A bilingual study guide based on the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia's website (leg.bc.ca) by Alliance of Chinese Conservatives.
本资料由加拿大华裔保守联盟AOCC整理自卑诗省议会网站（leg.bc.ca）。
Contents · 目录
- 1. Constitutional Framework and Governance · 宪法框架与省级治理
- 2. What the Legislative Assembly Is and Does · 省议会是什么、做什么
- 3. The People · 议会中的人
- 4. Parliamentary Proceedings · 议事程序
- 5. Committees · 委员会
- 6. Public Participation · 公众参与
- 7. House Documents · 议会文件
- 8. The Parliament Buildings and Symbols · 议会大楼与象征
- 9. History Timeline · 历史时间线
- 10. Glossary · 术语表
- Sources · 资料来源
1. Constitutional Framework and Governance · 宪法框架与省级治理
A constitutional monarchy · 君主立宪制
Canada, including every province, is a constitutional monarchy. King Charles III is head of state; the Governor General represents him nationally and a Lieutenant Governor in each province. In practice, they act on the advice of their first minister: the Prime Minister federally, the Premier in British Columbia.
加拿大（包括各省）是君主立宪制国家。查尔斯三世国王是国家元首；总督在全国层面代表国王，各省则由省督代表。实际上，他们按照首席部长的建议行事：联邦是总理，卑诗省是省长。
A constitution sets the basic rules for how a country or province is governed. It has written parts, such as statutes, and unwritten parts, called conventions: well-understood principles that are not written in any law. Canada and British Columbia have both.
宪法规定一个国家或省份如何治理的基本规则。它有成文部分（如法律），也有不成文部分，即「宪政惯例」：未写入法律但人所共知的原则。加拿大和卑诗省两者兼有。
The Westminster tradition · 威斯敏斯特传统
B.C.'s system is modelled on the British Parliament at the Palace of Westminster, a tradition reaching back more than 800 years to Magna Carta in 1215, when King John accepted that even the King was subject to the law. B.C. adopted its own written rules, the Standing Orders, in 1930. Standing Order 1 says that where the rules are silent, the House follows its own precedents first and then those of the UK House of Commons.
卑诗省的制度以英国威斯敏斯特宫的议会为蓝本，这一传统可追溯到 800 多年前的 1215 年《大宪章》——约翰王接受了即使国王也须服从法律。卑诗省于 1930 年制定了自己的成文规则——议事规则。议事规则第 1 条规定：规则未有规定时，首先遵循本院的先例，其次遵循英国下议院的先例。
From colony to province · 从殖民地到省份
The British North America Act, 1867, created Canada and divided powers between the federal Parliament and the provinces. British Columbia joined Confederation on July 20, 1871, after Canada acquired the lands between B.C. and the east and promised a railway to link them. Because the Act was a British law, only the UK Parliament could amend it. That changed in 1982, when the Constitution was patriated, the Act was renamed the Constitution Act, 1867, and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was added.
1867 年《英属北美法案》创建了加拿大，并在联邦议会与各省之间划分权力。加拿大取得卑诗与东部之间的土地、并承诺修建铁路连接两地后，卑诗省于 1871 年 7 月 20 日加入联邦。由于该法案是英国法律，只有英国议会能修改它。直到 1982 年宪法回归加拿大，该法案更名为《1867 年宪法法案》，并加入了《权利与自由宪章》。
Who does what · 联邦与省的分工
Under sections 91 and 92 of the Constitution Act, 1867, the federal Parliament handles matters affecting all of Canada, such as banking, criminal law, national defence and citizenship. Provinces handle education, health care, social welfare and highways. Some areas, including taxation, agriculture, pensions and natural resources, are shared; when the two levels conflict, the courts decide.
根据《1867 年宪法法案》第 91、92 条，联邦议会负责影响全加拿大的事务，如银行、刑法、国防和公民身份；各省负责教育、医疗、社会福利和公路。税收、农业、养老金和自然资源等领域由两级政府共同管辖；两者发生冲突时由法院裁决。
Three branches · 三个分支
| Branch · 分支 | Who · 组成 | Role · 职责 |
|---|---|---|
| Executive · 行政 | Lieutenant Governor (formal), Premier and Cabinet (political), public service (permanent) · 省督（形式元首）、省长与内阁（政治领导）、公务员（常任人员） | Develops policy, drafts bills, asks for spending approval, carries out laws · 制定政策、起草法案、申请拨款、执行法律 |
| Legislative · 立法 | The Legislative Assembly of 93 elected MLAs · 由 93 名民选省议员组成的省议会 | Makes laws, approves spending, holds the government to account · 立法、批准开支、问责政府 |
| Judicial · 司法 | Provincial Court, Supreme Court of B.C., B.C. Court of Appeal · 省法院、卑诗省最高法院、卑诗省上诉法院 | Interprets laws and upholds the rule of law, independent of the other two · 解释法律、维护法治，独立于另外两个分支 |
Unlike the United States, Canada's executive and legislative branches are closely intertwined: Cabinet ministers are MLAs, and Cabinet must keep the support of a majority of MLAs to keep governing. The judiciary remains independent. Provincial Court judges are appointed by the provincial cabinet; judges of the two higher B.C. courts are appointed federally.
与美国不同，加拿大的行政与立法两个分支紧密交织：内阁部长本身就是省议员，内阁必须保有多数省议员的支持才能继续执政。司法则保持独立。省法院法官由省内阁任命；卑诗省两级高等法院的法官由联邦任命。
The federal Parliament has two Houses, but B.C. and every other province have only one: they are unicameral. The Senate exists federally to give regions and smaller provinces a stronger voice, a need that does not arise within a single province.
联邦议会有两院，而卑诗省和其他各省都只有一院，即「一院制」。联邦设立参议院，是为了让各地区和人口较少的省份有更强的声音，而在一个省内部并不存在这种需要。
2. What the Legislative Assembly Is and Does · 省议会是什么、做什么
93 MLAs, three jobs · 93 名省议员，三项职能
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is made up of 93 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), one for each constituency (riding). It works on the principles of representative and responsible government: Cabinet, formally the Executive Council, is accountable to the Assembly. The Assembly has three functions.
卑诗省议会由 93 名省议员（MLA）组成，每个选区一名。它遵循代议制和责任政府的原则：内阁（正式名称为「行政会议」）须向省议会负责。省议会有三项职能。
Make laws. MLAs study and debate bills; a bill that passes all stages and receives Royal Assent becomes an Act. Bills are written by professional legislative drafters, not by MLAs themselves. · 立法：省议员审议和辩论法案；法案通过所有阶段并获御准后即成为法令。法案由专业的立法起草人员撰写，而非省议员本人。
Approve finances. MLAs debate and vote on the government's spending plans (the Estimates) and taxes. This is called granting supply. · 批准财政：省议员辩论并表决政府的开支计划（预算估算）和税收，称为「批准拨款」。
Scrutinize the government. Through Question Period, committees, written questions, petitions, debates and tabled documents, MLAs hold Cabinet ministers to account. · 监督政府：通过质询时间、委员会、书面质询、请愿、辩论和提交的文件，省议员问责内阁部长。
The Press Gallery, the journalists assigned to cover the Legislature, helps the public follow all of this. By tradition they sit above and behind the Speaker, and they are the only people in the galleries allowed to take written notes.
记者席（Press Gallery）即专门报道省议会的记者，帮助公众了解议会工作。按传统，他们坐在议长后上方，也是旁听席上唯一允许做书面笔记的人。
Elections · 选举
B.C. uses representation by population: 93 electoral districts each elect one MLA. An independent Electoral Boundaries Commission reviews the boundaries after every second general election. Before 1991 some city ridings elected two MLAs; the 1988 Fisher Commission ended that. In the first election in 1871, 25 MLAs were elected from 12 districts by fewer than 3,000 eligible voters, all male property owners aged 21 or over.
卑诗省实行按人口比例代表：93 个选区各选一名省议员。独立的选区边界委员会每隔两次大选审查一次选区边界。1991 年以前，部分城市选区选出两名省议员，1988 年费舍尔委员会废除了这一做法。1871 年首次选举时，12 个选区选出 25 名省议员，有投票资格的不到 3,000 人，全是 21 岁以上、拥有财产的男性。
Since 2001, B.C. has had fixed election dates: a general election is held on the third Saturday in October, four years after the last one. An election can still come earlier if the government loses a confidence vote. In that case the Lieutenant Governor may either dissolve the Assembly or, especially soon after an election, ask another party to try to form a government, as happened after the 2017 election, when no party won a majority. By-elections fill seats left vacant by resignation, death or recall.
自 2001 年起，卑诗省实行固定选举日：大选在上次大选四年后的十月第三个周六举行。如果政府在信任表决中失败，仍可能提前选举。此时，省督可以解散省议会，也可以（尤其是在大选刚结束不久时）请另一个政党尝试组阁—2017 年大选无一党过半后就发生过这种情况。省议员辞职、去世或被罢免后，空缺席位通过补选填补。
Any Canadian citizen aged 18 or over who has lived in B.C. for at least six months can run. A candidate needs a nomination form signed by at least 75 voters in the riding and a $250 deposit, and need not live in the riding. Before 1903, MLAs ran essentially as independents in loose "group government"; since then, party politics has dominated, and 17 registered parties ran in 2020.
年满 18 岁、在卑诗省居住至少六个月的加拿大公民都可以参选。候选人须提交由本选区至少 75 名选民签名的提名表，并缴纳 250 加元保证金，但不必居住在该选区。1903 年以前，省议员基本上以独立身份参选，组成松散的「群体政府」；此后政党政治占据主导，2020 年有 17 个注册政党参选。
Parliaments, sessions and sittings · 届、会期与会议
Each general election creates a new Parliament, which normally lasts four years. Its first business is electing a Speaker by secret ballot, run by the Clerk; every MLA except the Premier and Cabinet ministers can stand. A Parliament has several sessions, each opened and closed by the Lieutenant Governor, and each usually with its own Throne Speech and budget. Prorogation ends a session, and all unfinished bills, motions and committee work die unless reintroduced.
每次大选产生新一届议会，通常为期四年。新一届议会的首项事务是以无记名投票选举议长，由书记官主持；除省长和内阁部长外，所有省议员都可参选。一届议会分为若干会期，每个会期由省督开启和结束，通常各有自己的施政报告和预算。闭会结束一个会期，所有未完成的法案、动议和委员会工作均告终止，除非重新提出。
The Assembly usually sits from February to May and in October and November; the rest of the year, MLAs work in their constituencies. Standing Order 2(1) sets the sitting hours:
省议会通常在 2 月至 5 月以及 10 月和 11 月开会，其余时间省议员在选区工作。议事规则第 2(1) 条规定了开会时间：
| Day · 星期 | Morning sitting · 上午 | Afternoon sitting · 下午 |
|---|---|---|
| Monday · 周一 | 10:00–12:00 | 13:30–18:30 |
| Tuesday · 周二 | 10:00–12:00 | 13:30–18:30 |
| Wednesday · 周三 | — | 13:30–19:00 |
| Thursday · 周四 | 10:00–12:00 | 13:30–17:30 |
Because there can be two separate sittings in a day, the House may adjourn twice in one day. Business not finished at adjournment carries over to the next sitting.
由于一天可能有两次独立的会议，议院一天可能休会两次。休会时未完成的事务顺延到下一次会议。
3. The People · 议会中的人
Members of the Legislative Assembly · 省议员
MLAs represent their constituents in the House by asking questions, raising local issues, presenting petitions and introducing bills. Each keeps a constituency office, and much of the year-round job is helping people deal with government programs. MLAs debate and vote on every bill and on the budget, and many sit on parliamentary committees.
省议员在议会中代表选民：提问、反映地方问题、提交请愿和提出法案。每位省议员都设有选区办公室，全年工作的很大一部分是帮助居民办理政府事务。省议员辩论并表决每一项法案和预算，许多人还在议会委员会任职。
A Private Member is any MLA without a formal role in Cabinet or the Assembly, sometimes called a "backbencher". Party MLAs meet privately and regularly in a caucus, where they can disagree freely; in public, party discipline means they normally vote together. The Premier sometimes allows a free vote, which is almost never treated as a confidence vote. Each caucus has a Whip to make sure members attend and vote with the party, and a House Leader to organize business. The Government House Leader, always a Cabinet minister, announces the order of business each day.
没有在内阁或议会担任正式职务的省议员称为普通议员，有时也叫「后排议员」。同党省议员定期闭门召开党团会议，可以自由表达异议；在公开场合，党纪意味着他们通常一致投票。省长有时允许自由投票，这类投票几乎从不视为信任表决。每个党团有一名党鞭，负责确保成员出席并与本党一致投票；还有一名议院领袖，负责安排议事。政府议院领袖由内阁部长担任，每天宣布议事顺序。
Government · 政府
The party (or parties) with the support of a majority of MLAs forms the government: a majority government if one party wins most seats, a minority government if it governs with others' support. The Lieutenant Governor asks that party's leader to become Premier. The Premier heads the government, chairs the Executive Council, recommends who should be Cabinet ministers and which portfolios they hold, and leads the party caucus. Interestingly, the office of Premier is barely described in B.C.'s Constitution Act, 1996; its power rests largely on support in the Assembly, the party and the public.
获得多数省议员支持的政党（或政党组合）组成政府：一党赢得过半席位即为多数政府，靠其他政党支持执政则为少数政府。省督邀请该党领袖出任省长。省长领导政府、主持行政会议、建议任命哪些内阁部长及其分管领域，并领导本党党团。有趣的是，卑诗《1996 年宪法法案》几乎没有对省长职位作详细规定；其权力主要来自议会、政党和公众的支持。
Cabinet ministers are MLAs who run government ministries; they serve at the Premier's pleasure, and if the Premier resigns, the Cabinet is dissolved. Legally, Cabinet acts as the Executive Council. Ministers swear to keep Cabinet discussions confidential, and under cabinet solidarity all must defend a decision once made. Under individual ministerial responsibility, each minister answers to the Assembly for their ministry and its staff.
内阁部长是主管政府各部门的省议员，任职与否由省长决定；省长辞职，内阁即告解散。在法律上，内阁以行政会议的名义行事。部长须宣誓对内阁讨论保密；根据内阁团结原则，决定一旦作出，所有部长都必须维护。根据部长个人责任原则，每位部长就其部门及下属向省议会负责。
Opposition · 反对党
The opposition party with the most seats is His Majesty's Loyal Opposition (the Official Opposition): it disagrees with the government but stays loyal to the Crown. Its leader sits directly across from the Premier and, by tradition, asks the first question in Question Period. Opposition leaders get front-row seats and extra speaking time in the Throne Speech and budget debates. Opposition critics who each follow one ministry are together called the Shadow Cabinet. A party with at least two MLAs receives official party status, with its own House Leader and full participation in House business.
席位最多的反对党称为国王陛下忠诚的反对党（即官方反对党）：它反对政府，但忠于王室。其领袖坐在省长正对面，并按传统在质询时间第一个提问。反对党领袖坐前排，在施政报告和预算辩论中有更长的发言时间。各自盯住一个部门的反对党评论员统称影子内阁。拥有至少两名省议员的政党即可获得正式政党地位，设有自己的议院领袖，并全面参与议会事务。
Independent Members belong to no party. They are free of party discipline but lack some benefits, such as research funding and priority in Question Period. An MLA who switches parties or leaves to sit as an independent is said to "cross the floor". Only nine independents have been elected since parties emerged in B.C., the first being Mary Ellen Smith in 1918 and the most recent Vicki Huntington in 2009 and 2013.
独立议员不属于任何政党，不受党纪约束，但缺少部分待遇，如研究经费和质询优先权。省议员更换政党或退党成为独立议员，称为「跨过议事厅」（crossing the floor）。卑诗出现政党政治以来仅有 9 名独立议员当选，首位是 1918 年的 Mary Ellen Smith，最近一位是 2009 和 2013 年当选的 Vicki Huntington。
The Speaker · 议长
The Speaker is an MLA elected by secret ballot to preside over debate and apply the Standing Orders fairly to all parties. The Speaker votes only to break a tie, does not attend caucus meetings, and still serves their constituents. MLAs must address the House through the Speaker and refer to each other by riding, not by name ("the Member for Victoria-Beacon Hill"). The Speaker can order a Member to withdraw remarks, send them out for the day, or "name" them, which can mean suspension without pay for 1 to 15 days. The Deputy Speaker, Assistant Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole take the chair when needed; the Assistant Deputy Speaker post, created in the 38th Parliament, was the first presiding role open to an opposition MLA.
议长是经无记名投票选出的省议员，负责主持辩论，并对各党公平执行议事规则。议长只在票数相等时投票，不参加党团会议，但仍为本选区选民服务。省议员须通过议长发言，并以选区名称而非姓名称呼彼此（如「维多利亚—比弗山选区议员」）。议长可以要求议员收回言论、令其当天离场，或「点名」，可导致停职停薪 1 至 15 天。副议长、助理副议长和全院委员会副主席在需要时代为主持；助理副议长一职设于第 38 届议会，是反对党省议员首次有机会担任主持人。
The office dates from 1377 in England, when the Speaker carried Parliament's grievances to the monarch, a dangerous job: several early Speakers were executed. That is why a newly elected Speaker is still playfully "dragged" to the chair. On B.C.'s first sitting day, February 15, 1872, the Lieutenant Governor refused to open Parliament until a Speaker had been chosen, and to this day no Parliament opens without one.
议长一职始于 1377 年的英国，当时议长负责向君主转达议会的申诉，是一份危险的差事：早期有多位议长被处决。这就是为什么新当选的议长至今仍要被半开玩笑地「拖」上议长座。卑诗首个开会日（1872 年 2 月 15 日），省督拒绝在选出议长之前开幕，至今没有议长就不能开幕。
The Lieutenant Governor · 省督
The Lieutenant Governor represents the King in B.C. and is appointed by the Governor General on the Prime Minister's advice. Executive power is formally vested in the Lieutenant Governor acting on Cabinet's advice, and no bill becomes law without the Lieutenant Governor's Royal Assent. In B.C., every government bill is accompanied by a "message" from the Lieutenant Governor recommending it. The Lieutenant Governor normally follows the Premier's advice but can refuse it: in 2017, after Premier Christy Clark lost a confidence vote, Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon declined to dissolve the Assembly and instead invited NDP leader John Horgan to form a government. Wendy Cocchia became B.C.'s 31st Lieutenant Governor in 2025.
省督在卑诗省代表国王，由总督根据总理的建议任命。行政权在形式上属于根据内阁建议行事的省督，任何法案未经省督御准都不能成为法律。在卑诗省，每一项政府法案都附有省督推荐的「咨文」。省督通常听从省长的建议，但也可以拒绝：2017 年省长简蕙芝（Christy Clark）在信任表决中失败后，省督 Judith Guichon 拒绝解散议会，转而邀请新民主党领袖贺谨（John Horgan）组阁。2025 年，Wendy Cocchia 成为卑诗第 31 任省督。
Officers of the House · 议会官员
The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly is the senior permanent, non-partisan officer. The Clerk advises the Speaker and MLAs on procedure, administers the Oath of Allegiance to new MLAs, presides over the Speaker's election, keeps the official records and runs the Assembly's departments. Kate Ryan-Lloyd became the first woman Clerk in 2020; she also edited the fifth edition of Parliamentary Practice in British Columbia. The Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for security and ceremony: carrying the Mace before the Speaker, keeping order in the galleries, and removing people when the Speaker orders.
省议会书记官是最高常任官员，不属任何党派。书记官就程序问题为议长和省议员提供意见，为新省议员举行效忠宣誓，主持议长选举，保管正式记录，并管理议会各部门。Kate Ryan-Lloyd 于 2020 年成为首位女性书记官，她也是《卑诗议会惯例》第五版的主编。警卫官负责安保和礼仪：在议长前方持权杖引导、维护旁听席秩序，并在议长下令时将人带离。
In 1983, during an all-night debate on the Public Sector Restraint Act, Opposition Leader and former Premier Dave Barrett ignored the Speaker's authority and became the first MLA ever physically removed from the Chamber.
1983 年，在就《公共部门紧缩法》进行的通宵辩论中，反对党领袖、前省长 Dave Barrett 无视议长权威，成为第一位被强行带离议事厅的省议员。
Statutory officers · 独立法定官员
Statutory (independent) officers are appointed by, and report to, the Legislative Assembly rather than the government. They serve fixed terms and help MLAs hold the government to account.
法定官员（又称独立官员）由省议会而非政府任命，并向省议会负责。他们任期固定，协助省议员问责政府。
| Officer · 官员 | Main role · 主要职责 |
|---|---|
| Auditor General · 审计长 | Audits government finances and performance; reports go to the Public Accounts Committee · 审计政府财务与绩效，报告交公共账目委员会 |
| Chief Electoral Officer · 首席选举官 | Heads Elections B.C.: elections, referenda, recall and initiative petitions · 领导卑诗选举局，主管选举、公投、罢免和创制请愿 |
| Conflict of Interest Commissioner · 利益冲突专员 | Advises MLAs and reviews their annual financial disclosures · 为省议员提供意见，审查其年度财务申报 |
| Human Rights Commissioner · 人权专员 | Promotes human rights and examines systemic discrimination (since 2019) · 促进人权、审查系统性歧视（2019 年设立） |
| Information and Privacy Commissioner · 信息与隐私专员 | Enforces freedom-of-information and privacy laws; also registers lobbyists · 执行信息公开与隐私法，并管理游说者登记 |
| Ombudsperson · 申诉专员 | Investigates complaints of unfair treatment by public bodies · 调查公共机构不公平对待的投诉 |
| Police Complaint Commissioner · 警务投诉专员 | Oversees complaints about municipal police · 监督对市警的投诉 |
| Representative for Children and Youth · 儿童与青少年代表 | Investigates serious injuries and deaths of children in care and advocates for children and families · 调查受照顾儿童的重伤和死亡事件，并为儿童和家庭发声 |
4. Parliamentary Proceedings · 议事程序
The rules · 议事规则
The House must let the government get its business done while letting the opposition hold it to account and every MLA take part. Its rules come from the Constitution and statutes, the Standing Orders (the Assembly's written rules, which stay in force until the House changes them), sessional and special orders, practice and Speakers' rulings. The Clerk advises on the rules; the Speaker enforces them. The main reference book is Parliamentary Practice in British Columbia, first written by Clerk E. George MacMinn in 1981; its fifth edition (2020) is free online.
议会既要让政府推进工作，又要让反对党能够问责、每位省议员都能参与。议事规则来自宪法和法律、议事规则（Standing Orders，省议会的成文规则，在议院修改前持续有效）、会期命令和特别命令、惯例以及议长裁决。书记官就规则提供意见，议长负责执行。主要参考书是《卑诗议会惯例》，由书记官 E. George MacMinn 于 1981 年首次撰写，第五版（2020）可免费在线阅读。
Opening a session · 会期开幕
Each session opens with the Speech from the Throne, written by the government and read by the Lieutenant Governor after a 15-gun salute and an inspection of the Guard of Honour. It sets out why the Legislature has been called and the government's plans. MLAs then debate the Address in Reply for up to six sitting days. Opposition amendments to it are confidence votes; to avoid that test, a government may leave the debate unfinished on the agenda and call other business instead.
每个会期以施政报告（御座演说）开幕。它由政府撰写，由省督在 15 响礼炮和检阅仪仗队之后宣读，说明召集议会的原因和政府的计划。随后，省议员就答谢施政报告进行最多六个开会日的辩论。反对党提出的修正案属于信任表决；为避开这一考验，政府有时会把辩论留在议程上不完成，而先处理其他事务。
A sitting day · 每日议程
Each sitting begins with routine business in a set order (Standing Order 25): Prayers and Reflections, given by MLAs, the Speaker, clergy or an Indigenous Elder; introduction of bills; up to six two-minute statements by private members; Oral Question Period; petitions; committee reports; and notices of motions and written questions. Then the Government House Leader calls the Orders of the Day, the main business. The government decides what is debated and in what order, except on Monday mornings, which are Private Members' Time: one hour of debate including four 15-minute private members' statements.
每次会议先按固定顺序处理例行事务（议事规则第 25 条）：祈祷与静思（由省议员、议长、神职人员或原住民长老主持）；提出法案；最多六名普通议员的两分钟声明；口头质询时间；请愿；委员会报告；动议通知和书面质询。之后由政府议院领袖宣布当日议程，即主要事务。辩论什么、按什么顺序，由政府决定；唯一例外是周一上午的普通议员时间：一小时的辩论，包括四场 15 分钟的普通议员声明。
Question Period · 质询时间
Question Period lasts 30 minutes, starting just after 1:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and just after 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Daily Question Period began in B.C. in 1973. Questions must be urgent, important, brief and directed through the Speaker to the responsible minister. They may not concern bills or spending requests already before the House, or cases before the courts. The Speaker decides the order of questions and whether to allow a supplementary. A minister may answer, take the question "on notice", let another minister answer, or decline. Long or technical questions go in as written questions, which stay on the agenda until answered or the session ends.
质询时间为 30 分钟，周一和周三下午 1:30 过后开始，周二和周四上午 10 点过后开始。卑诗省自 1973 年起实行每日质询。问题必须紧急、重要、简短，并通过议长向主管部长提出；不得涉及议会正在审议的法案或拨款请求，也不得涉及法院待审案件。议长决定提问顺序，以及是否允许追问。部长可以当场回答、留待日后回答、由其他部长代答，或不予回答。内容较长或较专业的问题以书面质询提出，一直保留在议程上，直至获得答复或会期结束。
How a bill becomes law · 法案如何成为法律
There are three kinds of bill. Public bills apply to the whole province; most are introduced by Cabinet ministers, including every tax bill. Public bills in the hands of Private Members (Private Members' bills) are introduced by MLAs outside Cabinet and cannot spend public money; few go past first reading, but they can prompt the government to act. Private bills give specific powers or exemptions to a particular person or group. Because B.C. has only one House, a bill passes these stages, usually on different days:
法案分三类。公共法案适用于全省，大多由内阁部长提出，所有税收法案也都如此。普通议员提出的公共法案由非内阁成员的省议员提出，不得动用公共资金；这类法案很少走过一读，但可能促使政府采取行动。私人法案为特定个人或团体赋予特定权力或豁免。由于卑诗省只有一院，法案通常在不同日子依次经过以下阶段：
First reading · The sponsor introduces the bill and explains its purpose; MLAs vote to accept it for later debate, without discussing its merits. · 一读：提案人提出法案并说明目的；省议员不讨论其利弊，只表决是否接受它供日后辩论。
Second reading · Debate on the bill's general principles; approval means the House accepts its principle. · 二读：就法案的总体原则辩论；通过即表示议院接受其原则。
Committee of the Whole · All MLAs examine the bill section by section, question the sponsor in detail and can move amendments. · 全院委员会：全体省议员逐条审查法案，详细质询提案人，并可提出修正。
Report stage · The bill is reported "complete with" or "without amendment"; an amended bill is reprinted before going further. · 报告阶段：法案以「经修正」或「未经修正」完成审查的形式向议院报告；经修正的法案须重新印发后才能继续。
Third reading · A final vote, rarely with debate; the Speaker declares the bill passed. · 三读：最后表决，很少再辩论；议长宣布法案通过。
Royal Assent · The Lieutenant Governor comes to the Chamber to give assent, and the bill becomes an Act. · 御准：省督亲临议事厅给予御准，法案成为法令。
Commencement · Most Acts take effect on Royal Assent; others set a later date so people can prepare. · 生效：大多数法令在御准时生效，也有的规定较晚的日期，给受影响者留出准备时间。
Any bill that spends public money or creates a tax must carry a "message" (Royal Recommendation) from the Lieutenant Governor and be introduced by a minister. Bills not passed before the session ends "die on the order paper" and must start again. One example of a Private Members' bill that worked indirectly: in 2017, Andrew Weaver's bill to stop employers requiring high heels at work never reached second reading, but the government soon made a regulation to the same effect. An example of a private bill is the Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver Act, 2018, which lets that school grant theology degrees.
任何动用公共资金或开征新税的法案，都必须附有省督的「咨文」（王室推荐），并由部长提出。会期结束前未通过的法案会「在议程上失效」，须重新开始。普通议员法案间接奏效的一个例子：2017 年，Andrew Weaver 提出禁止雇主要求员工穿高跟鞋的法案，虽未进入二读，但政府很快制定了同样效果的法规。私人法案的一个例子是《2018 年加拿大华人神学院（温哥华）法》，它授权该神学院颁发神学学位。
The budget · 预算
The fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31. On budget day, set by law as the fourth Tuesday in February (unless there has just been an election), the Minister of Finance tables the main Estimates and gives the budget speech. The budget debate then runs for up to six days on the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply; that vote is a confidence vote. Every year, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services consults British Columbians across the province on the next budget.
财政年度从 4 月 1 日至次年 3 月 31 日。预算日由法律定为 2 月第四个周二（刚经历大选的年份除外），当天财政厅长提交主预算估算并发表预算演说。之后就「议院进入拨款委员会」的动议进行最多六天的预算辩论，该表决是信任表决。每年，财政与政府服务常设委员会在全省就下一份预算征求民意。
The Committee of Supply, made up of all MLAs and chaired by the Deputy Speaker, then goes through each ministry's spending in detail, with the minister answering questions, often for days. Since 1992 it can split into sections that sit at the same time; today up to three: Section A in the Douglas Fir Room, B in the Chamber and C in the Birch Room. Once every ministry's Estimates are approved, the Assembly passes a supply bill authorizing the spending. No tax may be imposed or money spent without the Assembly's consent.
拨款委员会由全体省议员组成，由副议长主持，逐一详细审查各部门的开支，由部长当场回答提问，往往持续数天。自 1992 年起，该委员会可分组同时开会，现最多分为三组：A 组在花旗松厅，B 组在议事厅，C 组在桦木厅。所有部门的估算都获批准后，省议会通过拨款法案授权开支。未经省议会同意，不得征税，也不得花钱。
Ministries and agencies must also table annual reports and performance plans in the House, giving MLAs and the public the information they need to judge whether the government is doing its job well.
各政府部门和机构还须向议会提交年度报告和绩效计划，让省议员和公众掌握判断政府是否尽职所需的信息。
5. Committees · 委员会
Parliamentary committees are small groups of MLAs from government and opposition, appointed by the Assembly to study matters in more detail than the full House can, and to report back. They can hold public consultations and travel the province. Their members are all Private Members, never Cabinet ministers, and they often work by consensus. Committees cannot change laws or order the government to act, and the government does not have to respond to their reports.
议会委员会由政府党和反对党的少数省议员组成，由省议会委任，负责比全体议会更深入地研究某些事项，并向议会报告。委员会可以举行公众咨询，并在全省各地巡回听取意见。其成员都是普通议员，从不包括内阁部长，工作常以协商一致为原则。委员会不能修改法律，也不能命令政府采取行动，政府也无须回应其报告。
| Type · 类型 | What it is · 说明 |
|---|---|
| Select standing committees · 常设委员会 | Permanent, listed in Standing Order 68(1), but active only when the House gives them terms of reference · 常设性质，列于议事规则第 68(1) 条，但只有在议会下达职权范围后才开展工作 |
| Special committees · 特别委员会 | Temporary, set up for one task, such as a policy study or recommending a statutory officer; they end after their final report · 临时设立，完成单一任务，如政策研究或推荐法定官员人选；提交最终报告后即告解散 |
| Committee of the Whole / Committee of Supply · 全院委员会 / 拨款委员会 | All MLAs, meeting in the Chamber to study bills clause by clause or ministry spending · 全体省议员在议事厅内开会，逐条审查法案或各部门开支 |
The eleven select standing committees cover: Agriculture, Fish and Food; Aboriginal Affairs; Children and Youth; Crown Corporations; Education; Finance and Government Services; Health; Legislative Initiatives; Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct and Standing Orders; Private Bills and Private Members' Bills; and Public Accounts.
11 个常设委员会分别是：农业、渔业与食品；原住民事务；儿童与青少年；省营公司；教育；财政与政府服务；卫生；立法倡议；议会改革、道德操守与议事规则；私人法案与普通议员法案；公共账目。
At the start of each session, a Committee of Selection decides who sits on the select standing committees, in proportion to party strength; independents may also serve. Each committee elects a Chair, usually from the government, and a Deputy Chair, usually from the Official Opposition. The Public Accounts Committee is traditionally chaired by an Official Opposition MLA, and it reviews the Auditor General's reports in public with senior officials. When a committee finishes, its chair presents its report to the House; if the House is not sitting, the report can be made public by depositing it with the Clerk.
每个会期开始时，由选任委员会按各党实力比例决定常设委员会的成员；独立议员也可以参加。每个委员会选举一名主席（通常来自政府党）和一名副主席（通常来自官方反对党）。公共账目委员会按传统由官方反对党省议员任主席，并与高级官员一起公开审议审计长报告。委员会完成工作后，由主席向议会提交报告；议会休会期间，可将报告交存书记官办公室，即告公开。
The best-known public consultation is the yearly budget consultation by the Finance and Government Services Committee, which invites British Columbians to share their priorities through surveys, written submissions and presentations, then recommends to the House what the next budget should include. Consultations are listed on the Assembly's Public Consultation Portal. All committees cease to exist when the Assembly is dissolved: the Assembly was dissolved on September 22, 2026, for the general election of October 24, 2026, and committee work will resume once the 44th Parliament opens.
最知名的公众咨询是财政与政府服务委员会每年举行的预算咨询：邀请卑诗居民通过问卷、书面意见和口头陈述表达优先事项，然后向议会提出下一份预算的建议。各项咨询列在省议会的「公众咨询门户」上。省议会解散时，所有委员会随之终止：省议会已于 2026 年 9 月 22 日解散，以举行 2026 年 10 月 24 日的大选，委员会工作将在第 44 届议会开幕后恢复。
6. Public Participation · 公众参与
Petitions · 请愿
Any B.C. resident, of any age, can petition the Legislative Assembly to take, or not take, an action within provincial jurisdiction. Only an MLA can present it in the House, and MLAs are not obliged to. The rules, set by Standing Order 73 and Appendix A, are strict:
任何卑诗居民，不论年龄，都可以请愿要求省议会就省级管辖范围内的事项采取（或不采取）行动。只有省议员可以在议会提交请愿书，而且省议员并无义务代为提交。议事规则第 73 条及附录 A 规定的要求很严格：
Address it to "The Honourable the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, in Legislature Assembled", not to the government or a minister. · 抬头须写「致卑诗省尊敬的立法议会」，不能写给政府或某位部长。
It must not ask for public money to be spent. · 不得要求动用公共资金。
At least one signature; each signer prints their name and address and signs in original ink, with the petition text at the top of every sheet. · 至少一个签名；每位签名者须印刷体填写姓名地址并亲笔签名，每页顶部都须有请愿正文。
Originals only: no photocopies, scans, pasted signatures, erasures or insertions. · 只接受原件：不得使用复印件、扫描件、粘贴的签名，不得涂改或加写。
Once presented, a valid petition is recorded in the Votes and Proceedings and becomes a public document of the Assembly. A famous example: in 2010, a citizens' petition under the Recall and Initiative Act against the Harmonized Sales Tax led to a 2011 referendum that rejected the HST.
合格的请愿书一经提交，即记入《表决与议事记录》，成为省议会的公开文件。一个著名的例子：2010 年，民众依据《罢免与创制法》发起反对统一销售税（HST）的请愿，促成 2011 年的公投，最终否决了 HST。
Private bills · 私人法案
A person, group or corporation can apply for a private bill to obtain a remedy that existing law does not allow, or an exemption from a general law, within provincial jurisdiction. Under Standing Orders 97 to 115, the applicant must file with the Clerk, no later than 14 calendar days after a session opens, a petition explaining the purpose, a draft bill, proof that public notice was published, and the required fees. The draft is reviewed by Legislative Counsel, and an MLA sponsors the bill, which is numbered from Pr401. Private bills can only be dealt with while the Assembly is sitting.
个人、团体或公司可申请私人法案，在省级管辖范围内获得现行法律无法提供的救济，或豁免某项普遍法律的适用。根据议事规则第 97 至 115 条，申请人须在会期开幕后 14 个日历日内，向书记官办公室提交：说明目的的请愿书、法案草稿、已刊登公告的证明以及规定费用。草稿由立法顾问办公室审查，并由一名省议员提出，编号从 Pr401 开始。私人法案只能在议会开会期间处理。
Watching and visiting · 旁听与参观
The public can watch debates from the Public Galleries; only Press Gallery journalists may take written notes there. Proceedings are broadcast live on the legislative TV channel and streamed online, including on the BC Legislature YouTube channel; Question Period is rebroadcast at 7 p.m., and routine business is interpreted in American Sign Language. The Parliament Buildings in Victoria are open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, with free guided tours of about 40 minutes (no booking needed) and self-guided booklets in several languages. Groups of 15 or more can book online.
公众可以在公众旁听席观看辩论；在旁听席上只有记者可以做书面笔记。议会会议在立法电视频道直播，并在网上（包括 BC Legislature YouTube 频道）直播；质询时间在晚上 7 点重播，例行事务配有美国手语翻译。维多利亚的议会大楼周一至周五上午 8:30 至下午 4:30 开放，提供约 40 分钟的免费导览（无需预约），以及多种语言的自助导览手册。15 人以上的团体可在网上预约。
7. House Documents · 议会文件
The Assembly's records are published under the Speaker's authority, almost all online, and older ones are kept in the Legislative Library.
省议会的记录以议长的名义发布，几乎全部在网上公开，较旧的文件保存在立法图书馆。
| Document · 文件 | What it contains · 内容 |
|---|---|
| Orders of the Day · 议程表 | The official agenda (order paper), published by the Clerk each sitting day: bills and their stage, motions, adjourned debates, written questions · 正式议程，由书记官每个开会日发布：法案及其所处阶段、动议、延期辩论、书面质询 |
| Votes and Proceedings · 表决与议事记录 | The official summary, like minutes, of each day's decisions: bills introduced, documents tabled, votes and results · 每日决定的正式摘要（类似会议纪要）：提出的法案、提交的文件、表决及结果 |
| Bills · 法案 | Numbered afresh each session: government bills 1–200, Private Members' bills M201–M400, private bills from Pr401 · 每个会期重新编号：政府法案 1–200，普通议员法案 M201–M400，私人法案从 Pr401 起 |
| Hansard · 辩论实录 | The substantially verbatim transcript of debates in the House and committees; a draft called the "Blues" is posted about an hour after each sitting · 议会和委员会辩论的基本逐字记录；每次会议后约一小时上网初稿（称为「Blues」） |
| Committee reports · 委员会报告 | Become public once presented to the House or deposited with the Clerk · 向议会提交或交存书记官后即告公开 |
Hansard is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, who began publishing British debates in the early 1800s. B.C.'s Hansard started in 1970 with limited coverage, became a full report including committees in 1972, began live TV coverage in 1991, went online in 1994 and added webcasts in 2003. Editors remove repetitions and obvious errors but keep each speaker's character.
Hansard 得名于 Thomas Curson Hansard，他从 19 世纪初开始出版英国议会辩论。卑诗省 Hansard 始于 1970 年（当时只部分记录），1972 年起完整记录并涵盖委员会，1991 年开始电视直播，1994 年上网，2003 年增加网络直播。编辑会删去重复和明显错误，但保留每位发言者的风格。
8. The Parliament Buildings and Symbols · 议会大楼与象征
The Buildings · 议会大楼
The Parliament Buildings stand in Victoria on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, today the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Their predecessors were the "Birdcages", six colonial buildings put up in 1859 under Governor James Douglas and mocked in the press for their mix of pagoda, Swiss-cottage and Italian-villa styles.
议会大楼位于维多利亚，坐落在讲 Lekwungen 语的原住民传统领地上，即今天的 Songhees 和 Esquimalt 族。其前身是 1859 年总督 James Douglas 任内建造的六座殖民地行政楼，因混合了宝塔、瑞士小屋和意大利别墅风格，被报纸戏称为「鸟笼」。
In 1892, a design competition drew 65 entries from across Canada and the United States. It was won by 25-year-old Francis Mawson Rattenbury, newly arrived from England, who placed the Legislative Chamber at the centre as the symbol of parliamentary democracy. Built from 1893 to 1898, the Buildings cost just over $900,000 against a $600,000 budget, then more than a third of the province's yearly revenue. Rattenbury added two office wings and the Legislative Library between 1912 and 1915, and later designed the Empress Hotel. A major restoration from 1973 to 1984 cost over $40 million and made room for full-time MLAs, and accessibility work, including the Mowat Entrance in 2013, continues.
1892 年的设计竞赛吸引了来自加拿大和美国的 65 份方案。刚从英国来到加拿大的 25 岁建筑师 Francis Mawson Rattenbury 胜出，他把议事厅放在大楼中央，作为议会民主的象征。大楼于 1893 至 1898 年建成，预算 60 万加元，实际花费略超 90 万加元，当时超过全省年收入的三分之一。1912 至 1915 年，Rattenbury 又加建了两翼办公楼和立法图书馆，后来还设计了帝后酒店。1973 至 1984 年的大修耗资超过 4,000 万加元，为全职省议员腾出了空间；无障碍改造至今仍在继续，包括 2013 年开放的 Mowat 入口。
The Chamber · 议事厅
The Legislative Chamber measures 12 by 18 metres and seats all 93 MLAs. Its walls are lined with Italian marble and 22 green marble columns, under a gilded ceiling with four stained-glass domes. Government Members sit to the Speaker's right and the opposition to the left. The Speaker's Chair, hand-carved from oak in the 1890s, stands on a raised platform at the south end, flanked by the flags of Canada and B.C.
议事厅长 18 米、宽 12 米，可容纳全部 93 名省议员。墙面由意大利大理石和 22 根绿色大理石柱装饰，顶部是镶金天花板和四个彩色玻璃穹顶。政府议员坐在议长右侧，反对党坐在左侧。议长座椅于 1890 年代以橡木手工雕刻而成，安置在南端的高台上，两侧是加拿大国旗和卑诗省旗。
Symbols of the Assembly · 议会的象征
| Symbol · 象征 | Meaning · 含义 |
|---|---|
| Mace · 权杖 | The symbol of the Assembly's and the Speaker's authority; it must be on the Clerks' Table for the House to do business. The current gold-plated silver mace, made in Victoria from B.C. silver, dates from 1954 and weighs 5 kg. · 象征议会和议长的权威；权杖必须放在书记台上，议会才能议事。现用权杖于 1954 年启用，由维多利亚银匠以卑诗本地白银手工打造并镀金，重 5 公斤。 |
| Black Rod · 黑杖 | Created in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee and used when the Lieutenant Governor enters the Chamber. Its shaft uses wood from seven native B.C. trees, with a jade carving by Tsimshian Elder Clifford Bolton; a Ring of Reconciliation was added in 2016. · 2012 年为纪念伊丽莎白二世登基 60 周年而制，省督进入议事厅时使用。杖身取自七种卑诗原生树木，镶有 Tsimshian 族长老 Clifford Bolton 的玉雕；2016 年加上了「和解之环」。 |
| Talking Stick · 发言杖 | Carved by James Delorme of the Songhees Nation and placed beside the Speaker's Chair in 2016, a reminder that reconciliation with Indigenous peoples should be part of every debate. · 由 Songhees 族的 James Delorme 雕刻，2016 年安放在议长座椅旁，提醒与原住民的和解应贯穿每一场辩论。 |
Provincial symbols · 省级象征
The Coat of Arms, fully granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1987, shows the Union Jack above a setting sun and Pacific waves, an elk for the former Colony of Vancouver Island and a bighorn sheep for the former Colony of British Columbia, and the motto Splendor sine Occasu, "Splendour without Diminishment". The flag, adopted in 1960, copies the shield. Other emblems include the Pacific dogwood (flower), Steller's jay (bird), western red cedar (tree), Kermode or spirit bear (mammal), jade (gemstone), Pacific salmon (fish) and the B.C. tartan.
省徽于 1987 年由伊丽莎白二世完整授予，图案是位于落日和太平洋波浪之上的英国国旗；左侧的马鹿代表前温哥华岛殖民地，右侧的大角羊代表前卑诗殖民地；拉丁文格言为 Splendor sine Occasu，意为「辉煌不衰」。省旗于 1960 年启用，图案取自省徽的盾形部分。其他象征包括：太平洋山茱萸（省花）、暴风鸟蓝鸦（省鸟）、西部红雪松（省树）、灵熊（省兽）、玉石（省石）、太平洋三文鱼（省鱼）以及卑诗格子呢图案。
9. History Timeline · 历史时间线
The Assembly's own timeline traces how representative government grew in B.C., including the long exclusion of Indigenous, Chinese, Japanese and South Asian people from the vote. Key milestones:
省议会网站的时间线记录了卑诗代议制政府的发展历程，也如实记录了原住民、华人、日裔和南亚裔长期被剥夺投票权的历史。主要里程碑：
| Year · 年份 | Event · 事件 |
|---|---|
| 1843 | The Hudson's Bay Company, under James Douglas, builds Fort Victoria on Lekwungen land. · 哈德逊湾公司在 James Douglas 率领下，于 Lekwungen 族土地上建立维多利亚堡。 |
| 1846 | The Oregon Treaty makes the 49th parallel the border with the United States. · 《俄勒冈条约》确定北纬 49 度线为与美国的边界。 |
| 1849–1850 | Vancouver Island becomes a colony; the Douglas Treaties with island First Nations follow (1850–1854). · 温哥华岛成为殖民地；随后与岛上原住民签订道格拉斯条约（1850–1854）。 |
| 1856 | The first elected House of Assembly meets on Vancouver Island. · 温哥华岛首届民选议会开会。 |
| 1858 | The Fraser River gold rush; the mainland Colony of British Columbia is created, named by Queen Victoria. Black settlers from San Francisco arrive in Victoria. · 菲沙河淘金热；大陆卑诗殖民地成立，由维多利亚女王命名。来自旧金山的黑人定居者抵达维多利亚。 |
| 1866–1868 | The island and mainland colonies unite; Victoria is chosen as capital. · 岛屿与大陆两个殖民地合并；维多利亚被选为首府。 |
| 1871 | B.C. joins Confederation on July 20; 25 MLAs are elected to the first Legislative Assembly. · 卑诗于 7 月 20 日加入联邦；首届省议会选出 25 名省议员。 |
| 1872 | The Assembly bars Indigenous and Chinese people from voting. · 省议会剥夺原住民和华人的投票权。 |
| 1876 | The property requirement for male voters is dropped. · 取消男性选民的财产资格限制。 |
| 1886 | The first transcontinental train reaches Vancouver, fulfilling the promise of Confederation. · 首列横贯大陆火车抵达温哥华，兑现加入联邦时的承诺。 |
| 1895 | People of Japanese descent are denied the provincial vote. · 日裔被剥夺省级投票权。 |
| 1898 | The new Parliament Buildings open on February 10. · 新议会大楼于 2 月 10 日启用。 |
| 1903 | The first election fought by political parties ends decades of unstable "group government". · 首次以政党形式进行的选举，结束了数十年动荡的「群体政府」时代。 |
| 1917–1918 | Women win the vote after a 1916 referendum; Mary Ellen Smith becomes the first woman MLA, and in 1921 the first woman cabinet minister in the British Empire. · 经 1916 年公投，女性获得投票权；Mary Ellen Smith 成为首位女省议员，并于 1921 年成为大英帝国首位女性内阁部长。 |
| 1923 | Ottawa's Chinese Immigration Act bars almost all Chinese immigration. · 联邦《华人移民法》几乎全面禁止华人移民。 |
| 1939–1945 | Second World War; Japanese Canadians are removed from the coast and interned. · 第二次世界大战；日裔加拿大人被迫离开沿海地区并遭拘禁。 |
| 1949 | Frank Calder, a Nisga'a chief, becomes the first Indigenous person elected to any provincial legislature in Canada. · Nisga'a 族酋长 Frank Calder 成为加拿大首位当选省议员的原住民。 |
| 1950 | Nancy Hodges becomes the first woman Speaker in the Commonwealth. · Nancy Hodges 成为英联邦首位女议长。 |
| 1952 | W.A.C. Bennett begins 20 years as Premier, B.C.'s longest. · W.A.C. Bennett 开始任省长，长达 20 年，为卑诗任期最长。 |
| 1972–1973 | Rosemary Brown becomes the first Black woman elected in Canada; full Hansard and daily Question Period begin. · Rosemary Brown 成为加拿大首位当选的黑人女性；完整 Hansard 记录和每日质询时间开始实行。 |
| 1991 | Rita Johnston becomes Canada's first woman Premier; live TV coverage of the House begins. · Rita Johnston 成为加拿大首位女省长；议会开始电视直播。 |
| 1992 | The provincial voting age is lowered to 18. · 省级投票年龄降至 18 岁。 |
| 1994 | Emery Barnes becomes Canada's first Black Speaker. · Emery Barnes 成为加拿大首位黑人议长。 |
| 1995 | The Recall and Initiative Act lets voters petition to propose laws or remove an MLA, unique in Canada. · 《罢免与创制法》允许选民通过请愿提出法律或罢免省议员，为全加拿大独有。 |
| 1998 | The Nisga'a Treaty, the first treaty in B.C. in a century, is initialled. · Nisga'a 条约草签，是卑诗百年来首个条约。 |
| 2001 | Fixed election dates are introduced; the first fixed-date election is held in 2005. · 引入固定选举日，首次固定日期大选于 2005 年举行。 |
| 2010 | A citizens' initiative petition against the HST gathers signatures from over 10% of voters in every riding. · 反对统一销售税（HST）的创制请愿在每个选区都获得超过 10% 选民的签名。 |
| 2017 | First minority government since 1952: Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon invites the NDP, backed by the Greens, to govern. · 1952 年以来首个少数政府：省督 Judith Guichon 邀请得到绿党支持的新民主党执政。 |
| 2019 | B.C. becomes the first jurisdiction in Canada to put UNDRIP into law. · 卑诗成为加拿大首个将《联合国原住民权利宣言》写入法律的司法管辖区。 |
| 2020 | The first hybrid sitting during COVID-19, with most MLAs taking part remotely. · 新冠疫情期间首次举行混合会议，多数省议员远程参与。 |
The right to vote was restored in the late 1940s: in 1947 to Chinese and South Asian Canadians, and in 1949 to Japanese Canadians and Indigenous peoples.
这些群体的投票权在 1940 年代末恢复：1947 年恢复华裔和南亚裔的投票权，1949 年恢复日裔和原住民的投票权。
10. Glossary · 术语表
Selected terms from the Legislative Assembly's parliamentary glossary, with Chinese equivalents.
选自省议会官方议会术语表的常用词，附中文对照。
| Term · 术语 | Meaning · 释义 |
|---|---|
| Act · 法令 | A bill approved by the Assembly; another word for a statute. · 经省议会通过的法案，即成文法律。 |
| Address in Reply · 答谢施政报告 | The House's formal thanks for the Speech from the Throne; debate is limited to six sitting days. · 议会对施政报告的正式答谢，辩论限六个开会日。 |
| Administrator · 省督代理 | Usually the Chief Justice, who acts for the Lieutenant Governor when absent. · 通常由首席大法官担任，在省督缺席时代行其职权。 |
| Amendment · 修正案 | A proposed change to a motion, bill or committee report. · 对动议、法案或委员会报告提出的修改。 |
| Bar of the House · 议院栏杆 | A brass bar at the Chamber entrance that non-Members may not cross. · 议事厅入口处的铜栏，非议员不得越过。 |
| Bill · 法案 | Proposed legislation put before the Assembly. · 提交省议会审议的法律草案。 |
| Blues · 记录初稿 | Hansard's preliminary transcript, named for its old blue cover. · Hansard 的初步文字稿，因旧时封面为蓝色而得名。 |
| Budget · 预算 | The government's fiscal, economic and social plan for the coming year, presented in February. · 政府下一年度的财政、经济和社会计划，于 2 月提出。 |
| Cabinet / Executive Council · 内阁 / 行政会议 | Ministers appointed on the Premier's advice who run the government. · 根据省长建议任命、负责管理政府的部长们。 |
| Casting vote · 决定票 | The Speaker's or Chair's tie-breaking vote. · 议长或主席在票数相等时投出的一票。 |
| Caucus · 党团 | All the Members of one political party. · 同一政党的全体省议员。 |
| Committee of Supply · 拨款委员会 | All MLAs reviewing and approving spending in the Estimates. · 全体省议员审查并批准预算估算中的开支。 |
| Committee of the Whole · 全院委员会 | All MLAs examining a bill section by section. · 全体省议员逐条审查法案。 |
| Constituency (riding) · 选区 | An area that elects one MLA. · 选出一名省议员的地理区域。 |
| Crossing the floor · 转投他党 | A Member switching to another party or sitting as an independent. · 议员改投他党或转为独立议员。 |
| Dissolution · 解散 | The proclamation ending a Parliament, followed by a general election. · 结束一届议会的公告，随后举行大选。 |
| Division · 记名表决 | A recorded standing vote, with each Member's name entered in the record. · 起立记名表决，每位议员的姓名都记入记录。 |
| Estimates · 预算估算 | Each ministry's spending plan for the year. · 各部门当年的开支计划。 |
| First / Second / Third Reading · 一读 / 二读 / 三读 | Introduction; debate on principle; final passage of a bill. · 法案的提出；原则辩论；最终通过。 |
| Free vote · 自由投票 | A vote where Members are not bound by party discipline. · 议员不受党纪约束的投票。 |
| Hansard · 辩论实录 | The official, substantially verbatim report of debates. · 辩论的正式、基本逐字记录。 |
| House Leader · 议院领袖 | The Member who manages a party's business in the House. · 负责管理本党议会事务的议员。 |
| Journals · 议事录 | The official indexed record of proceedings, compiled from the Votes and Proceedings. · 根据《表决与议事记录》整理的正式议事记录。 |
| Legislature · 立法机构 | The Lieutenant Governor acting with the Assembly; also a common name for the Buildings. · 省督与省议会共同构成的立法机构；也常指议会大楼。 |
| Mace · 权杖 | The ceremonial club symbolizing the House's authority. · 象征议会权威的礼仪权杖。 |
| Message · 咨文 | The Lieutenant Governor's formal note accompanying government bills. · 随政府法案提交的省督正式文书。 |
| Motion · 动议 | A formal proposal seeking a decision; all House business begins with one. · 请求作出决定的正式提议；议会的所有事务都始于动议。 |
| Oath of Allegiance · 效忠宣誓 | The pledge to the Sovereign that Members take before taking their seats. · 议员就座前向君主作出的宣誓。 |
| Order in Council · 内阁令 | A directive from Cabinet, for example on appointments. · 内阁发出的命令，例如人事任命。 |
| Orders of the Day · 议程表 | The daily agenda of the House. · 议会的每日议程。 |
| Point of order · 程序问题 | An objection that the rules are not being followed; the presiding officer decides. · 指出未遵守议事规则的异议，由主持人裁决。 |
| Private Member · 普通议员 | A Member who is neither a minister nor the Speaker. · 既非部长、也非议长的议员。 |
| Privilege · 议会特权 | The rights Members need to do their work. · 议员履行职责所需的权利。 |
| Prorogation · 闭会 | The Lieutenant Governor's closing of a session. · 省督宣布结束一个会期。 |
| Question Period · 质询时间 | A 30-minute daily period, Monday to Thursday, to question ministers. · 周一至周四每天 30 分钟，向部长提问。 |
| Quorum · 法定人数 | The minimum attendance to do business: 10 Members in the House. · 议事所需的最低出席人数：议会为 10 人。 |
| Responsible government · 责任政府 | The principle that Cabinet answers to the elected Assembly. · 内阁须向民选议会负责的原则。 |
| Royal Assent · 御准 | The Lieutenant Governor's approval that turns a bill into law. · 省督的批准，使法案成为法律。 |
| Session · 会期 | The period from the Throne Speech to prorogation or dissolution. · 从施政报告到闭会或解散的时期。 |
| Sitting · 会议 | A single meeting of the Assembly within a session. · 会期内的单次开会。 |
| Speech from the Throne · 施政报告 | The Lieutenant Governor's address opening a session, setting out the government's plans. · 省督在会期开幕时发表的演说，阐述政府计划。 |
| Standing Orders · 议事规则 | The Assembly's permanent procedural rules. · 省议会的常设程序规则。 |
| Supply Act · 拨款法 | The law authorizing government spending after the Estimates are approved. · 预算估算获批后授权政府开支的法律。 |
| Votes and Proceedings · 表决与议事记录 | The official daily record of decisions, like minutes. · 每日决定的正式记录，类似会议纪要。 |
| Westminster model · 威斯敏斯特模式 | The British system: a symbolic head of state and an executive drawn from, and answerable to, the elected legislature. · 英国式制度：象征性的国家元首，行政部门出自民选议会并向其负责。 |
| Whip · 党鞭 | The Member who ensures party colleagues attend and vote. · 负责确保同党议员出席和投票的议员。 |
Sources · 资料来源
Discover Your Legislature · Constitutional Framework and Governance · About the Legislative Assembly
Parliamentary Proceedings · Parliamentary Committees · House Documents
Members of the Legislative Assembly · Speaker · Lieutenant Governor · Clerk · Sergeant-at-Arms · Statutory Officers
Building History · Building Tour · Provincial and Parliamentary Symbols · History timeline
About the Committee System · Petitions · Private Bills · Parliamentary Procedure
Broadcasts and Webcasts · Hansard Services · Tour Information
Glossary · Learning Resources (lesson plans, fact sheets, videos) · Parliamentary Practice in British Columbia, 5th ed.
