Reaction to Duffy's maiden speech …

… was — shall we say? — mixed. From today's Senate Question Period:

Hon. Joan Cook: Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Does the leader condone and associate herself with the remark made by her colleague Senator Duffy in his maiden speech yesterday regarding Premiers Williams and Ghiz?

Hon. Marjory LeBreton (Leader of the Government and Minister of State (Seniors)): I thank the honourable senator for the question. It is a pleasure to take a question from Senator Cook. I have not gone over word for word the comments of Senator Duffy in his maiden speech in the Senate. Senator Duffy is free, as are all senators, to speak his mind and to speak freely in this place. It is not a matter for me as the Leader of the Government in the Senate to judge any senator’s speech or the contents of their speech.

Senator Cook: With the house's indulgence, I would like to read part of yesterday's speech. On page 73 of the Debates of the Senate, Senator Duffy states:

Honourable senators, I was disappointed to see that our dynamic young Premier in Prince Edward Island, Robert Ghiz, has climbed into bed with the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and honourable senators know what a grotesque scene that is. Do honourable senators know what happens when two politicians climb into bed together? One of them comes out on top and I am afraid that when one is in bed with Danny Williams he will come out on top and I would hate to see where that will leave P.E.I. in the end. However, I will leave all that for another day.

Hon. Lillian Eva Dyck: I heard the honourable Leader of the Government in the Senate say that it was not up to us to look at what senators were saying and that we had freedom of speech. Would the minister not say that within this chamber there is an appropriate standard of speech which we must uphold and that we should set a high standard? Does she agree with that?

Senator LeBreton: I thank the honourable senator for the supplementary question. I do not think it is within my area of responsibility to adjudicate or judge individual senators' speeches. That is a role for the Speaker, not for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.