Nova Scotia MLAs sit through bell ringing to pass bills

Last week, our provincial representatives sat from 9 a.m. on Friday to 1:03 a.m. on Saturday. But for eight of those 15 hours, MLAs didn't debate a single bill or do a minute's worth of work in the legislature.

Instead they waited out what is commonly referred to at Province House as the ringing of the bells.

When a vote is called, MLAs can vote immediately by saying yea or nay as a group, or there can be a recorded vote in which each member is called on one by one. A recorded vote usually triggers that ringing of the bells.

That means a bell or tone is sounded, calling members into the chamber for a vote. It's part of the Westminster parliamentary system.

In Nova Scotia, the bells can ring for up to an hour. At the House of Commons in Ottawa, there's a 30-minute limit on bell ringing.

Both are much more generous than the eight-minute limit in the House of Commons in London or the two-minute limit in New Zealand.

Although the call for a vote is a procedural measure, it is also sometimes used as a delay tactic by opposition parties upset at the government.

Last week, the bell ringing was triggered by the Official Opposition to slow down passage of bills not supported by the Progressive Conservatives. By calling for those recorded votes, the Tories forced government members to waste eight hours simply sitting in the House until they showed up for the votes.

Government House leader Michel Samson is still upset a week later and is calling for a change to the rules of the house.

"Having it done on eight separate occasions for eight hours — it begs the question, 'Is it an abuse of parliamentary procedure?'" he said.

Samson thinks there should further limits placed on bell ringing.

"Twice a day, I think, is more than enough," he said. 

"As far as recorded votes I think it's appropriate to ask for recorded votes. There's nothing wrong with that but this delay tactic of having this incessant bell ringing taking place, obviously there should be some limits placed on that."

Progressive Conservative House leader Chris d'Entremont disagrees. He doesn't think his party abused its power in repeatedly calling for recorded votes.

'I'll not apologize'

"Absolutely not," said d'Entremont. "I'll not apologize for ringing them eight times on Friday."

For the Liberals to change the rules, they will need the support of two thirds of the house. That means 34 of the 51 MLAs in the house would have to support the changes.

The Liberals have 33 MLAs including the Speaker — who only gets a vote to break a tie — so the party in power would need support from either the independent in the house, Chuck Porter, or another opposition member.

As far as the Progressive Conservatives are concerned, d'Entremont said that won't happen.

"In the current state, unless there's something given in return for that I would say no," said d'Entremont, who represents Argyle-Barrington. "It is one of the only tools that we have to try to continue to hold that government to account."

Although the situation in Nova Scotia is annoying to the governing Liberals, they're not facing the situation faced by Pierre Elliott Trudeau in March 1982 when the bells rang for 15 days straight in the House of Commons because the opposition whips wouldn't consent to let a vote go ahead.

Back then there were no limits on bell ringing and they could ring until the whips were satisfied.

Fun facts: Although it's referred to as bell ringing, there are no longer bells at Province House. Instead, there's a tone that sounds every three seconds.

Bell ringing is good for businesses near the legislature. During bell ringings, MLAs who don't go to their caucus offices head to nearby restaurants and bars to pass the time.