N.B. Speaker to rule later on threat complaints
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 | 12:00 AM AT
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Speaker Roy Boudreau of the New Brunswick legislature says he will rule later on complaints against a Progressive Conservative MLA accused of threatening behaviour.
Members of the Liberal government introduced two motions on Tuesday: one alleges Tory MLA Cy LeBlanc threatened deputy speaker Bill Fraser for adjourning too quickly on Thursday, and the other accuses several other Opposition members of trying to intimidate Fraser and Boudreau in their office.
"You don't swear, scream, curse and advance on the Speaker. You don't," said Liberal MLA Kelly Lamrock. "If the Conservative party can't find enough honour to say, 'You're right, we shouldn't do that,' then this is the only option left."
Last week, Tourism Minister Stuart Jamieson said LeBlanc moved from his seat and was "held back by some members of the Opposition" when he acted aggressively against the deputy speaker.
LeBlanc denied the allegation and said he simply lost his temper when Fraser did not allow opposition leader David Alward to speak in the legislature. He said he did not threaten Fraser or do anything physical.
Lamrock wants the privileges committee — which has a Liberal majority — to hold hearings with evidence and witnesses on the incidents. He said LeBlanc threatened Fraser because the deputy speaker made a ruling the Tories did not like.
"The Conservative position, Mr. Speaker, is an affront on the privileges of this house," said Lamrock. "The position of the leader of the Opposition is that they're bigger than the rules. The rules don't apply to them because we hurt their feelings."
The Progressive Conservatives said the government is trying to distract the public from the controversy over the planned sale of NB Power.
Tory MLA Margaret-Ann Blaney said the affair makes everyone in the legislature look bad.
"I'm ashamed of us. I'm ashamed of how we have behaved in the last few days, and I think we need to move on," she said.
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