HON. ZACH CHURCHILL: The Premier, in Question Period, referenced an RCMP investigation into the Liberal Party. I have to state for the House there is no such investigation. The Premier did not table any substantiating . . .

THE SPEAKER: Order. That is not a point of order. A point of order is based on breach of rules of the House. (Interruption) I am correct. It's not a point of order, but perhaps there is something else you would rather say.

The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.

ZACH CHURCHILL: I'll rise on a point of privilege.

HON. KIM MASLAND: Unfortunately, today I must rise on a point of privilege. Pursuant to Rule 29(2), I provided you sufficient notice of my intention to raise this issue today. I do so at the earliest convenience.

THE SPEAKER: Order. Before I begin the daily routine, I am going to remove myself from the Chair and ask that the Deputy Speaker, the member for Shelburne, come forward and make a decision on a ruling of last week. I will remove myself from the Chair and allow the Deputy Speaker to come forward.

[Page 5782]

ELIZABETH SMITH-MCCROSSIN: Mr. Speaker, I would like to stand on a point of privilege and ask that you would consider this. It is regarding an incident that some time has passed.

THE SPEAKER: Order, please. I'm going to ask the member if she would mind bringing her point of privilege forward after Statements by Members and Question Period.

...

SPEAKER'S RULINGS

As I mentioned, there were two separate questions of privilege before me. First, the member for Bedford Basin alleged intimidation by the Minister of Economic Development, and second, the member for Cumberland North alleged intimidation by the Premier.

BRENDAN MAGUIRE: Also, if I could get some clarification from the Chair, that just ate up three and a half minutes waiting for the ruling from the Clerk, it ate up three and a half minutes of my time so I would like to have that time added back on, please.

THE SPEAKER: In light of the amount of time that it did take, the member for Halifax Atlantic will have an additional two minutes put on.

THE SPEAKER « » : Thank you. Please be seated.

HON. ZACH CHURCHILL: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege . . . (Interruption)

THE SPEAKER: Order, please. I believe, in fairness, that I might be called as a witness in this point of privilege, so I'm going to ask the Deputy Speaker to take the Chair and I'll excuse myself from the Chair.

[9:09 a.m. Deputy Speaker Angela Simmonds assumed the Chair.]

THE SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.

ALLAN MACMASTER: Mr. Speaker, the drama that's dripping from that voice. No credit for all of the things that we've been offering to Nova Scotians.

THE SPEAKER: The honourable member for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island.

LISA LACHANCE: I rise on a point of personal privilege. I don't think it's at all appropriate to characterize the nature or voice or emotion of a member.

THE SPEAKER: I would ask that the member bring it forward after Question Period. You can't stand on a point of order during Question Period.

SUSAN LEBLANC: Earlier in Question Period, the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board commented on the "drama dripping from the voice" of the member for Cape Breton Centre-Whitney Pier. This comment was wholly inappropriate and offensive.

When a person - a woman member - uses her voice to bring a question forward on behalf of her constituents, she should have the right to be heard without having her voice characterized in any way. "Dramatic," "hysterical": There are many other words like this, and they have a long history of excluding women from conversations.