Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. First of all to that point of order, I’m going to settle the first point of order. There is no point of order. The Minister was travelling on his duty as a Member to do his job to represent us in Alaska.
On the second point of order, Mrs. Groenewegen.
---Interjection
Okay. To the point of order. To the second point of order. Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll try not to get these points of order confused here, but what we have is a questioning of the integrity of a Minister who has duties outside this House, who was on legitimate government business, representing us at an international event, that he was driving, and while I haven’t personally made that drive, I know it takes a considerable amount of time. I think the questioning of the integrity of the Minister that somehow he was out of this House for false pretenses is not really constructive. It is a point of order and Minister McLeod acted with the full knowledge of this House and the authority from Cabinet and the Premier. So it’s an unfortunate line of questioning that I think has already sort of coloured the early days of this session. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To the point of order, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad to be given an opportunity because I did forget to mention earlier that it is the normal practice of the Cabinet to inform all Members of the absence of a Minister. I have inquired through our process and channels to see if that was that ever given. We were never given notice that this particular Minister would be absent from the House, hence not being prepared to be able to ask and certainly get the answers to the question.
As for the other aspect of travelling on duty, I’m going to say that I have a different perspective on that, especially because when the Premier says, “I wish to inform Members of this House, R.C. McLeod will be absent from the House today to attend personal matters,” not work-related matters, not responsibility or duties of the House, but he said “personal matters.” So, hence my line of questioning about being responsible and able to ask questions in the House. Thank you.
Mr. Hawkins, I already drew judgment on that first point of order and Mr. McLeod did apologize to the House and he is travelling on duty as a Member in his position. To the second point of order, that’s what we were talking about on Mrs. Groenewegen. So I should have cut Mr. Miltenberger off at the time, but now on the second point of order, Mrs. Groenewegen, that’s what we’re speaking on.
For the first point of order, there is no point of order. He did apologize to the House. Mr. Bromley, to the second point of order.
Absolutely, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for that. I think there has been some confusion here and I believe the first point of order was taken care of. That’s my understanding.
I’m speaking to the point that Mrs. Groenewegen has raised. I do believe that all Members of the House have a role in bringing accountability and for every Member to show up to the best of their ability and so on. If that requires asking questions respectfully, there should be an opportunity to do that.
So I just wanted to make sure that there is agreement that accountability is part of our role, as long as we do it respectfully and so on. I would expect that the Ministers would be able to respond to questions on accountability very well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Minister did respond very well. To the second point of order, Mrs. Groenewegen, would you like to speak to it?
Mr. Speaker, I just didn’t know that we could stand up in the House and start asking Members across the floor about where they were and what they were doing. I could understand perhaps if there was a concern that maybe the Premier might be asked a question, but I didn’t know we could stand up and ask questions that are out there that do not relate to the matters or the mandate of the department. I mean, this is a very personal question. This is a personal question about Minister McLeod’s whereabouts when the House was sitting. I may be wrong, Mr. Speaker, and if I am I apologize, but I normally have been of the understanding that we can stand up and ask questions about what these Members oversee in their mandate and in their role as Ministers of departments and we could talk about those things that were within their knowledge under that purview, but to ask personal questions about their whereabouts, I just don’t think this is the forum for it. I could be wrong, and if I am I apologize. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Under which rule in regard to the question came in under, but at the end of the day the line of questioning really quickly, it is a line of questioning that is privy for the Member. So on the second point of order, I will advise you, there’s, no, the ruling number, Mrs. Groenewegen, okay. So thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. There’s no point of order. I just want to remind the Members it’s good to be back…
---Laughter
…and see that everybody is ready to do their work. So where were we? The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
