Challenges renewed as house back in session

Challenges renewed as house back in session

Newly minted cabinet ministers were tested by the Opposition during question period and the Speaker laid down the law on chair-smacking and other aggressive behaviour as the final legislative session in the run-up to a Manitoba election began.

With one-third of the Progressive Conservative caucus not seeking re-election in 2023, Premier Heather Stefanson had promoted three backbenchers, including a rookie MLA, to cabinet.

On his first day in the chamber (after winning a December byelection), Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein was questioned about what the Tory government is doing to address concerns about the contentious Sio Silica mine proposed near Vivian.

“Residents are concerned the project will impact their water,” NDP environment and climate critic Mark Wasyliw told the house. “What steps is this minister taking to prevent the water supply from being contaminated in eastern Manitoba?”

Klein responded by thanking all the civil servants who work for his department “and take their jobs very seriously.”

The former Winnipeg city councillor, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in October, said the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission is conducting public hearings on the proposed silica sand extraction process.

“(The commission) is doing community engagement and will provide recommendations to our experts, who will make the right decisions,” Klein said.

NDP mental health and community wellness critic Bernadette Smith called on the new minister for mental health and wellness, Janice Morley-Lecomte, to “right the wrongs of her government and commit to opening a safe consumption site in Manitoba.”

Morley-Lecomte didn’t waver from her party’s opposition to supervised consumption sites, although harm-reduction experts and advocates say they save lives.

“Nothing can undo the tragedy, devastation and pain of losing anyone to addiction, and my heart goes out to everyone who has lost an individual,” said Morley-Lecomte, whose background is in social work. “We have put supports in place for individuals in pursuit of recovery.”

NDP critic Amanda Lathlin put Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Obby Khan on the hot seat over his department’s program underspending.

Lathlin said only $240,000 in spending has been approved out of a budget of $34 million. “That’s a failure — why has this government failed to provide the support they promised to Manitoba’s arts and culture organizations?”

The opposition tried shouting down Khan’s answers.

Khan said he’s proud of what his government is doing.

“I have never had so many fans cheer for me, even when I was a former Winnipeg Blue Bomber,” he quipped.

On a matter of behaviour in the house, Speaker Myrna Driedger issued a ruling clarifying that smacking a member’s chair is not acceptable.

The ruling follows a complaint by Smith (Point Douglas), who said PC MLA Blaine Pedersen smacking the back of her chair in an attempt to silence her during question period in November violated her personal space and privilege as a member.

While deputy speaker Andrew Micklefield ruled Dec. 1 it wasn’t a violation of her privilege, he advised members to “bear in mind how your actions in this place might be received by others, and govern yourself accordingly.”

Driedger said she had received several questions about the ruling after the session ended, and wanted to clarify as a new session opened that such actions are not acceptable.

“Such an action or any other form of physical aggression is unacceptable between members of the legislature and has no place in this chamber or in committee rooms,” she told the house.

“Let me be clear that any similar occurrence in the future would also be considered unacceptable and could be ruled as a breach of order.”

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