Madam Speaker: I have two rulings for the House.
I am ruling on a matter taken under advisement on May 14 during Question Period. The point of order arose from an answer given by the honourable First Minister (Mr. Filmon) to a question asked by the honourable Leader of the official opposition (Mr. Doer).
The point of order raised by the House leader for the official opposition was that the answer did not answer the question and that words spoken by the Premier should be withdrawn. Hansard shows that the First Minister said: " . . . we have a member opposite who clearly broke the law by revealing names of people who were on the list of the--and he does nothing about it. He is proud of it. He thinks that is a good thing, a good example to set for Manitobans."
What the First Minister said was out of order according to Beauchesne Citation 481(f). It amounts to a personal charge, and I am asking him to withdraw the comments.
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, I recognize that, although things may be true, they can also be unparliamentary, and so I accept your admonition and I withdraw the comment.
Madam Speaker: Order, please.
Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): A point of order, Madam Speaker, and the Premier should know this because he has had some practice in the House of withdrawing comments. The practice in this House is that withdrawals are made unequivocally. What the minister did there was not only not withdraw the comments but indirectly put the comments back on the record. That is not acceptable to the House. That Premier should either withdraw those comments, or you should name him for breaching the rules of this House.
Madam Speaker: The honourable government House leader, on the same point of order.
Hon. James McCrae (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, on the contrary, the First Minister (Mr. Filmon) recognized the ruling, recognized that the words uttered were deemed to be unparliamentary and withdrew them.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. I will take the matter of the point of order raised by the honourable member for--
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Leader of the official opposition, on a new point of order.
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Yes, on a new point of order.
Just recently, Madam Speaker--
Madam Speaker: Order, please. Then I will complete my ruling on the previous point of order.
As I was about to say, the point of order raised by the honourable member for Thompson I will take under advisement so that I can very carefully consult the authorities and review Hansard and bring back a ruling to the Chamber.
I have a second ruling.
The deputy opposition leader rose on a point of order on May 21 respecting the fact that the honourable member for Emerson (Mr. Penner) had entered the Chamber while the question was being put on a motion and after the division bells had been turned off. I thank all honourable members who gave advice to me on the matter.
The issue arose in the Committee of Supply, and Speakers both in Manitoba and the Canadian House of Commons have many times ruled that committee matters should be resolved in that forum and not in the House. As Beauchesne Citation 760(3) states: committees are and must remain masters of their own procedure. Therefore I am unable to rule on the matter.
However, I understand that the honourable member for Emerson subsequently in Committee of Supply apologized for his actions and acknowledged that he should not have entered the Chamber for a vote in Committee of Supply once the bells were turned off.
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