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Government House
The official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor, the representative of Her Majesty The Queen of Canada. Who is your MLA?
Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are elected locally in 'ridings' and represent a defined geographical constituency. Legislative Assembly
Together, all elected representatives make up the Legislative Assembly. They are, however, divided into caucuses according to the political party they represent. In the legislature, the governing party (the party that has won the most seats) determines most of the legislation and proposes the budget, putting items forward for consideration and authorization by the MLAs. Through a parliamentary process of debate, they determine what laws govern the people of B.C. and what programs are offered. The legislation and budget, once passed, provide the basis for action by public servants. Features of the operation of the Legislative Assembly are:
Bills and Statutes
A process of passing a bill (i.e., proposed law) to a statute, which has legal effect. Orders-in-council
Either an order establishing rules or legislation pursuant to an act, or an appointment. Budget Estimates
Introduced by the Minister of Finance in the annual Budget Speech, the estimates are a summary of the government's spending plans and are debated in the legislature on a ministry-by-ministry basis. Statutory Officers
Public officials appointed by the legislature and accountable only to the legislature. Current statutory officers include: Hansard
The official report of debates in the British Columbia Legislature.
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