From the Thursday session of the provincial legislature, this odd response by fish minister Tom Hedderson to a question by opposition house leader Kelvin Parsons.
Simply put, the comment that he wasn’t in the House at 5:00 Pm was a useless taunt best ignored. By answering as he did, Hedderson only raised more questions about what the personal business was; that’s not a prurient interest. It’s a natural reaction when someone gets upset to wonder why. When he refers to "”a personal thing” there’s logically going to be more curiosity.
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My next question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Mr. Speaker, there is a growing concern in the fishing industry that a dispute regarding prices for lobsters and crab could threaten both industries this coming season. The minister, in fact, was supposed to speak on The Fisheries Broadcast yesterday to address this issue, but apparently he says he was in the House until 5:00 p.m. [Italics added: here’s where the little jab occurred]
I ask the minister: Is the crab and lobster fishing industry in jeopardy, and what is government, particularly your department, doing to assist in finding some solutions?
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).
MR. KELVIN PARSONS: He was not here at 5:00 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, again, I take a little bit exception. I was here until 4:45 p.m., by the time I got back to my office it was well past 5:00 p.m., plus I had a personal thing that I had to address after the House yesterday, which is of no business to him. So I will bring it up. Like I said, if you are going to go there, I will go there as well. My business is my business and when I can share it I will, but I am telling you right now is that you have gone over the line on that one. Absolutely! I say too, not the first time, and I am getting kind of tired of it. I am getting a little bit tired of it.
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