Colleagues, during question period, as you have seen in the last little while, we tend to be using stronger and stronger words in putting questions but also in giving answers.
Here is what we have, I believe. We have an hon. member who, when she stood in her place, was cautioned about the language she was using in her question. I permitted the question to stand with that caution and the hon. minister answered the first question.
In my view, the second question was clearly out of order and I ruled it as such by moving ahead and not letting the minister answer.
Now this is being raised as a point of privilege. One member has asked another member to withdraw the statement. The other member has replied that she does not feel this particular statement was imputing motives.
As the Speaker, it would seem to me that the more we permit ourselves to go down this road and not frame the questions in such a way that they can be related to the administrative responsibilities of individuals, we are getting ourselves into a quagmire.
I wish there were an easy way out of this. I do not believe and I ruled that this is not a question of privilege. However, in the name of civility and in the name of good conduct in this House, may I appeal to the member for Calgary Southeast to reconsider. Although I do not believe there was any intention but even if the words carried the impugning of motives, I wonder if the hon. member might reconsider and withdraw the statements as they were made.
The hon. member for Calgary Southeast.