Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has weighed in on the confrontation NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt (Edmonton-Gold Bar) instigated against United Conservative Party MLA Jackie Lovely (Camrose) by calling out its inappropriateness. Smith has been in politics for a while and said this incident has been the most serious case of intimidation she has ever seen. “I happened to be at an event with MLA Lovely that evening and I can confirm for you that she was scared, that she was rattled and she was afraid to go back to a committee meeting where she feared she might face another confrontation with this individual,” said Smith at a Wednesday press conference. “And it’s not just her.” Alberta Legislature security guards witnessed the incident and reported it to Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta Nathan Cooper. While there was a difference of opinion between Schmidt and Lovely over what went down, her version was validated by witnesses. Cooper said a little hostility is allowed in the Alberta Legislature under his supervision. However, Smith said it “is not appropriate for anybody to be walking alongside and harassing another member outside the chamber, especially when it’s a male and against a female.” Although she is glad he apologized, she said his conduct was unacceptable and hopes he takes the reprimand he received seriously. Smith followed up by saying she would not cast judgment on what punishments Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley should impose on Schmidt. “But I can tell you that they certainly talk a lot on the other side of the chamber about the value of female members, the value of female voices, and their conduct did not show that in the way they treated MLA Lovely,” she said. “And I would hope that some of his colleagues would call him out for it rather than try to defend him, because it’s indefensible.” Alberta Government House Leader Joseph Schow made the rare move of raising a point of privilege against Schmidt on Tuesday. READ MORE: UPDATED: Alberta government house leader blasts NDP MLA for intimidating UCP colleagueA point of privilege entails an MLA bringing a motion to address a serious issue with another MLA's conduct. The incident involved an altercation Schmidt instigated against Lovely on Monday. “I cannot think of any behaviour that is more unbecoming of a member of this assembly or more egregious than what occurred yesterday just outside of this chamber,” said Schow.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has weighed in on the confrontation NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt (Edmonton-Gold Bar) instigated against United Conservative Party MLA Jackie Lovely (Camrose) by calling out its inappropriateness. Smith has been in politics for a while and said this incident has been the most serious case of intimidation she has ever seen. “I happened to be at an event with MLA Lovely that evening and I can confirm for you that she was scared, that she was rattled and she was afraid to go back to a committee meeting where she feared she might face another confrontation with this individual,” said Smith at a Wednesday press conference. “And it’s not just her.” Alberta Legislature security guards witnessed the incident and reported it to Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta Nathan Cooper. While there was a difference of opinion between Schmidt and Lovely over what went down, her version was validated by witnesses. Cooper said a little hostility is allowed in the Alberta Legislature under his supervision. However, Smith said it “is not appropriate for anybody to be walking alongside and harassing another member outside the chamber, especially when it’s a male and against a female.” Although she is glad he apologized, she said his conduct was unacceptable and hopes he takes the reprimand he received seriously. Smith followed up by saying she would not cast judgment on what punishments Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley should impose on Schmidt. “But I can tell you that they certainly talk a lot on the other side of the chamber about the value of female members, the value of female voices, and their conduct did not show that in the way they treated MLA Lovely,” she said. “And I would hope that some of his colleagues would call him out for it rather than try to defend him, because it’s indefensible.” Alberta Government House Leader Joseph Schow made the rare move of raising a point of privilege against Schmidt on Tuesday. READ MORE: UPDATED: Alberta government house leader blasts NDP MLA for intimidating UCP colleagueA point of privilege entails an MLA bringing a motion to address a serious issue with another MLA's conduct. The incident involved an altercation Schmidt instigated against Lovely on Monday. “I cannot think of any behaviour that is more unbecoming of a member of this assembly or more egregious than what occurred yesterday just outside of this chamber,” said Schow.
