WITH TANKER MALLEY AS SPEAKER??? YOU DON'T NEED RITALIN!!!!

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NB Telegraph-Journal | Politics
As published on page A1 on May 6, 2006

Malley overrules himself
Speaker changes opinion after MLAs tell him he is wrong

By Carl Davies
Telegraph-Journal

FREDERICTON - If Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Michael (Tanker) Malley has his way, MLAs would only have eyes for him during exchanges during question period.

During an exchange Friday in the house, Environment Minister Trevor Holder and his department's critic Liberal Stuart Jamieson gestured at each other while Mr. Jamieson was questioning Mr. Holder about harbour clean up in Saint John.

Mr. Malley warned them on three separate occasions to direct their remarks toward the speaker's chair.

However, as Liberal House Leader Kelly Lamrock would pointed out, Mr. Malley took his role as disciplinarian in the house a bit too far.

Mr. Lamrock rose on a point of order and stated that the rules say nothing about the direction a person looks in while speaking, only that they address their comments through the chair and refer to another member in the third person.

On his first reply, Mr. Malley did not specify whether he agreed or disagreed with Mr. Lamrock.

Then Tory House Leader Bev Harrison rose and said, "on the point of order, basically the honourable member opposite is correct in his observations.

"We on this side would concur with the point of order."

Mr. Malley then rose again and said "I didn't say I was against (Mr. Lamrock's point of order," adding that he did "concur" with the point being made.