Out of the House: a look at famous Alberta legislature ejections - Action News
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Out of the House: a look at famous Alberta legislature ejections

At least seven other members have been escorted from the legislative assembly and forced to apologize before NDP Leader Rachel Notley's ejection Tuesday.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley was booted from the chamber on Tuesday, but she's far from the first

Alberta legislature ejections over the years

5 years ago
Duration 1:05
In the wake of NDP Leader Rachel Notley being thrown out of the legislature, we found some other ejections from the House.

Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley was booted from the legislative assembly Tuesday after accusing government House leader Jason Nixon of misleading the House over the controversial Bill 22.

After she refused to apologize, Notley was named by Speaker Nathan Cooper, andescorted out by the sergeant-at-arms.

But it's not the first time a politician in Alberta has been kicked out of the legislature and forced to apologize.

According to Alberta Legislature Library records, at least seven othermembers have got the hook:

Ric McIver apologizes (sort of)

On April 18, 2016, interim Progressive Conservative Leader Ric McIver got the legislative boot after he refused to take his seat several times.

McIver accused Speaker Bob Wanner of prematurely ruling to allow an amendment in support of public education to a private member's motion McIver had introduced that afternoon affirming school choice for parents, including home schooling.

The next day, McIver was allowed back into the House after acknowledging that Wannerwas correct in asking him to be removed.

Bharat Agnihotri punted for 'secret deal' accusations

On April 3, 2007, Speaker Ken Kowalski kicked Liberal MLA Bharat Agnihotri out of the legislature after Agnihotri outraged Tory leadership candidates by accusing them of having secret deals with secret campaign donors.

He returned the next day, withdrew his comments and apologized.

Fighting words: Laurence Decore

OnJune 21, 1991, Speaker David Carter named Liberal Leader Laurence Decore for refusing to withdraw "unparliamentary expression."

Decore was ejected for calling then-environment ministerRalph Klein a mouse.

"Mr. Speaker the minister acts like a mouse, squeaks like a mouse, and is a mouse," Decore said. He later posed a question to the "honourable mousey minister."

He offered an apology three days later.

Two for one

OnJune 20, 1991, both Nick Taylor and then-Leader of the Opposition Grant Mitchellwere named forshouting and repeatedly challenging the chair.

No apologies were offered after Speaker David Carter threw the two Liberals out.

No heckling

OnMay 13, 1991, Liberal Nick Taylor got the boot from the Alberta legislature for the first time for "unparliamentary language."

Taylor began yelling "shame" at the government and called Speaker David Carter "one of the crappiest speakers [I've]ever seen," after a motion for the whole legislature to formally congratulate Baltej Singh Dhillon, the first RCMP officer to wear a turban, was defeated.

Taylor apologized the next day for calling the Speaker crappy.

'It's about time'

On April 9, 1990, Rev. William Roberts was kicked out by the Speaker the first time in 38 years a member had been ejected from the legislative assembly.

The New Democrat MLA was named for an outburst overa ruling that there be no debate on amending the Individual's Rights Protection Act to include people who face discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

"It's about time," Roberts said after the Speaker asked him to take his leave. Roberts had already been standing up to walk out before the sergeant-at-arms was summoned.

He apologized the next day.

Arthur Wray

On March 21, 1952, Member for Banff-Cochrane Arthur Wray was suspended for two sitting days after making derogatory comments about a civil servant.

Wray apologized and withdrew his statement four days later.

With files from Graham Thomson