 About
the Committee System
What are Parliamentary Committees?
Parliamentary committees are appointed by the Legislative Assembly
of British Columbia to undertake business on behalf of the Assembly.
Committees are comprised of Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Committees derive their powers from the House and must report their
findings back to the House.
Committees consider only those matters that are referred to them
by the Legislative Assembly. Within its terms of reference, each
committee is afforded total independence in its deliberations.
The committee system allows for detailed examination of matters
in a manner which would not be possible in the larger House. At
times, the committee system also allows members of the public to
have direct input into the parliamentary process by making written
submissions and attending public hearings. Parliamentary committees
may travel within British Columbia to obtain evidence.
Select Standing Committees are established by the Legislative Assembly
at the commencement of each session. During the 2nd session, 38th
Parliament, Standing Order
68(1) was amended thereby establishing the following nine Select
Standing Committees:
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Children and Youth
- Crown Corporations
- Education
- Finance and Government Services
- Health
- Legislative Initiatives
- Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills
- Public Accounts
In addition, special committees can be created by the Legislative
Assembly to examine a single, specific issue. A special committee
ceases to exist after it has completed its investigation and presented
its final report to the House.
The following special committees are currently active in British
Columbia:
A common type of special committee is one which recommends the
appointment of statutory officers of the Legislature.
Functions of Committees
The use of parliamentary committees allows for a more detailed examination
of matters than would be possible in the larger, more formal environment
of the House. Committees also allow members of the public to have
a direct input into the parliamentary process by making written
submissions and participating in public hearings. Parliamentary committees
may travel throughout British Columbia to obtain evidence.
In recent years, committees have investigated a wide variety of
topics including: earthquake preparedness, agricultural and food
policy, lumber re-manufacturing and the Nisga'a Agreement-in-Principle.
Committees may also be referred the subject-matter of a bill (Standing
Order 78A) or a vote within the Estimates (Standing
Order 60A). But in practice these referrals rarely occur. However,
private bills are automatically referred to the Select Standing
Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders,
and Public Bills after first reading in the House.
At its first meeting, a committee elects a chairperson and a deputy
chairperson, reviews its terms of reference, and embarks on drafting
a business plan.
Committee Process
At the beginning of each legislative session, a Committee of Selection
is automatically authorized to determine the membership of all legislative
committees. The Committee of Selection will appoint between ten
and twelve members to each committee.
Committees are "creatures of the House" and are, by nature, subordinate
to the Legislative Assembly. Committees must generally observe the
Standing Orders of the Legislative
Assembly, and they must report back to the Legislative Assembly
once their work is complete. Committees of the Legislative Assembly
do not have the authority to initiate their own work. They must
have a matter referred to them by the House.
Typically, a committee is empowered by a motion tabled in the Legislature
by a government minister. The motion calls for a committee to investigate
a particular matter, and the Legislative Assembly votes on that
motion. The substance of the motion becomes the committee's terms
of reference.
The terms of reference outline the tasks given to a committee and
also permit the committee to meet, to call witnesses and to retain
personnel as required. The terms of reference may also specify that
the committee must report back to the Legislature within a given
time period. Beyond these typical specifications, the committee
is free to interpret the scope of its mandate.
Committee Membership
Committees are comprised strictly of Members of the Legislative
Assembly, usually excluding the Premier and other cabinet ministers.
Committees have between ten and twelve members, and the membership
mirrors, as closely as possible, party representation in the Legislative
Assembly.
Members of the Legislative Assembly who have a particular interest
in the work of a Committee, but have not been appointed to that
Committee, may choose to attend meetings as observers. With the
permission of the Committee, these Members may participate in Committee
debate, but they are not permitted to vote.
Role of Committee Chair
The Committee Chair is responsible for maintaining order and decorum
during meetings, deciding questions of procedure, and generally
ensuring that the committee work proceeds smoothly in conjunction
with the committee's business plan.
The key responsibilities of the Chair include:
- To rule on all procedural matters
- To call committee meetings, subject to authorization of the
committee
- To sign committee reports and present them to the House
- To direct the administration of the committee by the Clerk to
the Committee
- Committee members elect a Chair and a Deputy Chair at their
first committee meeting.
Reporting to the Legislature
At the end of its deliberations, a committee must report its observations
and recommendations to the Legislative Assembly. The observations
contained in a report often refer to evidence collected during the
public hearing process.
Committee reports contain recommendations for action by government
or by the Legislative Assembly. Committees in British Columbia do
not have the authority to directly alter legislation or cause the
government to take any specific action. Similarly, the government
is not required to respond to committee reports.
The Committee Chair makes a committee report public by presenting
it in the House. If the Legislature is not in session, the Chair
may choose to make the report public by depositing a copy of the
report with the Office of the Clerk. The contents of committee reports
are privileged, and therefore they are kept confidential until the
report is made public.
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