First Steps

New Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) receive help from caucus staff and colleagues who have experience in setting up an office or with the services available at the Legislative Assembly. Additionally, Client Care is happy to assist, and Assembly staff have compiled a list of resources to make the transition to life as a Member as smooth as possible.

Members of the 43rd Parliament   

Members of the 43rd Parliament are listed on the Legislative Assembly website under Members, along with their official photographs and biographies. Individual Members can be searched by name, constituency, community, and postal code, by using Find My MLA.

Oath Ceremony  

Every Member of the Legislative Assembly is required under section 24 of the provincial Constitution Act to take and subscribe to the oath of allegiance prior to sitting or voting in the House. A Member may choose to swear the oath using their preferred book of faith, or make a solemn affirmation or declaration instead. Members are also required to sign the parliamentary roll.

The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly administers the oath/affirmation to duly elected Members at a ceremony once the Clerk receives the certified results of election from the Chief Electoral Officer. Family members are welcome to attend the event and a photographer will be present. Members may bring their own holy book or sacred object for the occasion if preferred, and cameras are permitted. Further information will be communicated from the Member’s caucus and the Office of the Clerk.

Initial Travel Expenses  

Travel, accommodation, and meal expenses will be reimbursed for initial trips to attend caucus meetings and events at the Legislative Assembly. Please save and submit detailed receipts for reimbursement to Client Care. Travel claims may be filed once the certified results of the election are provided to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly. Detailed information is available in the Travel Guidelines section.

Assembly Email Accounts  

New and returning Members are provided with Assembly email accounts. Client Care will notify Members when the accounts are set up.

Constituency Office Set-Up 

A new Member’s first steps will include setting up a constituency office space and hiring staff.

Lease: Newly elected MLAs receive assistance from the Leasing Support Team to identify and secure appropriate constituency office space. Leasing Support will engage the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms as required to provide guidance and security recommendations to Members prior to acquisition and occupancy of a constituency office.

Staffing: Each Member is responsible for hiring constituency office staff. Salary and benefits are paid from the constituency office allowance, and a formal employment contract or offer letter is required unless a collective agreement is in place. A copy of the employment contract or offer letter must be submitted to Client Care for payroll administration services. In addition to training programs on the MLA School on-demand learning platform, the MLA Safety Program has an onboard curriculum for constituency office staff to cover areas of safety and security awareness.

Detailed information on first steps is available in the Managing Your Constituency Office section of this website. The Client Care Portal is an administrative supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, the Members’ Guide to Policy and Resources. It contains additional guides, forms, announcements, and administrative resources related to constituency office operations.

Situated in the Client Services department, the Assembly’s Leasing Support Team handles all aspects of constituency office leasing, including space acquisition; lease negotiations, amendments, and renewals; and tenant improvements. Members can contact Leasing Support on any leasing matter.

The orientation programs will provide more detailed information to assist new and returning Members navigate these first steps. Contact Client Care for more information on orientation programs.