REGINA — In the end, the breakdown of decorum was the issue of the day at the legislature Wednesday.
On the next-to-last day of the session, it seemed like the frustrations and emotions of the session reached the breaking point, with Speaker Randy Weekes suspending and tossing out two MLAs over unparliamentary language.
The first to get the boot was independent MLA Nadine Wilson, for comments while Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre was speaking immediately after Question Period.
The next to go was New Democrat MLA Doyle Vermette, also for unparliamentary language used during his emotional remarks on the suicide and mental health issue near the end of Question Period. He was asked to leave by the Speaker after members voted on Bill 70, the legislation calling for changes to the security structure at the Legislature, which passed easily with Sask. Party support.
Both Wilson and Vermette could have chosen to apologize and withdraw their remarks as two other MLAs, Trent Wotherspoon and Jeremy Harrison, did over comments they made that same day. In Harrison’s case, he apologized over remarks he had directed at Wilson, remarks which may have spurned on the reaction from Wilson that afternoon.
But Wilson and Vermette both stood firm in refusing to apologize.
“It’s the principle of the thing,” said Wilson to reporters.
“As I say, so many people are looking to me for guidance and hope that the government will do the correct good governance. That’s all people want is good governance. They want the government to remember that they were put there by the people, for the people, and they want respect and dignity.”
When asked if what transpired was a reaction to the formation of the new Saskatchewan United Party that Wilson has been linked to, she acknowledged that the government “look a little agitated at times perhaps. Of course, it’s been a long session and we’re all human beings, And maybe they have things at home going on that we don’t even know about.”
Wilson admitted to being surprised about how things transpired.
“Every day brings something different. I didn’t expect today would be so volatile or that I would feel so passionate about… non-governance, perhaps, is that the word? Because I would like to see good governance. And my constituents, people from across the province, are telling me: you know, they forgot about us, they forgot why we’re here, they forgot about who put them here, and they’re not listening to us.”
Wilson's ejection from the Assembly came on a day when two of her supporters from the newly-formed Saskatchewan United Party, Nadine Ness and Ken Rutherford, were attending in the gallery. Their presence was acknowledged by members from the floor of the Assembly.
For Vermette, he admitted to being “passionate, angry, frustrated,” citing his work representing families who had lost members to suicide.
“I couldn’t withdraw my comments because it was what I feel in my heart, honestly, on behalf of families," Vermette told reporters. "The families have not been treated fair by this government. This government should be very ashamed of themselves right now, the way they have dealt with this crisis in mental health addictions and suicide. They just should be so ashamed of themselves. I don’t know what else to say to them, I’m so frustrated.”
Emotions boil during questions on mental health
Question Period had begun with the New Democrats hoping to focus attention on the mental health issue.
In particular, they tried to focus on the government’s refusal to consent to Vermette’s attempted motion the previous day to form a bipartisan special committee of the legislature to address the mental health issue.
Opposition Leader Ryan Meili led off by accusing Premier Scott Moe of having “embarrassed himself with his cool and unfeeling response in front of families that suffered so much.” He characterized the MLAs of not recognizing them and having “turned their chairs” on the families of victims the previous day.
“Does the premier think that the lives lost to mental health, and addictions and suicide are just as worthy of investigation as those lost to traffic accidents?”
The latter was a reference to a previous Traffic Safety Committee held on that issue.
“I remember yesterday somewhat differently,” Moe said, noting the minister of Mental Health and Addictions had offered to meet with the families, and the minister of Health as well.
Moe said the Leader of the Opposition may not like the answers given yesterday, but “those were the answers.” He again pointed to the strategic planning and oversight committee of Pillars of Life as the appropriate committee of professionals.
“I can tell you the families certainly didn’t feel heard after the Minister left the building after his scrum, instead of meeting with them,” Meili said.
Meili then took aim at the Pillars for Life committee and said it couldn’t be found on the Internet - nowhere on the Pillars of Life website, and no phone numbers.
He accused the premier of using the committee to “distract from his embarrassing answers yesterday.” Meili characterized it as being either “entirely invented” or “so invisible to be nonexistent.” Meili later would characterize it as a committee “no one can find.”
Moe responded there is a ministry website and the minister’s office; he added they had offered to put families and Opposition members in touch with the committee if they wished.
“That committee is about as accessible as psychiatric care in the province right now,” Meili shot back.
Meili brought up the death of Samwel Uko, whose coroner’s inquest is set for the end of May in Regina in connection to his death in Wascana Lake on May 21 2020, just hours after seeking help twice at Regina General Hospital.
He also shared the story of Dale Rathgeber and his sister Janice Rathgeber, who were in the gallery. Meili pointed out that when Janice went to the ER, she was left waiting for hours as she banged her head against the wall and screamed in agony.
Meili pointed to these incidents as he repeated his call for a special committee.
“The premier was wrong yesterday … but he has a chance to be right today,” said Meili, who asked if the premier would agree to strike a special committee that day.
Instead, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Everett Hindley responded there is more work to do and they’re trying to address waitlists as quickly as they can. He also pointed to 120 licensed psychiatrists which was more than they have had previously; there was also more mental health staff than in previous years.
Hindley also offered to meet with the Rathgebers afterwards.
Rising gas prices raised again
As was the case the previous day, tempers really began to ratchet up a notch when Opposition Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon resumed his attack on the “crushing cost of living.” He asked the minister of Finance how much was her last fill for gas.
Minister of Finance Donna Harpauer responded “64 dollars.”
That exchange prompted a rebuke by Speaker Randy Weekes, who asked Wotherspoon to apologize for the question. Wotherspoon apologized and withdrew.
Soon after, Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison stood to respond to a question from Wotherspoon and tout the “record budget this year for Tourism Saskatchewan.” In the process, he took a swipe at Wilson who was heckling at him from her seat.
“Mr. Speaker, beaking from the Member for Saskatchewan Rivers who I should note was not here for one single vote ...”
That prompted another rebuke from the Speaker over personal comments. “We’ve dealt with this,” Weekes said. Ultimately, Harrison was asked and he agreed to withdraw and apologize.
Harrison then went on to lambaste the NDP.
“The hypocrisy from the NDP is something to behold,” said Harrison. “This is the party opposite, Mr. Speaker that not only supports Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax, they support it continuing to go higher, Mr. Speaker.”
Harrison noted it was driving fuel prices through the roof and “this is what they wanted” as a policy objective — to drive fuel up to the point where people no longer drive.
“What a load of nonsense from that minister,” responded Wotherspoon, accusing Harrison of “hyper-partisan spin.”
“People are being failed by this laissez-faire, couldn’t care less leadership.”
In response Harrison accused the NDP of having “zero credibility,” all the while being heckled from the Opposition benches.
Emotional outburst by Vermette
As Question Period wound down, Doyle Vermette seemed to reach his own personal breaking point as he condemned the government for their refusal to agree to a special bipartisan committee.
“To be honest I am angry at this government for its display yesterday … . We hear the words, but your actions speak volumes. Have you no shame?” said Vermette.
Minister Hindley responded with condolences to everyone in the province who had lost a loved one to suicide. That did not placate Vermette, who launched an emotional outburst directed at the government.
“I can tell you the families that came here yesterday have been treated miserably by you as a government. We’ve asked the government to work with families who are suffering … here’s an opportunity for the government to work together with families, who asked you to please work with them … .”
Vermette then listed off the names of families impacted, and was close to tears when he angrily asked the premier “why don’t you just tell them yesterday you didn’t care about them, and to the minister, why don’t you tell them the truth and say you don’t give a s—t about anyone?”
That outburst drew what seemed like stunned reactions from the government side, with members looking around at each other. Speaker Weekes finally acknowledged “this is an emotional topic … yes, I heard the words.”
Finally, Minister Hindley responded this was a very serious issue and “yes, we do take it seriously.” He pledged to continue to do work on the issue, saying it was a “priority for this government and people across Saskatchewan,” to loud heckles again from the other side.
Wilson thrown out
With Question Period over, things seemed to momentarily calm down as Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre spoke on Saskatchewan’s methane action plan during ministerial statements.
But it didn’t last long. Eyre was heckled intensely by Wilson, who was heard accusing Eyre of “lying” as Eyre remarked that the province’s oil and gas sector “deserves to be recognized as one of the most environmentally responsible in the world.”
Speaker Weekes then noted “I have heard that, that’s unparliamentary language.” He asked the member three times to withdraw and apologize.
“Ms Wilson, I hereby name you for disregarding the authority of the chair.” Wilson was removed for the remainder of the day and escorted out by the sergeant-at-arms.
Weekes then spoke about Vermette’s remark again and chalked it up to “the emotion of the day,” and reiterated that would be his ruling.
Vermette thrown out
However, the Speaker’s ruling did not stand. After the standing vote on Bill 70, which was carried on third reading by the assembly on a party-line vote, Speaker Weekes asked Vermette to withdraw his remarks for unparliamentary language in accusing the minister of being untruthful.
“For all of the families that have suffered so much … I cannot apologize,” Vermette responded.
After being asked two more times, Vermette was also named by the Speaker for disregarding the authority of the chair and was removed for the rest of the day.
Aftermath
When reporters asked Premier Moe afterwards about Wilson’s ejection, he characterized the MLA as someone who “periodically shows up in the house and when she does, she gets kicked out.”
“I don’t think she’s been present for one vote in the house. It’s the most fundamental job that you do on behalf of your constituents in this house is to stand up and vote on their behalf. I don’t believe she’s partaken in one of those votes.”
Moe again reiterated it was time for her to run in a byelection, “if she feels she has the support sitting in here as an independent member in the house.”
The premier did admit that all sides needed to work at keeping the heckling to a minimum.
“We’re seeing a lot of heckling from all sides of the house including from the independent member.” Moe said it would “do everyone good to hit pause for a moment.”
Opposition Leader Meili also expressed a desire to see the decorum improve. But he and Vermette also noted the situation was tough for the opposition with only 12 members.
“They remind me you’re a small opposition,” said Vermette. “‘We are a big majority, we’re a big government.’ Use your majority, use your big government to fix some of the crisis going on in our province.”
“It’s rough in there, and it’s rougher than I’ve ever seen it,” said Meili, who accused the government of “gross bullying behavior especially towards women in our caucus. It’s really ugly in there.”
He said the folks who set the tone are “the folks who outnumber us by a great amount.”
“And yes, we fight, we have to punch harder, yell louder, do anything to be heard or seen at all with that sort of imbalance, and I won’t apologize for that. Just like Mr. Vermette, I can’t apologize for trying to get the voices that are coming to us, the desperation that people are bringing to us, into the house. And if the government wants to, is willing or interested in a more collaborative approach in a better decorum in there, we’re all for it. But I’ve never seen a single attempt.”
