Legislative Support

The legislature can play a strong role in supporting the empowerment and the independence of the PAC.

Practices to Consider

The legislature can support the PAC by:

Allowing the PAC to select topics for hearings or meetings without a reference from the legislature.
Ensuring the PAC has the power to convene its own meetings.
Ensuring the legislature has a mechanism that allows PAC reports to be debated in the legislature.
Allowing for time to discuss the PAC report in the legislature.

The relationship between government and opposition members on the PAC is very important.

Practices to Consider

Inform House Leaders and Whips of the importance of scheduling meetings and minimizing substitutions and turnover and in facilitating availability of meeting space.
Encourage all members to participate in meetings and ask questions.
Allow all recognized political parties the same period of time to pose questions.
Encourage all members to engage in non-partisan behaviour.

In Quebec, the National Assembly holds a two-hour debate whenever a PAC report is tabled.
All PAC reports in the Northwest Territories are debated in the Legislature.
In Nova Scotia, time for questioning witnesses is allocated evenly among political parties.