NDP wants throne speech leak probed by all-party committee

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This article was published 23/11/2021 (1128 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The NDP is calling for an all-party committee to investigate the leak of the entire throne speech to a media outlet Monday, to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“The authorities are clear on this question,” NDP house leader Nahanni Fontaine said, raising the matter of privilege before question period Wednesday. “The text of motions, bills and other matters for this house must be presented to the house itself first,” the NDP justice critic said.

CBC news reported receiving the document Monday evening without identifying the source. The throne speech was presented in the house Tuesday afternoon by Lt-Gov. Janice Filmon.

“This is a matter for the house to resolve, madame Speaker, and not for the government to sweep under the rug,” Fontaine said.

A committee to investigate the breach would make recommendations on how to prevent it from happening again, she said.

“That is why it’s important for a committee of the house to examine how the breach of the house’s privileges took place.”

 

The throne speech, she said, is a confidence motion and one of the most important motions considered by the house.

On Tuesday, Premier Heather Stefanson said the matter was “unacceptable” and under investigation. “We will get to the bottom of this and there will be consequences and actions taken,” she told reporters.

Government house leader Kelvin Goertzen told the house the leaking of the throne speech is a serious matter and a breach of convention but, technically, it’s not a breach of privilege because the speech is not formally tabled in the house.

Liberal house leader Jon Gerrard said the PC government has pledged to take a more collaborative approach, and creating an all-party committee to get to the bottom of the breach, and prevent it from happening again, would be one way to demonstrate its commitment to collaboration.

Speaker Myrna Driedger said she would consider the matter.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca