Ideas over insults, please: How Speaker Perry Trimper wants the legislature to change
Perry Trimper says harassment issue made 2018 a 'challenging' year at the House of Assembly
Civility took a backseat to scandal at times during the 2018 sittings of Newfoundland and Labrador's legislature, as relations between political colleagues publicly curdled amid harassment allegations.
But the man in charge of keeping everyone in line hopes to turn a corner in the new year.
"It's challenging. It's tough for everyone that's involved... It's been tough on the plaintiffs, it's been tough on the respondents," said Speaker of the House Perry Trimper, who is also the MHA for Lake Melville.
"You hear things like the MeToo movement, and other initiatives across the world, and I believe we're at a point of change, and it's exciting to be a part of that."
Prominent Liberal cabinet ministers Eddie Joyce and Dale Kirby were each accused of harassing fellow Liberal MHAs in the spring. Both were ousted from the party, but ultimately cleared of their charges, although each was found guilty of violating the MHA code of conduct.
'I challenge them'
Trimper said that while that "dominated" the house in 2018, he strove to remind politicians of their duties as elected officials.
"I believe that the legislature, ours or any other, is all about the exchange of ideas. That's what political parties are about," he said.
"I believe that the debate that goes on, needs to be about those ideas. It can't be about heckling, personal insults, harassment and so on."
Insults still managed to abound, as recently as Joyce's Dec. 3 tirade against the premier. And Joyce himself has shown minimal remorse for his actions in 2018, simply saying "I apologize" on the floor when he was effectively told to.
But as a relative newcomer to politics — Trimper was first elected in 2015 after decades as a scientist — he said his Speaker style has been about taking the high road.
"I challenge them to stay at that intellectual level," he told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning in a year-end interview.
"I'm not a desk-banger, I'm not a screamer and a yeller. I like to think my way through these problems."
Labrador political power
Trimper said he is proud to be one of the four provincial political representatives for the Big Land, all of whom are now either cabinet ministers or holding other top political appointments.
"Labrador's in a great spot. I can feel it," he said, adding his 2018 regional highlight has been improving access to mental health services, and is looking forward to more paving of the Trans Labrador Highway in 2019.
I believe that the legislature, ours or any other, is all about the exchange of ideas.- Perry Trimper
He also commended those who spoke out against Muskrat Falls at the time of its sanctioning, and were called "traitors" for doing so.
"I can see what they went through," he said.
"I guess the lesson in it for all of us is that governments have to be able to listen. You've got to be able to make sure you're got checks and balances and that you're not just pursuing something with such zeal that you're ignoring concerns and asks for further attention."