THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I completely reject the premise that the significant investments this government has made to support Nova Scotians are small. I completely reject the premise that they're insignificant. I think they're very significant in the lives of Nova Scotians. I think if the member was honest about the steps we've taken in so many areas around supporting . . .

THE SPEAKER: Order, please. The Premier cannot express whether a person is honest or not, so I'd ask him to withdraw that.

THE PREMIER: For that particular use - I apologize for that -

SUSAN LEBLANC: I'm rising on a point of order. In Question Period today, we heard the Minister responsible for the Status of Women use the term "theatrical" when describing a member of the NDP caucus when they were asking a question.

I am a theatrical person, but I would say when used in this context, words like "theatrical" or "dramatic" or "hysterical" are synonymous with each other and they are meant to be derogatory. I'm asking you as the Speaker to rule the word "theatrical," when directed at a person in a derogatory way, unparliamentary.

IAIN RANKIN: Mr. Speaker, this is to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Considering that the Houston gas tax will have disproportional impacts on rural Nova Scotians and our seniors trying to stay warm this Winter, what is the government's plan . . . (Interruption)

THE SPEAKER: Order, please. I'll ask the member to retract the name of the gas tax.

IAIN RANKIN: Thank you, I'll retract that statement.

HON. ALLAN MACMASTER: Mr. Speaker, zip, nothing, zero? The member is misleading the House. We have done many things in this province . . .

THE SPEAKER: Order, please. I'm going to ask the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board to retract that statement using the word "misleading." It's unparliamentary.

ALLAN MACMASTER: I will retract that statement. I will rephrase it, Mr. Speaker

[12:03 p.m. Deputy Speaker Angela Simmonds assumed the Chair.]

THE SPEAKER: Yesterday, the member for Halifax Atlantic rose on a point of order, alleging that the member for Glace Bay-Dominion made an unparliamentary remark off the record while the member for Halifax Atlantic had the floor.

I did not hear the remark myself and a during a review of the raw audio recordings of proceedings, an alleged remark could not be made out. Accordingly, there is insufficient evidence to sustain the point of order.

I will now ask the Speaker to resume the Chair.

SUSAN LEBLANC: What is it about this decision that the Premier has decided, well, it's my way or the highway? I've decided this. I have gone down this road. I'm going to keep going down this road come hell or high water. I don't know if I'm allowed to say that - you can't say hell or high water. All right.

I'm going to go down - I'm wondering - I retract that statement, Mx. Speaker. I wonder why the Premier is saying - why the Premier is going down this road no matter what.

BRENDAN MAGUIRE: No, no. Well, the member for Glace Bay-Dominion is over there. He can stand up any time he wants. This is the second time . . .

THE SPEAKER: I'll call order. The member for Halifax Atlantic has the floor.

BRENDAN MAGUIRE: I'd like to stand on a point of order. Sorry.

THE SPEAKER: I'll just caution the member for Halifax Atlantic that you aren't able to call into order the presence or absence of another member - when you mentioned the member for Glace Bay-Dominion.

The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.

GARY BURRILL: The current Speaker's problem is that he is not a trained seal. The current Premier's problem is that trained seals are the only people with whom he knows how to do business. What this unseemly episode reveals is that this government cannot hold regard for, cannot respect, anyone who will not balance the balloon on their nose when they are told to do so. The Premier is . . .

THE SPEAKER: Order, please. I would ask the honourable member for Halifax Chebucto to remain parliamentary in your speech.

The honourable member for Halifax Chebucto.

BRENDAN MAGUIRE: So on my point of order, Madam Speaker, in the last 24 hours, the member for Glace Bay-Dominion has screamed two unparliamentary things at me or screamed over at me as I was speaking. I ask that, as the Speaker - and I see some people over there are laughing, as if it's funny - I ask that the Speaker look into the microphones and the audio to listen to what is said and have it addressed, please.

THE SPEAKER: Your point of order will be taken under advisement.

BARBARA ADAMS: As both Opposition members who spoke about this said, they wanted to talk about respect. This is the same party that assassinated the character of a member on our side of the aisle yesterday when she was speaking, and he used a word to describe her that I will not use.

THE SPEAKER: The honourable member for Sydney-Membertou.

HON. DEREK MOMBOURQUETTE: The word "assassinated." Character assassination? (Interruption) Come on, guys.