Madam Speaker: Having taken a point of order under advisement on November 21, 1996, I am returning to the House with a ruling. The government House leader raised a point of order about words spoken by the opposition House leader during his speaking to a matter of privilege. The words in question were: "He was not happy enough lining the pockets of the Bay Street brokers and his political friends." The words were used with respect to the Premier (Mr. Filmon).

Having reviewed the words in Hansard along with the context in which they were used, I am ruling that the government House leader did have a point of order. In fact, the opposition House leader did impute unworthy motives in contravention of Beauchesne Citations 484(3) and 481(c). I am therefore calling on the opposition House leader to withdraw the words.

Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, I challenge your ruling.

Madam Speaker: The ruling of the Chair has been challenged.

Madam Speaker: All those in favour of sustaining the ruling of the Chair, please say yea.

Some Honourable Members: Yea.

Madam Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.

Some Honourable Members: Nay.

Madam Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.

Mr. Ashton: Yeas and Nays, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: A recorded vote has been requested. Call in the members.

A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:

Cummings, Derkach, Downey, Driedger, Dyck, Enns, Ernst, Filmon, Findlay, Gaudry, Gilleshammer, Helwer, Kowalski, Lamoureux, Laurendeau, McAlpine, McCrae, McIntosh, Mitchelson, Newman, Penner, Pitura, Praznik, Radcliffe, Reimer, Render, Rocan, Stefanson, Sveinson, Toews, Tweed, Vodrey.

Ashton, Barrett, Cerilli, Chomiak, Dewar, Doer, Evans (Brandon East), Evans (Interlake), Friesen, Hickes, Jennissen, Lathlin, Mackintosh, Maloway, Martindale, McGifford, Mihychuk, Reid, Robinson, Sale, Santos, Struthers, Wowchuk.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): Yeas 32, Nays 23.

Madam Speaker: The ruling of the Chair is accordingly sustained. I would ask the honourable Leader of the official opposition to withdraw the comments in question.

An Honourable Member: The House leader.

Madam Speaker: I would ask the honourable opposition House leader to withdraw the comments.

Mr. Ashton: Madam Speaker, our rules indicate that we cannot, on a case of a ruling, deal with a substantive issue unless it is by a substantive motion.

I want to indicate that I will be withdrawing the words, Madam Speaker, and I will be dealing with the wording that was used immediately following in a substantive motion. So I withdraw it at this point in time out of respect for the Speaker's Chair in the House.

Madam Speaker: I thank the honourable member for Thompson.