Premier Calls for Improved Decorum in House of Assembly

Tony Wakeham is calling for improved decorum in the House of Assembly amid concerns about increasingly personal exchanges during the current legislative session.

In a statement issued Friday, Wakeham said he had written to Opposition Leader John Hogan and Third Party Leader Jim Dinn, while also copying the Speaker of the House of Assembly, to raise concerns about the tone of debate in the legislature.

Wakeham said Newfoundlanders and Labradorians expect elected officials to debate important issues “with passion, but also with respect,” adding that discussions in the House have too often become personal.

He said the concern was not directed at any one political party, noting that members on all sides of the House share responsibility for maintaining respectful debate.

Wakeham said he believes House Leaders from all parties should meet with the Speaker to discuss the issue and agree on a path forward. He added that his office has requested such a meeting and that the government’s House Leader will be made available.

“We can disagree strongly. We can hold each other accountable,” Wakeham said in the statement. “But we must do it in a way that respects the institution, respects the people serving in it, and respects the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.”