May 2, 2024 SWEARING-IN OF MEMBER
Member-Elect met in the Assembly Chamber on the morning of May 2, 2024, for the Swearing-In Ceremony.
CLERK (Hawley George): Good morning.
Please rise for the entrance of Her Honour, the hon. Joan Marie J. Aylward, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Please welcome the MHA-Elect for the District of Fogo Island - Cape Freels, Jim McKenna.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CLERK: You may be seated.
Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor, the Leader of the Official Opposition, hon. Members, Member-Elect McKenna, family, friends, colleagues, welcome to today's ceremony.
My name is Kim Hawley George and I'm the Acting Clerk of the House of Assembly. There are three elements to the Swearing-In Ceremony 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 Members of all legislatures in Canada, which must be witnessed by Her Honour, the hon. Joan Marie J. Aylward, Lieutenant Governor 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 Her Honour.
Lasty, 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.
Your Honour, 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 of May 2, declaring Jim McKenna, the duly elected Member of the House of Assembly for the District of Fogo Island - Cape Freels.
I now ask Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor to read the instrument of authority.
HER HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (Joan Marie J. Aylward, ONL): Under and by virtue of the powers conferred upon me as Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and, 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 Oath of Allegiance and the Affirmation of Office to you, Jim McKenna.
CLERK: Member-Elect McKenna, please rise and proceed to the front of the table facing Her Honour to make your Affirmation of Allegiance and Affirmation of Office.
J. MCKENNA: I, James McKenna, 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, James McKenna, do affirm that
(a) I am fully qualified to hold the office of Member for the District of Fogo Island - Cape Freels, 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, MHA-Elect McKenna.
You may return to your seat.
I now ask Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor and the MHA-Elect to sign the Affirmations.
(Signing of Affirmation.)
CLERK: Thank you very much.
I will now ask the MHA-Elect to proceed to the Clerk's Table to sign the Roll of Members.
(Signing of the Roll of Members.)
CLERK: Congratulations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CLERK: Congratulations to the Member for the District of Fogo Island - Cape Freels, Jim McKenna.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
CLERK: This concludes the ceremony.
I now ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor from the Chamber.
All rise.
CLERK: Congratulations again to MHA McKenna and thank you to all who attended today.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!