1998/99 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 36th Parliament
FOR REPORT

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.

Certified correct as amended in Committee of the Whole on the 14th day of July, 1999
Ian D. Izard, Law Clerk

HONOURABLE UJJAL DOSANJH
ATTORNEY GENERAL AND MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR
MULTICULTURALISM, HUMAN RIGHTS AND IMMIGRATION

BILL 96 – 1999

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS ACT

Contents

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Number of electoral districts

1 There are to be 79 electoral districts, with one member of the Legislative Assembly to be elected for each.

Names of electoral districts

2 The names of the electoral districts are those specified in Schedule 1.

Boundaries of electoral districts

3 The boundaries of the electoral districts are those specified in Schedule 2.

Area of electoral districts

4 The area of an electoral district consists of that part of the Province comprised within the boundaries of the electoral district.

Repeal of former Act

5 The Electoral Districts Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 108, is repealed and the electoral districts under that Act are disestablished.

Consequential Amendments

Constitution Act

6 Sections 18 and 19 of the Constitution Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 66, are repealed and the following substituted:

Members represent electoral districts

18 (1) For returning members of the Legislative Assembly, there are to be the number of electoral districts established by the Electoral Districts Act, with the names, boundaries and areas determined in the manner provided for by the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act.

(2) The Legislative Assembly consists of the members elected in the manner provided for by the Election Act.

(3) A member represents the electoral district for which the member was elected.

Election Act

7 Section 1 of the Election Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 106, is amended in the definition of "electoral district" by striking out "section 19" and substituting "section 18".

8 Section 12 (2) (e) is amended by striking out "18 (1)" and substituting "18 (1) or (1.1)".

9 Section 18 is amended

(a) by adding the following subsection:

(1.1) If an enactment establishes a new electoral district but the enactment does not come into force until a future time, the chief electoral officer may appoint a district electoral officer and a deputy district electoral officer for the future electoral district. ,

(b) by repealing subsection (3) and substituting the following:

(3) The term of appointment for a district electoral officer ends

(a) 6 months after general voting day for the first general election called after the appointment, or

(b) when the electoral district is disestablished,

whichever is earlier. , and

(c) by repealing subsection (5) and substituting the following:

(5) The term of appointment for a deputy district electoral officer ends

(a) as specified by the chief electoral officer in the individual's appointment, or

(b) when the electoral district is disestablished,

whichever is earlier.

10 Section 55 (2) is amended by adding the following paragraph:

(b.1) if the nomination deposit is in relation to a nomination under section 57 for an electoral district that is disestablished before an election is held, the nomination deposit is to be returned to the financial agent of the individual for whom it was paid; .

11 Section 57 is amended by adding the following subsections:

(12) If an electoral district is disestablished after nomination documents are filed under this section in relation to the electoral district, the nomination is cancelled.

(13) If an enactment establishes a new electoral district but the enactment does not come into force until a future time, the chief electoral officer may accept nomination documents under this section for the future electoral district.

12 Section 166 (2) is amended by striking out "abolished," and substituting "disestablished,".

13 Section 170 (3) is repealed and the following substituted:

(3) Except in the case of a report for a constituency association that is required because an electoral district is disestablished, a report under subsection (1) (a) or (b) must be audited.

(3.1) In addition to the requirements under subsection (3), the chief electoral officer may require any other report under subsection (1) to be audited.

14 Section 173 (4) is amended by striking out "abolished" wherever it appears and substituting "disestablished".

Electoral Boundaries Commission Act

15 Section 15 (1) of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 107, is amended by striking out "75".

Interpretation Act

16 Section 29 of the Interpretation Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 238, is amended in the definition of "electoral district" by striking out "section 19" and substituting "section 18".

Recall and Initiative Act

17 The Recall and Initiative Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 398, is amended by adding the following section:

Continuation of petition if an electoral district is disestablished or changed

7.1 If an electoral district is disestablished or changed between the time an initiative petition is issued and the time it is to be submitted to the chief electoral officer, the references in this Part to an electoral district are deemed to be a reference to the electoral district as it was at the time the petition was issued.

Commencement

18 Sections 1 to 6, 15 and 16 come into force on the day the 36th Parliament is dissolved.

Schedule 1

Names of Electoral Districts

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Copyright © 1999: Queen's Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada