Hostile house: heated spring session of legislature ends on hot note

Hostile house: heated spring session of legislature ends on hot note

Manitoba lawmakers growled, grappled and jeered their way through a tense spring sitting of the legislature, with accusations of shoving and bribery traded ahead of an expected contentious general election campaign.

On top of near-daily admonitions to demonstrate better behaviour, Speaker Myrna Driedger was forced to rule on five incidents over the past three months in which elected officials claimed another chamber member violated their rights.

The highest-profile incident centred around Sport Minister Obby Khan and Opposition Leader Wab Kinew, who shared a tense handshake at a New Democratic Party-sponsored event in April.

Khan alleged he received an earful of profanity and a shove to the stomach from Kinew, who was accused of refusing to release his grip on the Fort Whyte MLA’s hand in front of a crowd at a Turban Day cultural celebration.

Kinew acknowledged the tense exchange, but said it was strictly verbal and disputed accusations of profane language and name-calling. He apologized to the former CFL offensive lineman for what he described as partisan bickering.

Driedger released surveillance video of the alleged struggle, which she ruled did not violate Khan’s privilege as an MLA, as the incident did not occur during proceedings in the chamber or at a legislative committee.

Chronic bad behaviour over the past four months also drew the ire of at least one legislator, who condemned the seat of government as a toxic workplace akin to a schoolyard full of bullies.

In a tearful address to the chamber Wednesday, Tory backbencher Bob Lagassé encouraged voters to consider the behaviour of MLAs and candidates who will be knocking on doors this summer.

“We cannot pick and choose who we represent in Manitoba, but we choose to do our best and our best should be not tearing each other down,” Lagassé told his colleagues.

The Dawson Trail MLA has repeatedly called on lawmakers to consider how their behaviour harms the mental health of colleagues.

“As we hit the doors before this election, I would encourage voters to take a look at our behaviour and your candidates’ and ask if they’re knocking one another down or if they’re here to hear you and do what’s best for all Manitobans.”

“As we hit the doors before this election, I would encourage voters to take a look at our behaviour and your candidates’ and ask if they’re knocking one another down or if they’re here to hear you and do what’s best for all Manitobans.”–Bob Lagassé

The hostility and nastiness between the New Democrats and Progressive Conservatives over the spring session seemed more intense than past pre-election sittings, University of Manitoba political studies professor emeritus Paul Thomas said.

Under former premier Brian Pallister, the Tories moved further to the right in both policy and rhetoric than any time in the past, Thomas said, and backlash from the Opposition ramped up accordingly.

“The passage of time means that there has been an accumulation of battles between the parties. Some of those fights have become personal,” Thomas said. “Decades ago, MLAs could debate ferociously and then go for drinks, there were friendships across party lines.”

More recently, the Opposition strategy has been to conduct “siege” campaigns targeted at ministers in charge of contentious files, with Health Minister Audrey Gordon coming under fire most frequently, he said.

Following a mass resignation from the Health Sciences Centre’s forensic nurse examiner program, Gordon allegedly accused NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara of bribing nurses to quit so the party could score political points.

Asagwara raised the issue as a matter of privilege. The complaint was dismissed as the alleged comment did not appear in Hansard, the official record of remarks made in the chamber.

Gordon, however, would not deny making the alleged claim when pressed by reporters to set the record straight.

On top of matters of privilege, lawmakers were routinely reminded to uphold decorum and refrain from personal insults or attacks.

Driedger was forced to ask members to refrain from growling at each other, a practice that has occurred in the chamber for decades. At other times, lawmakers took it upon themselves to remind colleagues of expectations in a respectful workplace.

During committee hearings in April, NDP critic Mark Wasyliw took a subtle dig at Economic Development Minister Jeff Wharton, whose hearing is declining.

“I think the minister might have some trouble hearing me,” the MLA for Fort Garry said, after Wharton provided a canned answer to a question on the government’s mining strategy.

“You know, I’m feeling a little insulted by the member saying I didn’t hear him because I did turn 60 this year and I know that I have an appointment with my audiologist very soon because my hearing is poor,” Wharton explained, adding he is getting hearing aids.

“I understand the question and I feel I’ve answered it to the best of my knowledge.”

Wasyliw was also on the receiving end of attacks for carrying on his criminal defence practice, and his law firm’s website for advertising with slogans such as “Drinking and driving is not against the law.”

He apologized for the offence caused and said the ads were designed by a marketing firm. Wasyliw said he regretted not paying closer attention to the messaging and plans to wind down his practice ahead of the 2023 election.

On Thursday, Driedger, who is retiring from the assembly after 25 years, was forced to call MLAs to order one more time amid intense heckling on the last day of the session.

“Yelling across the house isn’t going to make anything different, it’s not going to make any changes happen, it’s definitely not civility that is being respected in this house,” the Roblin MLA implored.

“For these last few minutes of question period, can we at least in this province show that democracy can work in this chamber?”

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Credit: Hostile house: heated spring session of legislature ends on hot note