Green leader turfed from P.E.I. Legislature as sitting comes to dramatic close

The fall sitting of the P.E.I. Legislature came to a dramatic close Wednesday with Green party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker ordered removed from the legislative chamber for refusing to withdraw the word "farce."

In the final minutes of the fall sitting, the Public Interest Disclosure and Whistleblower Protection Act came up for third reading. Bevan-Baker introduced a motion to have it sent back to the legislature for further debate.

"In the last few days I have witnessed some of the most discouraging debates on legislation since I was elected two-and-a-half years ago," he told the house.

"We were given the sacred trust to bring forth strong and meaningful legislation that will enhance government transparency and accountability .... And we turned that debate Mr. Speaker, at times into a farce."

Government House leader Richard Brown rose on a point of order, taking issue with Bevan-Baker's statement, and in particular his use of the word "farce."

Unparliamentary word

Speaker Buck Watts ruled the word unparliamentary, and asked Bevan-Baker to withdraw the word from the public record.

"I used the word intently and I used the word consciously," Bevan-Baker said, accusing government MLAs of voting down opposition amendments to bills before they'd been provided with written copies of the amendments.

"If the purpose of this house is to carefully consider legislation that is going to affect each and every Islander, then surely we have to do that with the information in front of us, and we cannot do that if we are prejudging something … before we even see it. So I will not withdraw my remark. I think at times yesterday the display of the government side was indeed farcical."

Watts provided Bevan-Baker with one more chance to withdraw his remark before ordering the sergeant-at-arms to remove the Green party leader.

The Whistleblower Protection Act was one of three key pieces of legislation, debate over which kept the house sitting for 22 days — the second-longest fall sitting of the P.E.I. legislature since fall sittings began 20 years ago.

Numerous amendments to the act were introduced by both opposition parties, only to be voted down by government MLAs. Opposition attempts to amend another important bill, the Lobbyist Registration Act, were similarly defeated.

Water Act amended

However, both opposition parties were able to exert some influence over the most important piece of legislation passed during the sitting, the province's Water Act.

So I will not withdraw my remark. I think at times yesterday the display of the government side was indeed farcical.— Peter Bevan-Baker

The government introduced its own amendment to the act that mirrored an amendment circulated by the Green party. The amendment removed what opposition parties were calling a "loophole" allowing cabinet to overrule a ban on fracking in the province.

Meanwhile, the PCs were able to pass an amendment which requires government to send new or amended regulations to the act to a provincial standing committee a minimum of 90 days before the regulations are enacted.

All told, government passed 17 of its bills in the fall sitting, while the Opposition saw one of its private member's bills pass, providing more protection under Workers' Compensation for Island workers suffering from PTSD.

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