DS ie Go ACTIDE. of. praise : for: his poise, “the Speaker. of vig Bice legislature, West Vancouver-Howe "Sound: MLA. John Reynolds’: has nat’ stopped working yet this “summer. Although = the “house has ad- journed -until the. fall, won't be. getting. a'r for sev y legislati © globes! ; fab holiday’’ Weeks yet, as he jets ‘to conferences around the WEST: Van- couver Hvotwse Sound. aA ‘Reynolds ended the “44-month. sitting» earlier month, as).a- respected, - capable Speaker, receiving glowing tributes: both from. the. government and apposition forhis ‘handling of the “anediator’s | mande: piven him in arch. after: acvolatile career as a: partisan politician, : Reynolds was recently in Regina. : for: fourcdays ‘at. the! 27th“annual’ Canadian : regional conference 5 of the’ Commonwealth: Parliamentary: Association. of whieh he currently presidents. Then iC) wis on to Toromtocfor: a. Ontario Spei tk “The prin topic of th “sion wi sto look at the tele ing ‘the - proceedings. of. the ature: a campaign promise: ; Preinier Bill: Vander ‘Zan for: | =, journment. of the B.C. house was’ “B.Ces which has. been stalled: “because of high’ cost’ projections, foros yee Sek lah f " = Mainly sunny, : ‘Wednesday. "hatsday, 2 mainly cloudy.” ‘Highs: near a °€. ce Y national: ‘legislators. a: group which includes. call, Law Reynolds - of the Speaker. marathon’ this, : 7 “hot meeting with the. politician ‘Reynolds. alsa met with the televi- ‘ $10on chewan's legislative network dur-, peeple |. who | run. -Saskat- ing his.Regina visit. Last: week Reynolds and several MLAs from both sides ‘of the B.C. house were in Indianapolis:for the conference of. state Canadian = prov inces and: Ot It's"one of. the more interesting Panes of che year, with) sessions’ on criminal: justice, development, education,” energy, science, fiscal affairs, ete. pacheutevory, there.are a. vari meetings On- specific subjects “economic And for: MEMBERS. Mark -Rose Moody), who (NDP said Coquitlam. the “Speaker has. been extremely even-handed and objective... highly organized and highly effective." He praised Reynolds for making the conversion from, a‘ controver- sial, highly partisan MLA and MP (both Rose and Reynolds served in Ottawa) toa respected, non-par- tisan Speaker. © Much of the improved decorum 3 Ww ednesday, August 12. 187 = North Shore, News / NOP LAUD SPEAKER'S. PERFORMANCE in the house was attributed to thar, said Rose, o' We. have ccome through iv very “well, and TU think with the kind of ‘dignity and respect for one another that's real- ly important."* Reynolds | was’ modest \in his response’'ta the praises “It makes me_ feel good: for-everybody’ who works for. me —-all theclerks and the staff Not just-one person does the job."* CRACKING THE whip isn’t’ an casy. job for. North. Van- couver-Capilano: MLA’ Angus: Ree, but it's.a, Job: he took: pride in as. government whip during the recent: ‘session, ‘of the, B.C: legislature. Ag “Many. people ask me: ‘Whar’ s 'a whip?’, and I'find it takes more: =than a single sentence to respond,” op Ree: said-in. an: interview with: the News. : Basically,’ the w hip | is the agent -of party ‘discipline .in/ the house, and the reference to bullwhips and : ‘cracking the whip to keep members: ..in line is not necessarily’ an. unfair. “one, says Ree.- ‘A hawyer first elected to ‘the ‘Jegislature in 1979,: Ree/is. viewed, value.tous here in B.C, .!" said The /inost “exotic stop on Reynolds*:) summer Malaysia’ in late: August, for the 33rd “Commonwealth. Parliamen- “tary Conference. He ewill be chairing one. of the topics Sin. the assembly atthe meeting —. the. role. of television and. other «media. in promoting respect “for! parliament. We will discuss who. is really: responsible for the generally; low intage of the in the eyes oof public,” says Reynolds. Heo will return to: West) Van- couver, Sept. 10, and then, vil have a vacation)’. y among the many to Reynolds at the ad- one from: Opposition house leader ot N DEX "Auta eee : Business . ‘Classified Ads. we ‘Doug Collins. . vee. Editorial. Page... ‘Bob Hunter ne Lifestyles Mailbox - Sports » a ay TV.. Listings . schedule is’ general” international: : backbenchers suid ministers, sure thats the numbers “are meine “vained throughout, ‘ »“ehore™ ethe:saministry bills, » part ‘appeasor,.a p “mother: “now. as a‘legislative veteran, givens . ) that‘in’the-recent sitting -37.0f the ° “69 MLAs were newcomers: to’ the ‘stately Partiament Buildings. * , The whip's: prime function isto remind the party MLAs that they are partof alteam and that they have to pull: their), weight at all ; times, says Rees oo tt is especially crucial when the housd is sitting, and with the night sions, that enough members ire in: the..chamber. to maintain 2: quorum of 10. which includes eight gover nment mefbers, It falls to Rée to setothe rota of: tg ene! Few of the backbenchers like the Jot- sitting. | through: ustimates, oor through clause-by-clause debate (of specific because they any, opportunity to participate. The Opposition can have Fram Victoria. ‘easily be the. government “is bette because of his influence. : Given that’ the. Vandet Zalm _ governmient has a healthy. majority | dem 4§ seats to 22:(one independent ML A, and West: Vancouver-Howe Sound eniLA< John, Reynolds .as Speaker ‘makes’ up ‘the 69), Ree's idask owas-3 ¢ came to'votes, than if the split was closer to 50/50. ‘and every. vote “counted, i i “Nevertheless, he says : served i i j have Hitdes if and’: often does — as many speakers as ~ it wishes to deal with a particular piece of legislation;. ‘but. the ‘gov- the minister responsivle, with title backup required or. desired because “ernment side is usually carried by. | it would prolong matters even fur: ther.! So when the whip goes through caucus to enlist: MLAs’ support, he meets: some considerable’ opposi- tian:as members find all sorts of pressing business that has: to be | dealt with immediately. Despite: this natural: resistance,. says Ree, there: have: always been enough members in piace: to save the government ‘from ’.the: embar-- rassment of .. falling “below (a quorum... That: is due'in: no small to. cajole, » Mate reasons. tow. his. abilities threaten; induce: and *: convince wayward MLAs of their duty. He says that sometimes he’ feels’: he isa ‘combination ofa tyrant,.an i hologist, and a den’ It is,an “accepted fact that. whips’ “are not necessarily popular within their. own: ranks’ because of. their role: — something: which: Ree also, : accepts, but. feels he ‘can live with ; able majority is not a “good reason ito ease “up on discipline’ That -in-., “cludes ensuring that: members. of. various standing committees show, up, on time, for mectings, und’ that r those ‘‘booking out’ of the house: for: the day do so only with legiti- Int the ‘daily Operation, of the , house, Ree and’ governinent house :. ’Jeader Bruce. Strachan met with their. opposite ‘numbers. frony ‘the NDP regularly,‘ to.set the schedule: for: debate n: bills, and. ministry : _ estimates om fa A ‘Once, the schedule is “known int “falls tO: ‘the whip:to, pin: down the ‘members! involved, . ise the’end result is that litte easier’ when. it, a.comfar:, , : ing the recent lengthy: session? Referring. to the change’ from partisan politician to non-partisan, Reynolds saide If E had to be par- Usan, | could be so with the best-of them. I've always felt that when you've got ajob to-de, you do it the best you can. “'Part.of my ability in life has been being able.to get along. with people, and to deal. with them in a fair manner;- and 1 think they found that out here,” he added. : CAJOLED INTO DUTY ” Ree says he enjoys because it “keeps him-at the pulse of the daily opera- ‘tions. Because of the’ nature of the job as .whip,.Ree =rarely” scheduled himself to” speak during debate, . unless! it was a subject in. which he or his constituency hada particular — interest: However, on two occasions dur- he speak because ‘of the absence. or’ lateness’ of = his. cole leagues and “yous may.’ rest, assured that. those MLAs=°‘‘got a good. piece of -my ‘mind'’ /after- rose | tO: wards, says Ree. “He acquitted himself well _diddresses to.the house once or “Bill 20, the Teaching: Profession Reform Act; and once. on;the cor troversial Bil 19, 1. been enough - » members ine pia c ee to” pavernment: from: the embasrass-. ment of fall- ing” below.a a quorum, that ' ‘onvince yayrerd. Relations: Reform Act ~* using: his --. . skills as‘a lawyer to “save the day’ f for the;absent members. i The’. whip’s - responsibility” is to-.-: the caucus, but during the ‘sessions - in the house he is also the eyes and the {ears: of the government house. . leader and of the premier. Vice-chairman of ‘caucus, Carol Gran (SC: Langley) says ‘the. whip’s - job is often a.thankless:task, but it’: s recognized as an essential one." :. Ree has managed. to tackle the: ‘considerable chore ‘his role. brings,” : » without! greatly alienating” cabinet or, government. members an-ac complishment not always achieved -: by. the one who | ields the whip. .