Debates of May 31, 2004 (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of this motion. Mr. Speaker, I do it with a heavy heart because I am well aware of the personal suffering involved here of our colleague, Mr. Zoe, and his family, his friends, his constituents and his leadership. Mr. Speaker, no matter the outcome of this motion, it is my sincere wish that Mr. Zoe would take necessary decisions and take personal actions to grow positively from this and to achieve personal healing.

For me, Mr. Speaker, my decision on this motion is totally based on the interest of the public that I feel I am here to serve and in my desire and sense of duty to meet the obligations of the people who have put me in this place.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t want to make a long statement. This is difficult for all of us. I just wanted to make it clear where I stand on this motion. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you for the interest of the public, because there are questions being asked about what happened. On the basis of what I know from the conversation with the Premier and the briefings he has given to us outside of this House and the answers to the questions that were brought before this House, I do believe there have been actions on the part of Minister Zoe that have brought disrepute and damages to the integrity and the standard of this assembly that the people have the right to expect from us.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister has engaged in public intoxication, improper conduct towards women, and also abuse of his office in his dealings he said many times, “Do you know who I am? I am a Minister of Cabinet.”

Fourth, I do believe he was engaged in discrimination in an identifiable group, of people which we know as racism.

Mr. Speaker, I do understand that the question “Isn’t his apology enough?” being asked a lot. Mr. Speaker, I understand that we are not perfect. We all have our shortcomings and we do do things wrong from time to time. But in this case, this is not a personal matter. This is about our public duty to the public and we are held to a higher standard.

I understand MLAs’ positions cannot be taken away by anybody else other than the people who have selected him and that’s fine. The Premier has exercised his prerogative to remove the portfolios from Mr. Zoe, and he has done that because that’s within his power to do so. The only thing that I can do here to show that I cannot accept the conduct of the Minister is to say that Mr. Zoe has lost my confidence that was based on my vote to select him to Cabinet.

Mr. Speaker, I want to state once again that this is not easy for me or anyone else, but I do believe that it is important in the world that we live in and the level of cynicism there is for politicians and the practice and values we preach in this House, which is zero tolerance against abuse of alcohol or zero tolerance against violence against women. I cannot in my heart say that’s okay and I will give him another chance, because what will another chance mean?

So, Mr. Speaker, it is the complete and total privilege for one of us to be chosen, not only as a Member of this House by the people, but to have a seat on Cabinet is a complete privilege. It could be taken away at any time. It is a trust that people give us. We have a fiduciary duty for that office and when we miss that, it’s not to say that you are a bad person, it’s just that we do not have confidence in you anymore as a Minister and we do not have confidence in you to represent us and be the face of this government. It’s not the end of the world. As someone said, I do wish Mr. Zoe well. I know it’s been very hard. I know he will do the right thing and to move on and get a positive outcome out of this and he will try to find it. I would like to ask for a recorded vote, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Braden, Mr. Allen, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. Roland, Mr. Handley, Mr. Dent, Mr. Bell, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. Delorey, Ms. Lee.

All those against the motion, please stand.

Mr. Zoe, Mr. McLeod, Mr. Villeneuve, Mr. Menicoche.

All those abstaining to the motion, please rise.

Mr. Pokiak.

The motion is carried with 13 in favour, four against and one abstention.

---Carried