given equal representation on standing committees. Standing committees do not often have deliberative powers but can examine issues of public concern and recommend action to the legislative assembly.
Previously, membership on the committees has been allocated based on the proportion of seats each party holds in the legislature. In practice, this has frustrated parties in Opposition, who have often argued the governing party could obfuscate or obstruct investigations into specific issues.
The changes recommended by the “committee on committees” were agreed by its multi-partisan membership. Five other members – one Green, two Liberal and two Progressive Conservative – joined Bell as members of this committee.
“It is rare, if not unprecedented, for three parties to come together to discuss radical changes to the composition of legislative committees with so much common purpose,” Bell told the legislature.
“These changes are truly radical. They will actually eliminate the interference from the executive branch or the premier’s office in the functioning of legislative committees.”
The report also recommended that rules governing standing committees be changed to give each political party a maximum of two members on committees, unless the party has fewer than two members elected to the legislature.
The PCs had promised to allow Opposition parties to have a majority of members on standing committees in their election platform.
In speeches before the legislature, King has touted the proposed changes to standing committees as a key component of his efforts to provide for a more collaborative government in P.E.I.
