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WINNIPEG — A Manitoba cabinet minister says she was told to take her pants off in the middle of question period by a male NDP opponent, but the NDP are firmly denying the accusation.

Rochelle Squires, the minister for sport, culture and heritage, filed a complaint Thursday with the legislature Speaker over opposition heckling in the chamber a week earlier.

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She said that at one point, New Democrat member Rob Altemeyer told her “take your pants off,” as she fielded a question from another NDP member.

Squires called the remarks outrageous and insulting, and demanded an apology from Altemeyer.

My words were ‘take a pass on it’

But Altemeyer denied the allegation and produced an audio recording of the debate.

“My words were ‘take a pass on it,’ “Altemeyer said. “My words were referring to this premier and his inability to answer important questions.”

The comments were not captured by the official transcript of legislature proceedings and are hard to make out on the audio recording. Altemeyer’s voice is faint, in the background and away from live microphones.