LISA LACHANCE: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege. Earlier today, the Chair of the Law Amendments Committee violated my privilege as an MLA by not recognizing me to speak, by silencing me, and by stifling my freedom of speech as a member in this Legislature. The Chair refused to acknowledge my hand up. I appealed to the Chair, was ignored, and despite my concerns, continued to be ignored. Other members were likewise treated.

HON. KEITH IRVING: Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of privilege, which I believe is on behalf of all 55 members of this House.

SUSAN LEBLANC: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege - personal privilege. Earlier today, during Statements by Members, I rose to speak about Transgender Day of Visibility and a local film production that celebrates and honours the lives of trans people. During my statement, the Premier talked very loudly throughout at a level that was very distracting. I felt that I was not able to do my job, and I was obstructed from doing my job. I found it quite disrespectful.

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.

[Page 1447]

REM.: HALIFAX ATLANTIC MLA - APOLOGIZE

HON. KELLY REGAN: Yesterday, we were treated to the unusual sight of the Premier coming into this House to speak in Committee of the Whole House on Bills. He decided at the end of his remarks to take aim at one of my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, one of my colleagues who really has overcome a lot of obstacles to be here in this House, a colleague who was dropped off at the shopping mall by his parents never to be picked up - grew up in care, lived on the streets.

SPEAKER'S RULING:

C.B. Richmond MLA made Unparliamentary comment by C.B. Richmond MLA (Point of Privilege by Mr. A. MacMaster [Hansard p761, 10/28/16]) Not a breach of privilege

A challenge to repeat a defamatory comment outside the Chamber is not a breach of the privileges of a member who has made the defamatory comment in this House under the protection of parliamentary privilege.

HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: I stand tonight on a point of privilege, Mr. Speaker. I regret to say that this government willingly impeded my ability to do my parliamentary duty. In this government's race to deny democracy and railroad Bill No. 75 back into this House, they denied my right to hear at least 75 per cent of those who sought to appear before the Standing Committee on Law Amendments.

MR. TIM HOUSTON: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege.

Last night during late debate, towards the end, the member for Halifax Atlantic made some derogatory statements about me. It is part of an escalating theme wherein the last session he made some gestures to me, some obscene gestures. Last night he made clearly some derogatory statements to me. He questioned my integrity and he questioned my honour. He questioned my motives as a member of this House.

HON. STERLING BELLIVEAU: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege.

I came to this House yesterday hoping that the government was ready to take action to lay out a plan outlining how the electoral boundaries issue would be resolved before the next election. Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed. I take this to mean that the Premier is officially refusing to address this issue before the next general election.

TIM HOUSTON: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. It's been entertaining to listen to the minister's discussion tonight about facts and integrity and truth, but I do want to go back to something that I asked the minister earlier this evening, to table some documents which we haven't seen. We've heard some references to it.