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Point of Order

October 29, 2008: Inflammatory Language

Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The second point of order I was calling was against the Minister of Transportation who in an exchange with – I’m sorry; I didn’t catch who the exchange was with…

The Speaker: The hon. Member for Cypress-Medicine Hat.

Ms Blakeman: Thank you. My apologies for not catching that at the time.

…Cypress-Medicine Hat made a statement something to the effect – I’m sorry; I don’t have the Blues – that he was pleased to respond to a member who actually cares about his constituency. The inference in that, of course, Mr. Speaker, is that other duly elected members don’t care about their constituencies. I would argue on behalf of all members of this House that we all do care about our constituencies. Every single one of us, all 83 of us, cares about our constituency. I would argue that we would all take some offence at the inference from the Minister of Transportation that we don’t.

Now, perhaps the Official Opposition critic for Transportation could take particular offence against that, seeing as they’re the person that is referred to by the Minister of Transportation as usually asking that kind of question. Truly, I think this is an offence against all members of the House in that I think every member would stand up and say that they cared a great deal about their constituency or they wouldn’t be serving in this Assembly to begin with.

Under 23(h), (i), and particularly (j), given the robust delivery that this particular minister is known for, we would ask for the minister to withdraw his comments that he has made. I understand that he didn’t make it in particular reference to any one individual, except that he referenced the Member for Cypress Medicine Hat, but I feel that the insult is carried by all of us. That’s just not an appropriate way to be behaving in this House.

Truly, if we wonder as politicians why people have such a low opinion of ourselves, they only have to listen to the language that we use and the tone that we use in talking to each other in this House. We do a far better job of degrading and trivializing ourselves than anyone in the public could possibly do, and I think that the Minister of Transportation’s presentation is a perfect example of that. Thank you.