In 1987, a short statement in French catapulted Leo Piquette
from the back benches of the Alberta Legislature to the front
pages of the nation's newspapers. Piquette, a Plamondon
businessman and the New Democrat MLA for Lac La Biche, rose in
the Question Period on 7 April to ask a question about minority
language rights under the proposed School Act.
When Piquette began a question in French with "Les
franco-Albertains attendant impatiemment depuis 1982," Speaker
David Carter rose in response, reminding Piquette about previous
discussions regarding the use of French in the assembly. "En
anglais, s’il vous plait," Carter said.
Piquette insisted that he had the right to ask his question
in French, but Carter told him that he would be ruled out of
order, and asked that he speak in English.
Piquette continued his question in English, but later rose on a
question of privilege, claiming that "it is the right of each
and every member of this Assembly to conduct their business in
this Assembly at any point in the Assembly’s proceedings in
either official language."
The exchange touched off a controversy over French minority
language rights, played against a background of the divisive
wrangling over the 1982 patriation of the Canadian Constitution,
and the ongoing negotiations surrounding the Meech Lake Accord.
Piquette’s decision to speak French in the legislature
surprised many, but anyone listening to his maiden speech on 20
June 1986 heard him say that in the future he would speak
French, with the "confidence these rights will be respected in
Piquette was praised by many for his stance on minority language
rights, and Carter was chastised in newspaper editorials for
refusing to let the MLA speak French in the Alberta Legislature.
While the controversy played out on the newspaper pages, Carter
and his staff in the Speaker’s Office sought an answer to the
thorny question of minority language rights in the Alberta
Two days later, Carter delivered a lengthy ruling,
essentially stating that using French in the legislature was out
of order, "until such time as the House itself gives authority
to the Chair to permit the use of French in the Chamber." The
matter was subsequently referred to the Standing Committee on
Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing. The
committee came back with a report in November and recommended,
among other things, that Piquette should apologize to the
Assembly. Piquette clarified that it was not his intention to
challenge the authority of the Speaker, and this was accepted in
lieu of an apology. The House adopted, on 27 November, new rules
which allowed for the use of any language in the Assembly
provided that English translations or brief descriptions be made
available, and in the case of Oral Question Period, two hours'
notice be given in advance.
Piquette only served one term in the Alberta Legislature; he
was defeated by Progressive Conservative Mike Cardinal in the