Grab a coffee, check the mail, have a debate and maybe get out of town.

The B. C. Legislature will sit all be it for a brief version of a fall session, in order to approve a new Children’s commissioner for the province. What remains to be seen is whether the NDP now that they have someone to talk to will quietly let the session end according to the Liberal’s hopes.

The Liberals had originally planned on skipping a fall session giving the impression that there wasn’t much to debate and instead suggested that MLA’s would be better served addressing issues in their constituencies. And while that might have been the wish of the Liberals as things are evolving in Victoria today, they may have to spend a bit of next week hashing out that inconvenient bit of the business of governing called the Legislative session. The Tyee has a story on today’s website explaining the plans of Carole James and the NDP to try and extend the long avoided session just a wee bit longer.

The Wednesday Daily News front page story featured the original reason for the unexpected get together in Victoria, with a bit of background on the day of governance and where it may have led.

Victoria back to business for key child care debate
By James Vassallo
The Daily News
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Page one

The provincial legislature will sit for at least one day today as the government meets to appoint a new children’s commissioner.

“It is important to finally appoint the children and youth advocate,” said North Coast MLA Gary Coons.

“It normally takes a minimum of three days for a piece of legislation to be introduced, debated and passed in the legislature, but the process can be speeded up if both sides agree.”

However, the Official Opposition has not said whether or not the government will get their quick sitting or if they’ll use the opportunity to bring up a number of other issues — from health care to Olympic spending — that the NDP feels must be addressed in the public’s interest.

“I hope that we will be able to sit more than just one day as there are many issues that need to be discussed,” said Coons.

Premier Gordon Campbell asked the speaker to recall the house for Wednesday, however Campbell will be in Hong Kong. The government scrapped a scheduled fall session with a promise to bring the house back to ratify the appointment of a new, independent officer of the legislature to act as a children’s watchdog.

A similar position was eliminated by the B.C. Liberals in 2002.

The new post, officially the representative for children and youth, was created after the government admitted it mishandled hundreds of child-death files.

Several months of searching and interviews by an all-party selection committee of the legislature has resulted in a unanimous recommendation of the as-yet unidentified candidate.

“I don’t think it’s a proud day for this government, I think it is in many ways a day of shame,” said Opposition House leader Mike Farnworth.

“They are having to correct mistakes they made and they want to slink into the legislature and slink back out.”

Former B.C. conflict of interest commissioner Ted Hughes called for the establishment of the independent watchdog last April after he reviewed the B.C. government’s mishandling of more than 700 files concerning child deaths.

Following the introduction of bills Wednesday, six MLAs will get the opportunity to make two-minute statements. That leads into 30 minutes of oral question period. At this time the NDP could use the opportunity to bring up a number of issues.

With Files CP