'Mysterious ways'Posted on Friday, November 26, 2010 12:48PM EST141 comments Debate over Sunday shopping laws on Prince Edward Island took a nasty turn as one government politician suggested that God has taken a personal – and violent – interest in keeping current restrictions.
The province, last in the country to have such limits, bans Sunday shopping part of the year, and a private-member’s bill to loosen the rules squeaked through Thursday evening to third reading.
But not before the debate got personal.
Opposition Leader Olive Crane – whose bandaged wrist and crutch were evidence of a recent fall – found her injury the subject of a veiled religious warning from Liberal Transportation Minister Ron MacKinley.
Mr. MacKinley offered that he’s “seen a lot of things slip ... you know, when it comes to religion” in his 25-year legislative career. He went on to say that Ms. Crane had been “pushing Sunday shopping” during a recent television interview and noted that she had injured herself shortly after.
“Does that not tell you anything?” the minister asked.
Laughs had been erupting from the government benches as he spoke and Ms. Crane had smiled during the first part of their exchange. But her smile was gone as she leaned sharply toward her microphone to ask what he meant.
“That the lord works in mysterious ways,” Mr. MacKinley responded.
“Maybe you should start worrying what’s going on here. Because we are going all the time, we’re getting farther and farther away. Whether it’s prayers in the school or whatever it is. We’re getting farther away from it. And I think if I was you ... I’d just pull this bill off the floor and go back and sit down.”
His fellow Liberals responded with applause and by thumping their desks.
“That particular comment and some of the reactions were certainly inappropriate,” Ms. Crane said Friday on her way to a physiotherapy appointment.
She said that the Sunday shopping bill was about choice and that Mr. MacKinley, who is known for his colourful interjections into the island’s political life, had crossed a line.
“When Mr. MacKinley made his comments, he was serious,” she said. ”From my own perspective ... I think it’s important that the behaviour in the House be respectful.”
Mr. MacKinley was in the legislature Friday morning, a spokesman said, and had a tightly scheduled afternoon that left no time to discuss his comments.
(A video of the exchange can be watched at the PEI legislature's website. The testiness starts at 134 minutes, 26 seconds)
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