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The Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislature is considering a ban for people who caused a disturbance at Province House earlier this week, as she continues to weigh when to reopen the building to the public.
“That is a long process to complete,” Danielle Barkhouse told reporters Friday. “There is a lot of people that come in and out of the House, and it is something under consideration as of now.”
On Wednesday, Barkhouse ordered Province House, the grounds surrounding the building, and the committee room across the street at One Government Place closed to everyone except MLAs, staff, reporters and presenters to a legislative committee.
It followed several incidents Tuesday night that included members of the public who were sitting in the gallery halting a vote on the provincial budget.
As MLAs prepared to begin the final vote on the Appropriations Act, some of the 45 people in the gallery started singing — something that went on for about 15 minutes. As the singing continued, some people started yelling at MLAs down below on the floor of the chamber.
Barkhouse called for people to stop and leave the gallery several times before adjourning business for the night.
When she announced the closure of the House the following day, the Speaker said some of the people in the gallery obstructed an MLA from getting to their car as they were leaving. Barkhouse added that she’d received multiple reports from MLAs and House staff during the session that they were feeling unsafe at work.
MLAs finished the budget vote Wednesday, with only staff and reporters present in the gallery. The gates around the building have been locked ever since.
‘This is a place of business’
On Friday, Barkhouse said she’s hoping to be ready at the beginning of next week to announce when the House might again be open to members of the public.
Premier Tim Houston, who was not at the House on Tuesday because he was attending an oil and gas conference in Texas, said video he saw of some people yelling at MLAs from the gallery crossed the line of what’s OK.
“This is a place of business. It’s a public building,” he told reporters. “That would never happen in a courtroom. It shouldn’t happen here, either. So I think there’s a responsibility, too, for people when they show up here to act like adults.”
The NDP issued a news release saying this is the first time the legislature has been closed to the public for more than one day.
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