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Wednesday, October 10, 2007

 

PAGE'S DUTIES – GENERAL

 

BEFORE EVERY SITTING

 

  • Pull out chairs
  • If there are bills, put bill in each Bill book.
  • Take out Votes and Orders Books, place on desk, and open fasterners so that the latest votes and orders can be inserted.
  • Pick up all pencils that need sharpening, sharpen the applicable pencils and place these on ALL MLA’s desks.—SHARP POINT POINTED AWAY FROM THE SPEAKER  (This custom dates back to ancient times when “NOTHING POINTED COULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SPEAKER).
  • When votes and orders arrive, insert these in applicable books and return books to MLA”s desks.
  • Push chairs back so that they line up with the middle of the desks.
  • Tidy each MLA”s desk ensuring blotter is in the center of the desk, small white pad is at the top right side of the blotter, notices of meetings are placed on upper right side of blotter (AND ARE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY AFTER MEETING HAS OCCURRED)   “DESK MUST ALWAYS LOOK TIDY”
  • ICE & FILL GLASSES   -  Glasses and ice are located in Room 211 in the Library hallway, 2nd entrance from main hallway opposite the revolving doors.  Pages are to place ice in glasses, fill with water and carry glasses into the house and distribute to every one in the house (each MLA, the Speaker, the Clerks and the S.A.A.) - this is usually done approximately 25 minutes prior to the sitting.

 

N.B.    ALWAYS  hold glasses with the hand located at the bottom of the glass. To Serve: Serve from the Front for the Front Row; Serve from the Back for the Back Row:

NEVER go between the front and back row.

 

ENTER and EXIT  - Always exit and enter on RIGHT side of door.

 

REFILLING WATER GLASSES  -  When an MLA's water glass is empty, it should be refilled immediately (you can usually establish how much is left in an MLA's glass when he/she raises it to his/her mouth).  ALWAYS CHANGE GLASSES  (REMOVE OLD GLASS AND BRING IN A NEW ONE) WHEN THERE IS A  CHANGE OF "SPEAKERS", "CHAIRMEN/CHAIR PERSON", "CLERKS" AND "SGT-AT-ARMS".

 

MESSAGES

 

            (a)       From Outside the House

 

When buzzer sounds (ONE BUZZ FOR POSITION #1, TWO BUZZES FOR POSITION #2), go outside the House, obtain message and deliver it to applicable MLA, Clerk, or Speaker  in the house.  If MLA is not in the House, take message back to the member of the Sessional Staff manning the revolving   door explaining that the MLA is not in the house - member manning the door  will have message returned to its originating source.

(b)       Within House  -  MLA will usually hold message up, go to MLA's desk, pick up message and deliver it to MLA concerned - BE SURE TO HAND IT TO             THAT MLA.(Address members by name)

 

(c)        Messages originating within house destined for deliver outside of house  -  Deliver to Sessional Attendant manning revolving door. The Sessional Attendant will then give these messages to the runners to deliver.

 

DUTIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE HOUSE

 

1.         Position in House  -  At the ringing of the FIVE MINUTE BEFORE SITTING BELL, take position in the house (#1 position to the right of the Speaker, #2 position to the left of the Speaker, Position #3 west front of Chamber (extreme left front of Speaker), left of Bar to the House, Position #4 East front of Chamber , next to SGT-AT-ARMS Desk;  Runners in hallway outside room  218 (Deputy SGT-AT-ARMS Office).

 

2.         Stand in front of Chair when Speaker and the procession enters the Chamber.

 

3.         Prayers  -  When Speaker states the Prayers will be said,  # 1 and # 2 take standing position in front of the revolving doors, #3 take position in front of West side Door, #4 Stand in front of chair,  Chamber Supervisor covers East side Door. Ensuring no one enters during Prayers.  After Prayers, return to your seat.

 

            NOTE:           

PAGE'S  IN POSITION #1, #2, #3 AND #4  WILL BE REQUIRED  TO STAND ANY TIME THE SPEAKER STANDS.

           

            DOCUMENTS

 

  1. WHEN A MINISTER STANDS AND SAYS THAT HE/SHE HAS A  MESSAGE FROM HER HONOUR, THE LIEUTENANT GOVEROR

THE PAGE IN POSITION #1 WILL TAKE THE MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER CONCERNED AND HAND IT TO THE SPEAKER (STAND TO THE SPEAKERS RIGHT) WHEN SPEAKER HAS FINISHED READING THE MESSAGE, THE SPEAKER WILL HAND IT BACK TO THE PAGE,  AND THE PAGE WILL HAND IT TO THE CLERK.

 

2.    TABLING REPORTS.  WHEN A MEMBER STANDS AND SAYS THAT HE OR SHE HAS A REPORT TO TABLE, THE NEAREST PAGE WILL TAKE THE REPORT TO THE CLERK’S TABLE.

 

3.    PETITIONS.  WHEN AN M.L.A. STANDS AND STATES THAT HE OR SHE HAS A PETITION TO TABLE, THE NEAREST PAGE WILL TAKE THE PETITION TO THE CLERKS TABLE.

 


 

HANSARD COPIES 

                      

Four copies of all Hansard recordings are placed in the House.  These copies are placed on top of the bookcases which are located on either wall (west and east sides of the House)

Temporary Blue Copies  Hansard initial issue is always temporary, uncorrected blue copy (which also includes a blue copy of Question Period) two copies of each of these blues are placed on top of each bookcase or assigned shelf.

Permanent White Copies  Hansard’s second issue is the permanent white copies which replace the blue copies.  These white copies are placed in the books(two books located on the top shelf) and the applicable blue copy taken to the re-cycle box in Room 218.

 

TABOOS

 

  1. NEVER CROSS BETWEEN THE PERSON SPEAKING  AND THE SPEAKER OR, (IF IN COMMITTEE, THE CHAIRPERSON)

2.   AREA BETWEEN SPEAKER AND THE CLERKS IS "NO MAN'S

LAND" - DO NOT ENTER THIS AREA.  NEVER CROSS BETWEEN THE SPEAKER AND THE MACE.

 

DO NOT GO BETWEEN FRONT AND BACK ROWS WHEN SESSION IS

IN PROGRESS.

 

PAGE DUTIES DURING DIVISIONS

 

  1. A Division occurs when the Legislature takes a VOTE and can be identified by THREE
  2. (3) distinct rings of the Division Bells.

 

  1. Pages will remain in the Chamber when a Division is called by the Division Bells.  Pages will remain in their usual chairs when not performing other duties.

 

  1. The revolving door attendants will enter the Chamber to perform their usual duties for a Division, and will use the chair inside each door furthest from the Speaker.

 

  1. Pages will perform their normal duties until the bell rings to lock the doors, except that water glasses will be filled only if a Member specifically asks for  water.

 

  1. When the bell rings to lock the doors, Pages will return to their chairs until the Division is completed.

 

  1. If a page is outside the Chamber when the bell rings and the doors are locked, the page will remain outside until the division is completed.

 

  1. When the Division is completed, Pages will continue their normal duties.

 

RESERVATIONS/PAGES 2007/PAGES DUTIES OCT. 2007.doc