HALIFAX – Premier Stephen McNeil’s government is using midnight sittings more than any other government since 1994.
According to the legislative library, McNeil used the early morning house hours in April 2014 for the essential services act, in October 2014 for the health authorities act, and again on Tuesday for the public services sustainability act.
Before McNeil, the last time the 12:01 a.m. sitting was used was in 2001 under then premier John Hamm. The bill under debate also legislated workers, stopping a strike by NSGEU members in the Capital District Health Authority.
The legislative library couldn’t find any other examples of 12:01 a.m. sittings since 1994. Online, that’s the farthest back the government’s transcript of house proceedings, know as Hansard, goes.
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The early hours are a government maneuver to try and make sure the debate on a bill happens within one calendar day. On Thursday MLAs started sitting at 12:01 a.m. for second reading debate, each MLA gets an hour to speak to the bill, but that can change if the opposition parties put other motions forward during second reading.
Both the Progressive Conservatives and the New Democrats say they will oppose Bill 148.
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