Earlier start time, elimination of night sessions could help MPPs with family responsibilities
New reforms in how the Ontario legislature does business could bring more work-life balance to the Ontario government and encourage more working parents to get involved in politics, said Ontario House Leader Michael Bryant.
Bryant wants to start sessions at 9:30 a.m. instead of 1:30 p.m., move question period to the morning and eliminate night sessions, which can go as late as midnight.
Bryant's proposal is partly in response to an all-party committee to study ways of improving family life for politicians with young children, initiated by Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton).
MacLeod's committee will continue to look at other issues to make political life more family-friendly, such as child care at Queen's Park, but Bryant wanted to jump-start some of the reforms.
When the legislature is in session, it sits from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and again from 6:45 p.m. to as late as midnight Monday through Thursday. There is also a two-hour morning session on Thursdays, starting at 10 a.m., for private members' business.
Bryant said sitting from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. would expand the number of hours for debate each week by as much as 50 per cent and make life a little easier for MPPs with family demands.
Bryant has suggested MPPs try out the new timetable when the legislature sits later this month and then evaluate the situation in the spring.
Bryant wants to start sessions at 9:30 a.m. instead of 1:30 p.m., move question period to the morning and eliminate night sessions, which can go as late as midnight.
Bryant's proposal is partly in response to an all-party committee to study ways of improving family life for politicians with young children, initiated by Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton).
MacLeod's committee will continue to look at other issues to make political life more family-friendly, such as child care at Queen's Park, but Bryant wanted to jump-start some of the reforms.
When the legislature is in session, it sits from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and again from 6:45 p.m. to as late as midnight Monday through Thursday. There is also a two-hour morning session on Thursdays, starting at 10 a.m., for private members' business.
Bryant said sitting from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. would expand the number of hours for debate each week by as much as 50 per cent and make life a little easier for MPPs with family demands.
Bryant has suggested MPPs try out the new timetable when the legislature sits later this month and then evaluate the situation in the spring.
