INTERJECTION — Hansard recorded it as “interjection” but that doesn’t really do it justice. Energy Minister Bill Bennett and NDP MLA Norm Macdonald started an off-mike dialogue Thursday morning that quickly landed both of them in hot water. It degenerated into a blunt mutual exchange of hostilities in which both of them used a two-word phrase, the second word of which is “you.”
Deputy Speaker Raj Chouhan said Bennett used very vulgar and embarrassing language and cited Macdonald as well.
“Both of them will apologize to this house.”
Macdonald did so, but complained it wasn’t the first time Bennett has done it.
“He has called me a loser, and now he stands up with an expletive. But I apologize for my behaviour.”
Bennett had stormed out by that point, but later returned to complain about Macdonald’s remarks about the Mount Polley mine owners escaping penalties for the dam collapse because they organized a $1-million fundraiser for the B.C. Liberals.
“For anyone to suggest that this side of the house can be bought … It’s not much wonder we get upset.”
Speaker Linda Reid wrapped it up with: “The conduct in this house is absolutely appalling. That will never occur in this chamber again.”
TAG ARTIST REMEMBERED — Justice Minister Suzanne Anton introduced a friend — Wendy Porteous, from North Cowichan — to the legislature with a story about her grandmother. Evelyn de Beque Farris was the wife of former attorney general J. Wallace de Beque Farris in the early 1900s. She brought a group of women to the front lawn to protest the lack of support for the creation of the University of British Columbia. It prompted Premier Duff Pattulo to beg his attorney general: “Would you tell your wife to go home?”
She also left a lasting mark at the legislature. She was waiting for her husband in his office one day and used her diamond ring to carve his initials in the window. The letters JWdeBF are still there.
BENEATH ME — Miscellaneous statute amendments get introduced routinely and they are usually the most mundane wording and grammar changes imaginable. NDP MLA Norm Macdonald got off one of the better lines in reaction to the tiresome chore of debating them. “This is not the type of legislation that I gave up a teaching career to come and participate in.”
CRYSTAL CLEAR — In the same bill, NDP House Leader Mike Farnworth actually found something interesting. It’s a change to how registering “a crystallized floating charge” in the land titles office is handled.
“Does this have anything to do with crystals?” he asked. “I know the minister (Bill Bennett) once said this province was literally a giant emerald mine waiting to happen. Maybe this applies to that.” Ten years ago, Bennett hyped the potential for emerald production in B.C. and Farnworth said he’s been waiting since then for an emerald mine to open up.
They never got back to crystallized floating charges.
ANIMAL HOUSE — The Liberals sounded more like a fraternity than a government in announcing changes to the province’s liquor laws Friday.
Under the new rules, hotel guests will be able to order booze from room service 24 hours a day, provided food is also available.
Prior to the change, guests could order up a drink during the hotel bar’s regular hours of operation. That’s all well and fine, but it was the headline on the government press release that raised eyebrows.
“Any time is a good time for a cocktail in your hotel room,” it said.
