Heated debate, name-calling in N.L. politics puts bad behaviour in spotlight

Two politicians were ejected after a heated exchange at Newfoundland and Labrador’s legislature amid a growing online controversy. Garrett Brady has the latest.

ST. JOHN’S – Despite an all-party agreement for better behaviour inside the Newfoundland and Labrador legislature, politicians gave themselves mixed scores on decorum during Tuesday’s question period.

NDP MHA Sheilagh O’Leary — who said a yelling match Thursday between two other politicians was “shocking and almost surreal” — said behaviour was “absolutely” better, crediting more interventions by House of Assembly speaker Paul Lane.

“Not unlike a schoolteacher who says a repeated message over and over again,” she said. Liberal Opposition leader John Hogan pointed out some remarks still had to be withdrawn for breaking parliamentary rules, even as bad political behaviour made headlines in Newfoundland and Labrador this week.

Two House of Assembly members — Progressive Conservative MHA Lloyd Parrott and Liberal MHA Elvis Loveless — were punished Monday after a shouting match between the two escaped normal political boundaries. The pair left their seats during debate in the House of Assembly and continued arguing behind the Speaker’s chair Thursday.

The conflagration began when Liberal MHA Sarah Stoodley said Premier Tony Wakeham was speaking with an “angry old man face,” a remark she almost immediately apologized for.

“I absolutely should not have said it,” she said Tuesday. “It was completely unacceptable and I withdrew those comments and I’m very remorseful.”

The fracas also sparked letters from Wakeham to the leaders of the opposition parties to “raise concerns about the declining level of decorum in the house.”

In a separate incident, Progressive Conservative MHA Keith Russell shared a Facebook post saying Liberal MHAs deserved a beating for supporting a new proposed hydro deal between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

When questioned Thursday during House of Assembly proceedings, Russell said he deleted his post shortly after sharing it, realizing he had made a mistake – but he also took issue with objections raised by the opposition.

“It meant nothing, it was not inciteful, it was not my worlds,” he said. “But what is on trial here? My sense of humour? What’s next? Religion? No freedom of thought? No freedom of speech? My sense of humour cannot be judged.”

Debate remain heated Tuesday – Liberal MHA and long-time broadcaster Fred Hutton told reporters that Progressive Conservatives had launched a “dirty smear campaign” against him during his time in government.

In a statement on Friday, Wakeham said all sides share some responsibility for the “declining level of decorum.”

“The people of this province sent us here to work on their behalf to improve health care, lower taxes, strengthen communities, grow the economy, and debate the major issues before our province,” he wrote. “They did not send us here to tear one another down personally.”

O’Leary said the bad behaviour may be at least partially fuelled by long hours politicians have been working, as they debate the Progressive Conservative Party’s first budget in the House of Assembly.

The rookie MHA said all politicians, not just incoming members, should be required to take mandatory anti-harassment and other workplace training.

“Every single one of the members of the House of Assembly are passionate individuals. We wouldn’t be in the business if we weren’t,” she said. “But that doesn’t discount the bad behavior that we’ve seen.”