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B.C. MLAs decide to buy themselves new iPads

B.C. MLAs voted to buy themselves new iPads Monday, in a move designed to hurtle politicians into the digital age of electronic legislation and house documents.
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The B.C. legislature at night is one of the iconic images of Victoria.

B.C. MLAs voted to buy themselves new iPads Monday, in a move designed to hurtle politicians into the digital age of electronic legislation and house documents.

Members of the legislature’s all-party management committee voted unanimously to purchase as many as 28 iPad tablet computers for MLAs who don’t already have one as part of their work in Opposition, cabinet or on parliamentary committees.

At an estimated $849 per device, the project could cost taxpayers almost $24,000.

Many politicians already have iPads, paid for by party caucuses or ministries.

Deputy ministers and other senior civil servants also received iPads starting in 2011 as part of a pilot project to reduce paper costs.

The goal is to give tablets to the remaining MLAs, which will let them all use the same platform to securely receive digital documents such as legislative orders of the day, bills and committee reports, said Kate Ryan-Lloyd, the legislature’s clerk of committees.

NDP house leader John Horgan questioned whether existing technology was good enough to provide the same service at no additional cost.

Ryan-Lloyd said the goal is to use one kind of tablet for 85 MLAs to provide consistent and fair access to information.

After debate, both NDP and Liberal members supported the new purchase.

The devices are expected to use wireless Internet only and not ring up monthly data charges. MLAs will have to pay for their own apps, Ryan-Lloyd said.

Also on Monday, the management committee voted to reduce a planned 2.5 per cent increase to the legislature’s $69-million annual budget to two per cent.

The vote came after Finance Minister Mike de Jong urged additional savings last month.

rshaw@timescolonist.com