Premier’s no-shows to question period decried

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This article was published 07/04/2022 (1279 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba NDP has called out the premier for skipping question period three times in the past month, claiming the rights of legislators have been violated.

On Thursday, one day after Premier Heather Stefanson was absent from question period to make an announcement about long term care, NDP house leader Nahanni Fontaine raised the matter of privilege in the house.

“The premier’s actions, her refusal to participate in the essential proceeding of the house that is question period, means we as MLAs cannot do our jobs,” Fontaine said. “The premier is responsible for answering questions about the whole of government.

“Repeatedly refusing to participate in question period means she is trying to avoid that responsibility. It means that Manitobans do not receive the information and the accountability they rightly deserve.”

Stefanson also missed question period on March 8 and 23.

Twice she attended press conferences scheduled at the same time as question period, including on March 23 to announce $7.5 million in provincial funding for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

On March 8, the premier was absent because she didn’t feel well, the Free Press reported.

“Not participating in question period violates the rights and privileges of members to do our jobs properly and to hold the Stefanson government to account,” Fontaine said.

She called for the absences to be condemned and referred to a house standing committee for review.

Government house leader Kelvin Goertzen called the NDP’s complaint groundless and failed to reference house rules or practises related to the premier’s presence in question period.

“When it comes to frankly who answers questions in a house, it is a matter and the discretion of government,” Goertzen said.

There have been many occasions where premiers have been absent from question period to attend announcements or federal-provincial-territorial meetings and such absences have always been tolerated, Goertzen said.

“A first minister, a minister and frankly MLAs often have many things that they have to do,” Goertzen said.

The absence of a premier from question period is noticed by many and can contribute to the erosion of public trust in government, Liberal MLA Jon Gerrard said.

“But it doesn’t make a valid point of order on this case,” the Liberal MLA said.

Speaker Myrna Driedger will rule on the NDP point of privilege at a later date.

— with files from Carol Sanders

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca