A female UCP MLA is telling Alberta NDP MLA Marlin Schmidt to seek anger management treatment after a verbal dispute which forced the Legislative Assembly Security Service to intervene.
UCP MLA Jackie Lovely was in the south members’ lounge on Monday, following a speech on a private members’ bill on urban parks, when a verbal altercation occurred between her and Schmidt.
In a statement to True North, Lovely said Schmidt became “enraged” over the debate and “chased me and screamed at me in private to the point where security had to intervene.”
“This is the latest in a long pattern of behaviour from this NDP MLA that is not only unbecoming of a member but downright disturbing,” Lovely said. “I urge him to reflect on his behaviour and seek anger manager management training and psychological help for what is clearly a negative pattern of behaviour,” she said.
The UCP and the Alberta NDP have varying recollections of the altercation.
On Tuesday, Government House Leader Joseph Schow rose on a point of privilege and called Schmidt’s actions an “incredibly serious breach of privilege.”
According to Schow, Lovely was approached by Schmidt and “verbally intimidated and physically prevented from freely circulating either to the washrooms or back to the chamber by (Schmidt).”
“When (Lovely) told the member that, and I quote, ‘You are scaring me,’ he outright mocked her in an aggressive and intimidating manner,” Schow continued. “As she tried to leave, (Schmidt) followed her, sought her out to continue this onslaught of harassment.”
Schow went on to say that Schmidt’s actions resulted in intervention from the Legislative Assembly Security Service, who told the NDP MLA to take a walk.
Schmidt responded in the chamber by offering his “own version” of the events.
“(Lovely) instigated the incident by continuing the debate that was here on the floor,” he said. “And I responded by escalating the argument.”
The NDP MLA said he wasn’t following Lovely, but was headed in the same direction as her.
“That’s my version of events, Mr. Speaker, and I’m pleased to put that on the record,” he said. “I’m also apologizing directly to the Member of Camrose for my own actions.”
In response to a request for comment, the Alberta NDP told True North that Schmidt offered his apology on Tuesday, and it was accepted by the speaker.
House Speaker Nathan Cooper called Schmidt’s actions “inappropriate,” but said the matter was settled following his apology.
This is not the first time Schmidt has been the subject of a point of privilege for his actions.
In November 2021, Schmidt apologized after making a “menacing gesture” and yelling in a “threatening manner” towards a member of the Government caucus.
In November 2023, he made an “absolutely unacceptable gesture directed at the government House leader,” according to the House Speaker.
He’s also been the subject of many points of order, including 20 on just one day in October 2018.
