Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to make a point of order in relation to an answer provided by the Premier, the Hon. Floyd Roland, in response to Oral Question 428-16(2) on October 6, 2008.

Mr. Speaker, I refer to Rule 23(m), which states that a Member will be called to order if the Member “introduces any matter in debate that offends the practices and precedents of the Assembly.”

Page 30 of the unedited Hansard from October 6, 2008, reads: “I offered some opportunities for improvement from the last bit of criticism I had about strategic initiative committees. I got a response from the Chair of P&P on that. I guess that offer wasn’t good enough either.”

In his response Mr. Roland, the Premier, referred to matters pertaining to a confidential exchange of information that he had with members of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning. The Premier’s reference to these matters and discussions offends the long standing convention of committee and Cabinet confidentiality, which extends to committee documents, transcripts and correspondence.