Curley rapped for “unparliamentary” language

The MLA for Rankin Inlet-North, Tagak Curley, violated the legislative assembly’s rules twice this past Dec. 1, during a heated exchange in committee of the whole over the timing of the assembly’s mid-term leadership review.

In a ruling issued this past Tuesday, the Speaker’s office found that Curley “imputed false motives” to cabinet ministers who backed the idea of holding the review before June 30, as set out in an amendment made by Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo.

Curley, who wanted the review before March 30, accused cabinet ministers of supporting a later review so they could collect more salary money, more pension benefits, and hang on to their cheque-signing power a little longer.

Under parliamentary tradition, that’s a no-no. Members are supposed to only cite the reasons that other members actually give for supporting a given position, and not make up “false motives.”

When Tootoo rose on a point of order complaining about Curley’s first violation, Curley committed his second violation, when he responded to Tootoo by saying “Ah, shut up,” in front of a live microphone.

“Such language is unparliamentary and will not be tolerated,” the Speaker’s ruling said, asking Curley to retract both statements.