Tuesday 28 March 2023

Perhaps the "Not So Happy" Dentist and his parliamentary cohorts should check their email records

  
 
 
 
 
 
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-green-leader-bevan-baker-removed-from-legislature-water-act-1.4459489

Green leader turfed from P.E.I. Legislature as sitting comes to dramatic close

Bevan-Baker escorted from chamber after referring to 'farcical' debate over legislation

By Kerry Campbell, CBC News Posted: Dec 20, 2017 9:28 PM AT

Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker was removed from the legislature on Wednesday after refusing to withdraw the word 'farce' from the public record.
Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker was removed from the legislature on Wednesday after refusing to withdraw the word 'farce' from the public record. (P.E.I. Legislature)

The fall sitting of the P.E.I. Legislature came to a dramatic close Wednesday with Green party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker ordered removed from the legislative chamber for refusing to withdraw the word "farce."

In the final minutes of the fall sitting, the Public Interest Disclosure and Whistleblower Protection Act came up for third reading. Bevan-Baker introduced a motion to have it sent back to the legislature for further debate.

"In the last few days I have witnessed some of the most discouraging debates on legislation since I was elected two-and-a-half years ago," he told the house.

"We were given the sacred trust to bring forth strong and meaningful legislation that will enhance government transparency and accountability .... And we turned that debate Mr. Speaker, at times into a farce."

Government House leader Richard Brown rose on a point of order, taking issue with Bevan-Baker's statement, and in particular his use of the word "farce."

Unparliamentary word


Speaker Buck Watts ruled the word unparliamentary, and asked Bevan-Baker to withdraw the word from the public record.

"I used the word intently and I used the word consciously," Bevan-Baker said, accusing government MLAs of voting down opposition amendments to bills before they'd been provided with written copies of the amendments.

Peter Bevan-Baker removed
The Green party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker is removed from the legislature on Wednesday by the sergeant-at-arms. (P.E.I. Legislature)

"If the purpose of this house is to carefully consider legislation that is going to affect each and every Islander, then surely we have to do that with the information in front of us, and we cannot do that if we are prejudging something … before we even see it. So I will not withdraw my remark. I think at times yesterday the display of the government side was indeed farcical."

Watts provided Bevan-Baker with one more chance to withdraw his remark before ordering the sergeant-at-arms to remove the Green party leader.


The Whistleblower Protection Act was one of three key pieces of legislation, debate over which kept the house sitting for 22 days — the second-longest fall sitting of the P.E.I. legislature since fall sittings began 20 years ago.

Numerous amendments to the act were introduced by both opposition parties, only to be voted down by government MLAs. Opposition attempts to amend another important bill, the Lobbyist Registration Act, were similarly defeated.

 

Water Act amended


However, both opposition parties were able to exert some influence over the most important piece of legislation passed during the sitting, the province's Water Act.

'So I will not withdraw my remark. I think at times yesterday the display of the government side was indeed farcical.' — Peter Bevan-Baker

The government introduced its own amendment to the act that mirrored an amendment circulated by the Green party. The amendment removed what opposition parties were calling a "loophole" allowing cabinet to overrule a ban on fracking in the province.

Meanwhile, the PCs were able to pass an amendment which requires government to send new or amended regulations to the act to a provincial standing committee a minimum of 90 days before the regulations are enacted.

All told, government passed 17 of its bills in the fall sitting, while the Opposition saw one of its private member's bills pass, providing more protection under Workers' Compensation for Island workers suffering from PTSD.

 

11 Comments According to CBC however five comments were blocked N'esy Pas?
Commenting is now closed for this story.

 What would that be if not my real name???

 Your account has been banned until 12/22/2017. Reason: Your username is not keeping within our Submission Guidelines, for more information please visit: http://www.cbc.ca/aboutcbc/discover/submissions.html. When your account reactivates in 1 day, please change your username to something that adheres to our Submission Guidelines.

   

David Raymond Amos
David Raymond Amos
Are you sick little dudes still finding joy in blocking me for unethical political reasons within a Crown Corp's website owned by we the people?


David Raymond Amos
Content disabled.
David Raymond Amos
I will lay odds that Jesse' minions within Viafoura are wondering if I have their names?

Survey Says???

YUP Methinks they brag too much for their own good. N'esy Pas?

https://viafoura.com/company/


David Raymond Amos  
Content disabled.
David Raymond Amos
Methinks that Jesse S. Moeinifar. Founder & CEO.of Viafoura has earned a not so honourable mention N'esy Pas?

  
David Raymond Amos
Content disabled.
David Raymond Amos
Methinks CBC should be ashamed of themselves bigtime N'esy Pas Prime Minister Trudeau "The Younger", Minister Joly and Hubby Baby Lacroix?


David Raymond Amos
Content disabled.
David Raymond Amos
Well my comment stood for about ten minutes or so N'esy Pas?


David Raymond Amos 
This comment stood for about ten minutes or so until I Tweeted and emailed about it
Content disabled.
David Raymond Amos
For the public record what is truly "farcical" to me is that this spit and chew is about a Whistleblower Protection Act of all things.

Perhaps the "Not So Happy" Dentist and his parliamentary cohorts should check their email records over the Yuletide Season and dig into their memories as well to see if they recall any conversations with a certain whistleblower who has been falsely imprisoned in Canada and the USA. Steve Murphy of ATV and everybody else knows since 2006 that he was denied the right to vote but still managed to run for public office five times thus far. Nobody will admit that same whistleblower has been suing the Crown in Federal Court since 2015 for being illegally barred from all parliamentary properties in Canada including PEI. Yet there have been 9 decisions in the matter thus far that can be easily verified from the public record. The decision exactly 2 years ago of Justice Richard Bell (the first judge Harper appointed) should have been front page news across the country. However not even the crickets will comment about it.

Do tell does that statement ring any bells over the Xmass season while I prepare to try put the matter before the Supreme Court of Canada and file some more lawsuits ASAP? Or will CBC block me again and nobody gets to even read it?



David Raymond Amos 
David Raymond Amos
Methinks I already mentioned how much I love the circus N'esy Pas?


Janet Gaudet 
Janet Gaudet
Peter spoke the truth and he got punished for it. How ironic is that.


David Raymond Amos
David Raymond Amos
@Janet Gaudet The irony is that Bevan-Baker should have asked the Sgt at Arms and the Speaker why I have been suing PEI since 2015. Instead he had himself evicted in the the last minutes in order to look like some kind of hero. In a nutshell he is a player like all the rest. Democracy is a myth.



Holly Pinkham 
Holly Pinkham
Buck Watts can do what he likes, as speaker, I suppose, but I certainly don't agree with this unnecessary drama. Mr. Bevan used a perfectly understandable and non-vulgar term to describe proceedings that were clearly objectionable.


David Raymond Amos
David Raymond Amos
@Holly Pinkham Ask yourself why the Green Party Leader only opted to say the oh so terrible word in the eleventh hour?

Better ask yourself why so few folks bothered to make comment about the nonsense? I said nothing all day waiting to see if anything would develop and now in mere minutes I have added my two bits worth matched the total tally of the comments about the article.



 Sandy Brace 
Sandy Brace
Mr Devon Baker is a man of integrity and cares about people more than about his ego and his bank account. He will not last in government with those attributes I am afraid. You need to be unethical sheep to stay within the click and have a place at the trough.


Janet Gaudet
Janet Gaudet
@Sandy Brace : I hope he will be re-elected. We need him in the Legislature as this government is a farce. I'm completely disgusted and fed up with what we've got running this province.
 

David Raymond Amos
David Raymond Amos
@Sandy Brace That not the Baker I know
 

David Raymond Amos
David Raymond Amos
@Sandy Brace "Mr Devon Baker is a man of integrity and cares about people more than about his ego and his bank account."

I meant the response above to be directed to you
 

David Raymond Amos
David Raymond Amos
@Janet Gaudet "I'm completely disgusted and fed up with what we've got running this province."

Good for you for speaking up
 
 
 
 

P.E.I. Green Party Leader quits dentistry

'It became increasingly clear to me it was not something I could sustain forever'

Bevan-Baker had been a popular dentist for more than 30 years in the central part of Queens County, with more than 1,500 active patients. 

"I managed to do it, on probably a continuous flow of adrenaline, for the last 12 months," Bevan-Baker said from his dental office in Hampton, P.E.I.

"But it became increasingly clear to me it was not something I could sustain forever."

He believes if he continued to do both, he'd either get sick or his work would be compromised.

'Precious' opportunity

"It just did not feel right," he said.

"I kind of took a deep breath and decided that the political opportunity that exists here on Prince Edward Island at the moment is too precious, it's too unique." 

I'll be so relieved to be able to devote myself to that and not feel conflicted all the time about where I should be and what I should be doing.
— Peter Bevan-Baker

Bevan-Baker assures his patients he's not abandoning them: he's brought in a new young dentist, Dr. Sean Curley of Charlottetown, who over the next few months will gradually assume the practice. 

Bevan-Baker has been telling his patients one by one. The patients like Dr. Curley and he's an excellent dentist, said Bevan-Baker, which made the decision a little easier. 

There have been "lots of tears, lots of hugs," said Bevan-Baker, noting he's developed close relationships with many of his patients over the years. All have been supportive of and understanding about his decision, he adds.

"That's been very touching, actually." 

Financial risks

"I have absolutely no job security as an MLA," admits Bevan-Baker. "Good people get kicked out of office all the time." 

The next provincial election is still three years away. He said he may return to dentistry if he isn't re-elected.

"I almost didn't have a choice," he said. "I have this opportunity to do something extremely important and exciting, how could I not do that?" 

Bevan-Baker takes home an MLA's salary of $68,000, plus about an extra $20,000 for being the leader of the third party.

"Less than I was making as a dentist ... but that's fine," he said. "I'm not crying poor here!" 

Potential payoff

Over the year he's been in office, Bevan-Baker said, he believes he's been able to gain traction for himself and his party.

Peter Bevan-Baker believes he's made inroads for the party during his last year as an MLA. (Province of Prince Edward Island )

Looking after constituency concerns takes up many hours of his time, while he's also expected to be the voice of the Green Party at functions and meetings across the Island. 

"There was a day last week I had breakfast in Summerside and supper in Souris, and that's just the way it is," he said. "It's not something that I can do half-heartedly ... in between root canals and extractions. It's just not tenable." 

He's working on building the party, creating a shadow cabinet of critics and already looking for good candidates for the next election, hoping to build beyond his one seat in the legislature. 

"Actually, I'll be so relieved to be able to devote myself to that and not feel conflicted all the time about where I should be and what I should be doing." 

Bevan-Baker is also a musician, often playing trumpet and sometimes fiddle at Green Party gatherings. 

 
 
 
1 Comment  


David Amos
Perhaps Mr Bevan-Baker will recall our conversations and emails before another polling day is upon him EH?  
 
 
 

Green Party poll shows tight district race between Bevan-Baker, Docherty

Bevan-Baker leads at 38% among decideds in Kellys Cross-Cumberland, according to Green-commissioned poll

The poll shows, among decided voters, support for Bevan-Baker is at 37.8 per cent.

Liberal incumbent Valerie Docherty is at 32.4 per cent,  Progressive Conservative candidate Randy Robar is at 24.8 per cent. 

NDP candidate Jesse Cousins, is at five per cent.

Twenty-four per cent of those polled said they were undecided.

Bevan-Baker says he was "stunned" by the results.

"It's a two-horse race and I think if people will want to have a new voice in the legislature in District 17, then I'm the choice to do this," he said.

"It also shows that Islanders are ready for change, for real change."

Docherty says reception in the district has been "great" for both she and Leader Wade MacLauchlan

"Like all polls, who knows what's going to happen. It is an opinion and I've always believed – this is my third election – and you just work hard, you go to the door, you meet the people," said Docherty.

"We'll see what happens on Monday."

Robar told CBC News the poll results are quite "inconsistent" with what he's hearing as he campaigns door to door, although he agrees people are looking for change.

Respondents named employment and health care as the most important issues facing residents in the district followed by honesty and integrity in government. 

The poll was done by Oraclepoll Research and cost $1,200, which was paid for by the Green Party.

The polling company contacted 344 eligible voters in the riding by phone, between April 25 and April 28.

It's considered accurate to plus or minus 5.3 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
 
 
 
65 Comments 
 
 
 
David Amos
Methinks hindsight is 20 20 N'esy Pas?   
 
 
 
peter haxen 
Indeed, Valerie was Minister of Tourism in the early Ghiz years. Her and HER Deputy Melissa MacEachern (know for unterdered contracts, with no work done) played golf with Ghiz, LeCaIR and Giiz's other play boys,

They were drunk with power and seflimportance.

Imagine what wisdom, Valerie ever brought to the cabidnet, ------.

If people vote for MacLaughlan, they will get more of that. His is as full of himself as Gjiz was, - just an older model. 

 

Sand Seer 
The way I see it, partisan posters seem to be showing their concern for their traditional party candidate making it, or posts like several here wouldn't appear. They have reason to be concerned. Fully 1 in 4 are undecided in a formerly strong liberal district and that is almost as interesting as the spread between #1 and #2 and that the dark horse is the one backed. No one has any illusions that Greens will make up the next government or opposition. People I hear who express interest in this fellow are fed up to the gunnels with old time politics on PEI, and see in him a very smart and sincere rep of their hopes for PEI. People may vote this time in protest, others strategically, but I'm thinking with 24% undecided, many who would never normally consider straying from tradition are thinking of doing so this time.  
 
 
 
DesRoches Skyler 
I think it's fair to say Peter won the debate. I'm a neutral supporter of both the Green Party and NDP and I will say both leaders did outstandingly great but if I had to choose between one out of the four leaders, Peter did best shining to the public how honest and capable he really is to be an MLA. District 17 has an opportunity to write a new chapter of history on May 4th, If New Brunswick can elect their green leader, Why not us?  
 
 
 
 

Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker makes P.E.I. political history

Dentist originally from Scotland wins 1st Green seat in P.E.I. legislature

Peter Bevan-Baker celebrates historic win

8 years ago
Duration 3:25
Peter Bevan-Baker is P.E.I.'s first Green MLA
 Peter Bevan-Baker has made P.E.I. political history by winning the Green Party's first seat in the P.E.I. legislature. 

Bevan-Baker was winning his district with an 900-vote lead over incumbent Liberal Valerie Docherty, who was at 1,001 votes with 11 of 12 polls reporting. Bevan-Baker dominated the district, taking 54 per cent of the votes.

With his win, it appears the party's strategy to put all its efforts and resources toward getting him elected was a good move.

In this, the third election for the Green Party in P.E.I., the small-party tactic of putting all their resources behind Bevan-Baker had reasonable precedents. It worked for federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, and recently in New Brunswick and B.C., where David Coon and Andrew Weaver, respectively, won their seats.

Bevan-Baker made an impact during the campaign, with strong showings in two televised debates,  creating a significant social media presence.

In 2011, Bevan-Baker finished third in the district with just over nine per cent of the popular vote behind Docherty and Progressive Conservative Neila Auld.

From Hampton, dentist Bevan-Baker was acclaimed as leader of the Green Party in 2012 when Sharon Labchuck resigned after seven years at the helm.

With the exception of protesting against the controversial realignment of the Trans-Canada Highway, best known on the Island as Plan B, in Bevan-Baker's district, the party remained relatively quiet between the last election and the beginning of the current campaign about eight weeks ago.

The party put together a field of 24 candidates, up slightly from 22 in 2011 when they won 4.4 per cent of the popular vote, just ahead of the NDP's 3.2 per cent.

Last week the Greens released a poll they had commissioned that put Bevan-Baker at 37.8 per cent among decided voters in his district, just ahead of Docherty at 32.4 per cent.

Born in Scotland, Bevan-Baker has been associated with the Greens for 20 years, having run as a candidate in Ontario a number of times before moving to P.E.I. 12 years ago.

 
 
 
57 Comments 
 
 
 
David Amos
I wonder if Mr Bevan-Baker recalls me explaining my lawsuit against the Queen which I filed in 2019 while running in the election of the 42nd Parliament 
 

 

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