During Question Period, UCP MLA Joseph Schow brought up the continued unacceptable behaviour of NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt, culminating in an incident where security had to intervene and prevent his alleged intimidation of MLA Jackie Lovely.
“The Member for Camrose [Jackie Lovely] was in the south member’s lounge following delivering a speech in the Assembly when she was verbally intimidated and physically prevented from freely circulating either to the washrooms or back to the chamber by the Member from Edmonton-Gold Bar [Marlin Schmidt],” Schow said.
“While [Lovely] was in the lounge, [Schmidt] came up behind her and aggressively admonished her with, and I quote, “The people of Camrose have no business weighing in on what’s happening in Edmonton!””
“When she told [Schmidt] that, and I quote, “You are scaring me,” he [Schmidt] outright mocked her in an aggressive and intimidating manner.”
Schow continued, saying that Schmidt then allegedly followed her to continue harassing her, leading to a member of the Legislative Assembly’s security service intervening, telling Schmidt to “take a walk”.
Since the incident, Lovely has been working from home out of fear of another heated confrontation with Schmidt.
“Mr. Speaker, the Member from Camrose was so intimidated yesterday by [Schmidt’s] actions that she was not able or comfortable returning to the chamber to participate in debate,” Schow said. “This is the most serious case of intimidation that I have ever witnessed in this place.”
Schow also brought up MLA Schmidt’s history, explaining that Schmidt’s recent incident is “representative of a pattern of behaviour” and that this behaviour may constitute a “violation of the rights of parliament” and thus contempt as it has impeded other Members from carrying out their duties.
Schow then went on to list a number of incidents wherein Schmidt has made menacing gestures, yelled at other Members, or otherwise behaved in a manner that others say constituted intimidation. Schow also says that there have been at least 20 points of order called because of Schmidt and that he has been reprimanded by the Speaker on multiple occasions for unacceptable behaviour.
According to Schow, “[Schmidt’s] behaviour is so egregious that I do not think an apology will come anywhere near to repairing the last impression that [Schmidt] has made to [Lovely]. This is clearly a point of privilege, and I am disappointed to say it certainly fits the criteria for contempt.”
In response to the accusations, Schmidt confirmed that he was in the lounge but deflected, saying that Lovely “instigated the incident by continuing the debate that was here on the floor and that [he] responded by escalating the argument.”
He further says that he takes issue with the characterization that he followed Lovely after the incident and that he only happened to be heading the same way as the washroom she was trying to reach.
He also confirmed that Lovely told him that she felt threatened by him and that he told her that wasn’t his intent. “I recognize and take seriously the fact that the Member from Camrose felt threatened and intimidated, and I regret my behaviour in making her feel that way,” Schmidt said.
