Sheilagh O'Leary back in House of Assembly following Wednesday ejection - CBC

MHA for St. John's East- Quidi Vidi Sheilagh O'Leary didn't back down from comments she made in the House of Assembly Wednesday, claiming Housing Minister Chris Tibbs was speaking "untruths" as he described to the legislature recent interactions with her and her interaction with Newfoundland and Labrador Housing as she attempted to help constituents displaced by a fire. (Ashley Fitzpatrick/CBC)Social SharingNDP MHA Sheilagh O'Leary is back on the floor of the House of Assembly, after being asked to leave Wednesday afternoon by Speaker Paul Lane.

The MHA for St. John's East-Quidi Vidi, O'Leary was asked on Wednesday to retract a comment she made in response to the minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, Chris Tibbs, saying he spoke "untruths."

Government House Leader Lloyd Parrott said it amounted to unparliamentary language, equivalent to calling him a liar.

Lane asked O'Leary to withdraw the comment three times, and she refused in each instance.

"I will not retract the statement," she said, reiterating the same each time, before being asked to leave the chamber.

NDP MHA Sheilagh O'Leary, representing St. John's East-Quidi Vidi, leaves the floor of the House of Assembly at the call of Speaker Paul Lane on Wednesday. (Ashley Fitzpatrick/CBC)

The back and forth started simmering earlier Wednesday afternoon, when Tibbs was responding to questions from NDP leader Jim Dinn on the lack of affordable housing in the province. Not for the first time, Dinn called for an all-party committee to address the issue.

Tibbs said he's open to talking with anyone.

"But I will say this, we hope to get some more respect from the NDP, from the party across the way, than they’ve shown Newfoundland and Labrador Housing people in the past," he said.

After another question, along similar lines, the minister again referred to an issue unresolved with the NDP.

"If the media would like to ask the NDP of how they mistreated my staff, they’re more than welcome to do so," he said.

Dinn raised the point of order Wednesday, saying Tibbs had suggested disrespect, and aspersions being cast by the NDP towards housing staff.

He said the NDP have had a problem in the working relationship with N.L. Housing, but specifically "the minister's office in this case and the management of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing," making it difficult to help constituents.

His comments revealed more of a problem behind the scenes, though the details remained unclear.

"For the member to get up here and throw this out when it wasn't even a part of the question is an insult," Dinn concluded, voice raised, slapping a notebook down onto his desk.

"I kind of find it funny that the party that talks about supporting workers and a safe work environment and a harassment-free work environment will call my staff, insinuate that my staff are 'entitled,' because that's what they called my staff," he said.

On review on Thursday, Lane said the exchange was a disagreement between members related to an issue occurring outside the legislature.

“While the members may have different views about the facts of this issue, I find that the minister’s statements did not specifically refer to any individual member and that the language used by the minister was not in breach of standing order 49 — on unparliamentary language — therefore there is no point of order," Lane said.

Back on Wednesday, O'Leary stood to speak on Tibbs' comments.

"The minister is pointing fingers and saying untruths, and that is something that is really, truly unacceptable," she said, before claiming a "larger issue" in communications.

That's when the retraction was called for.

Speaking outside the House, Tibbs quoted an email sent by O'Leary, which was shared with reporters by government.

In it, O'Leary states: "I am absolutely shocked by your entitled response," near the start of a message.

"When it comes to the public service, they do not deserve disrespect, intimidation or bullying and that's exactly what this was on the borderline of," Tibbs said.

Asked why it wasn't dealt with outside the legislature, he said he'd approached O'Leary at a public meeting but she walked away.

The minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, Chris Tibbs, said outside of the House of Assembly that NDP members have not shown housing staff the respect they deserve. (Ashley Fitzpatrick/CBC)

O'Leary said she didn't think the meeting was the time to address the problem, and emphasized the NDP did not have any issue with "staff" at N.L. Housing, as Tibbs repeated, but the management and the minister.

The "entitled" email from O'Leary was sent to N.L. Housing's senior advisor, Wayne Follett. Only the board of directors and minister sit higher than Follett.

Earlier communications, based on what was released, dated back to mid-September and involved O'Leary and her constituency assistant speaking to concerns of former residents of 47 Cochrane Street, who were displaced from their apartments by a fire in July.

The emails have a polite enough start, with Follett offering to provide more information to further questions. As the exchange goes on, he notes people should be directly contacting N.L. Housing with concerns.

When O'Leary's constituency assistant notes a request for her or O'Leary to attend a next meeting for displaced residents, he replies landlord-tenant meetings are limited to residents only.

That's where O'Leary sends with her "entitled" email.

"We have been respectful in our approach to both your office and the people impacted, and helping our constituents is exactly our job," she added.

O'Leary told reporters that, when Tibbs approached her about the email, she was about to go into a meeting for the displaced residents. He'd also mentioned possibly taking the exchange to the Commissioner for Legislative Standards, she said, adding it felt like a threat. She'd later reach out to the commissioner herself.

The NDP claimed the ire from Tibbs toward the NDP amounted to "a diversionary tactic" by the minister.

For their part, the Liberals also accused the government of trying to divert attention — though in their case it was from questions around lawyer Bernard Coffey and the Churchill Falls power agreement.

Tibbs was adamant on the reason for it all: "You don't talk to public servants like that," he said.

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Ashley Fitzpatrick is a reporter with CBC News based in St. John’s. She can be reached at ashley.fitzpatrick@cbc.ca.