For Immediate Release
June 2, 2005

Barrett joins in Tory call for respect in Legislature

Queens Park –MPP Toby Barrett looked back on a decade of debate marred by invective, silence and disrespect as he spoke to an opposition day motion calling for a return to respectful debate in the Legislature yesterday.

“It was an eye-opener for me 10 years ago when I experienced first-hand the angry interruptions and invective that have become commonplace,” Barrett said as he presented copies of hansard chronicling the harassment and disruptions.

“So for 10 years now I've been witness to what I consider, in many cases, a Liberal-spawned degradation of this House that's lowered the level of debate to what I describe as screaming monkeys, creating semantic bedlam,” asserted Barrett.

Barrett went on to describe the other tactic that is now being used by the Liberal majority to undermine the legislative debate process – what he referred to as, “the Liberal conspiracy of silence.”
“Just yesterday, my PC colleagues fought for me to have a one-hour speech on Bill 164, and during last night's Bill 164 debate from 6:45 until midnight, not one government member rose to deliver a logical explanation of their own legislation.” Barrett pointed out. “Five hours, and not one Liberal speech, not even from the Minister of Health, who was here briefly before his comments got the best of him.”
During the Smoke-Free Ontario debate Minister Smitherman was ejected from the House for calling another members a liar.
“So my advice, based on 10 years as an MPP, to cabinet ministers is, stop heckling. To private members: Get engaged. Speak up. Engage in respectful debate, and speak up.
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For more information please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 905-765-8413 or 1-800-903-8629