February 21, 2024 SWEARING-IN OF MEMBER
Member-Elect met in the Assembly Chamber on the morning of February 21, 2024, for the Swearing-In Ceremony.
CLERK (Hawley George): Please rise for the entrance of the hon. Deborah Fry, Administrator in and for our Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Please welcome the Member-Elect for the District of Conception Bay East - Bell Island, Frederick Charles Hutton.
You may be seated.
Honourable Administrator, Chief Justice Fry; hon. Premier; hon. Members; Member-Elect Hutton; family; friends; and colleagues, welcome to today's ceremony.
My name is Kim Hawley George, I am the Acting Clerk of the House of Assembly. There are three elements to the Swearing-In of a Member of the House of Assembly.
Firstly, before a Member-Elect can assume their seat in the House, they must swear or affirm allegiance to the King. The Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance is a requirement under the Constitution Act, 1867, for all Members of all legislatures in Canada, which must be witnessed today by the hon. Deborah Fry, Administrator in and for our Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Secondly, the Member-Elect must make an Oath or Affirmation of Office, which is a requirement of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act. Both Oaths or Affirmations are then signed by the Member-Elect and the Administrator.
Lastly, the Member-Elect will sign the Roll of Members for the 50th General Assembly, which includes an alphabetical listing of all electoral districts and the signatures of Members elected to those districts in this General Assembly.
Honourable Administrator, as acting Clerk of the House of Assembly, I am pleased to report that in accordance with section 163 of the Elections Act, 1991, a notice was published in the Newfoundland and Labrador Gazette on Friday, February 16, 2024, declaring Frederick Charles Hutton the duly elected Member of the House of Assembly for the District of Conception Bay East - Bell Island.
I now ask the Administrator to read the instrument of authority.
HER HONOUR THE ADMINISTRATOR (Chief Justice Deborah Fry): Under and by virtue of the powers conferred upon me as Administrator of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, in particular, pursuant to section 128 of the Constitution Act, 1867, and the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act, I am pleased to administer the Affirmation of Allegiance and the Affirmation of Office to you, Frederick Charles Hutton.
CLERK: Member-Elect Hutton, please rise and proceed to the front of the table facing the Administrator to make your Affirmation of Allegiance and Affirmation of Office.
F. HUTTON: I, Frederick Charles Hutton, do affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III, His Heirs and Successors, according to law.
I, Frederick Charles Hutton, do affirm that
(a) I am fully qualified to hold the office of Member for the District of Conception Bay East - Bell Island, to which I have been elected;
(b) I have not knowingly contravened the Elections Act, 1991, respecting any matter in relation to my election;
(c) I will faithfully, to the best of my ability, perform the duties and responsibilities of my office and will not allow any direct or indirect monetary or other personal or private interest to influence my conduct or affect my duties in public matters; and
(d) I affirm, ascribe and agree to follow the Code of Conduct of Members adopted by this House of Assembly.
CLERK: Thank you.
Please proceed to the table.
Please sign the official Affirmations.
(Signing of Affirmation.)
CLERK: Thank you very much.
I will now ask the Member-Elect to proceed to the Clerk's Table to sign the Roll of Members.
(Signing of the Roll of Members.)
CLERK: Congratulations to the Member for District of Conception Bay East - Bell Island, Frederick Charles Hutton.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CLERK: This concludes today's ceremony.
I now ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the Administrator from the Chamber.
Congratulations again to MHA Hutton and thank you to those in attendance today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!