Fonds paa-6942 - Alberta. Legislative Assembly Office fonds

<em> Dates of Founding and/or Dissolution:</em> The Legislative Assembly Office was formally established by the <em>Legislative Assembly Act</em> (S.A. 1983, chapter L-10.1), but existed prior to this date. <em>Functional Responsibility:</em> The Legislative Assembly of Alberta was established under <em>An Act to establish and provide for the Government of the Province of Alberta,</em>. Canadian legislation more commonly known as <em>The Alberta Act, </em> which received assent July 20, 1905 and came into force September 1, 1905. The Alberta Legislature was to consist of the Lieutenant Governor and one House, the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly is the legislative branch of Alberta's parliamentary system, and is responsible for establishing legislation. Much of the real power of government lies with the executive branch, the Executive Council. The 1906 <em>Public Service Act</em> (S.A. 1906, chapter 4) mentions that there were to be Offices of the Legislative Assembly. This was altered to an Office of the Legislative Assembly in a 1911-1912 amendment (S.A. 1911-1912, chapter 4). The first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta was elected in 1906, though the position was not officially legislated until 1909 when<em> An Act respecting the Legislative Assembly of Alberta </em>(S.A. 1909, chapter 2) received assent. The first Clerk of the Legislative Assembly was also appointed in 1906. The Legislative Assembly Office evolved over a number of years, and was not legislated until 1983. The Office is to provide nonpartisan services to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and to the public. The Office provides assistance and support to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in carrying out the duties of office; provides assistance and support to elected representatives in carrying out their roles; records the proceedings and maintains the records of the Legislative Assembly; informs and educates the public on behalf of the Assembly; and assists the Assembly in protecting its institutions and privileges. In 1995 the Legislative Assembly Office added to these responsibilities supporting the exchange of information and ideas among legislatures and supporting the Officers of the Legislature as needed. This last item was changed in 2000 to providing services to external clients, not just Officers of the Legislature. The Legislative Assembly Office is responsible for producing <em>Alberta Hansard, </em> the official report of Legislative Assembly debates, which was adopted in Alberta in 1972. The Office also includes the Legislature Library, which was established as the Provincial Library in 1906. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is a Member of the Legislative Assembly who is elected by MLAs, and not appointed by the Premier or by the Lieutenant Governor. The Speaker has two main roles. The Speaker is to preside at all sittings of the Legislative Assembly, being an impartial referee and ensuring that the Standing Orders of the Assembly are followed and all MLAs have an equal chance to express their views. ; The Speaker is also responsible for the Legislative Assembly's records and for providing services to MLAs and the public; these initially included record-keeping, accounting, administration, and computer services, but have evolved over the years to include financial administration, purchasing, human resources, office automation assistance, public education and the library. The Clerk of the Assembly serves as the Speaker's deputy, advising the Speaker on procedure and calling the daily order of business in the Legislature. Beyond this, the Clerk keeps records and is responsible for producing Assembly documents. In 1989, also added to the Clerk's responsibilities was to be secretary to the Alberta branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Each of the party groupings (caucuses) constitutes a branch of the Legislative Assembly Office. They received financial, administrative and human resource support from the Legislative Assembly Office. <em>Administrative Relationships: </em> The Legislative Assembly Office is administered by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The Speaker is the head of the Legislative Assembly Office, and the Clerk of the Assembly is the Speaker's deputy, having authority and responsibilities similar to those of deputy ministers of government departments. <em> Administrative Structure:</em> According to the <em>Legislative Assembly Act</em> (S.A. 1983, chapter L-10.1), the Legislative Assembly Office was to consist of the Clerk of the Assembly and the other officers of the Assembly, and those employed to assist in the conduct of business and affairs of the Assembly. The Clerk of the Assembly was to provide advice and support to the Speaker and members on procedural and administrative matters, along with managing the Legislative Assembly Office. In 1987 the Legislative Assembly Office included the following services: House and Committee Services; Information and Research Services (the Legislature Library) which became Information, Research and Co-ordination Services in 1989; Legal Services (Parliamentary Counsel); Ceremonial and Security Services (Sergeant-at-Arms); Reporting Services (Alberta Hansard Office), which became Public Education and Reporting Services (Public Information Branch) in 1991 following the transfer of Visitor Services from the Public Affairs Bureau; Administrative Services; and Personnel Services. Information Systems Services was added as a branch in April 1989. In 1994 Administrative and Personnel Services were reorganized, becoming Financial Management and Administrative Services and Human Resource Services. In 2001, the organization of the Legislative Assembly Office included: House and Committee Services; Library Services; Legal Services; Visitor, Ceremonial and Security Services; Public Information and Reporting Services; Administrative/Information Systems Services (which includes Information Systems Services and Financial Management and Administrative Services); and Human Resource Services. All of these report to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, who reports to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. <em>Names of the Corporate bodies:</em> The Legislative Assembly Office has been called the Office of the Legislative Assembly. The Office is sometimes informally referred to as the Speaker's department, though it is not a department, as the Speaker is not a member of cabinet, is not asked questions during Question Period and does not participate in Assembly debates. <em>Names of Chief Officers:</em> Speakers of the Legislative Assembly: ; Charles W. Fisher 1906-1919; Charles S. Pingle 1920-1922; Oran L. McPherson 1922-1926; George N. Johnston 1927-1936; N. Eldon Tanner *1936-1937; Peter Dawson 1937-1963; Arthur Dixon 1963-1972; Gerald Amerongen 1972-1986; David J. Carter 1986-1993; Stanley Schumacher 1993-1997; Ken Kowalski 1997- ; Clerks of the Legislative Assembly: James Robert Cowell 1906-1923; Robert Albert Andison 1923-1955; Raymond Albert Auguste Crevolin 1955-1966; William Huestis MacDonald 1966-1976; Bohdan J.D. Stefaniuk 1976-1986; Karen South (acting) 1986; J.W. David McNeil 1986-