A one-line bill to name the red fox as P.E.I.'s animal emblem degenerated into accusations of a vendetta in the legislature Tuesday.

The bill started as a project for a Grade 5 class in Montague as a lesson in how the provincial government worked.

The project carried over a few years and some students were in Grade 7 by the time they presented arguments for the fox as the province's animal emblem to the legislature's education and economic development committee in October.

It appears politics has conspired to make that lesson deeper than intended.

Independent MLA Bush Dumville, once a Liberal, picked up the cause for the students, presenting a private member's bill to make their dream a reality. But when it came up for debate Tuesday, Liberal MLA Alan McIsaac presented an amendment, speaking for about 20 minutes, to name the Holstein cow instead.

Bush Dumville was surprised to learn McIsaac suggestion of an amendment was not a joke. (Province of P.E.I.)

'All-new low'

Accusations from the Official Opposition flew that McIsaac was taking a political shot at his former caucus colleague.

PC MLA Matthew MacKay said he was surprised to hear some of the remarks and to see the amendment.

"I've seen something for the first time, an absolute all-new low for this government. We had children come in and present to us. They sat in here scared, some shook and we had great conversation and talked about all the great work they had done on this to bring forward and members from your government [were] on that committee and everybody was quite in favour and positive of these children coming in," said MacKay.

"To come in here and make a complete fool out of them and of the bill, you should be ashamed. If you've got a problem with somebody that left your caucus and you want to take a run at him, there's a time and a place, this isn't." said MacKay.

I think people out there would be mortified to death if they read the whole transcript of what happened here tonight. - Independent MLA Bush Dumville

McIsaac replied saying his amendment wasn't against the children in any way, shape, or form.

"But I thought this is something that should be given to the general public to look at," said McIsaac. "But to just decide because some children brought it in that we go with that, why can we not have a discussion across the province? ... I think we should all have a say in what the animal might be and put it to the general public."

Liberal MLA Allen Roach said he took exception to the comments from across the floor and it was his information that the idea would be brought to the public for discussion.

'Mortified to death'

Dumville said the legislature gave the youth the impression that the presentation was well-accepted and in all likelihood would succeed. He said it was recommended by the committee and accepted by the legislature.

In an interview after the debate Dumville said it's hard to know if the amendment was something personal against him.

"I can't really say whether this was something to get back at me for leaving caucus or not," he said.

"I think people out there would be mortified to death if they read the whole transcript of what happened here tonight."

Dumville said McIsaac had mentioned his intentions earlier, but he thought it was a joke. "I was kind of surprised that they followed through with it."

'Strictly serious'

Progressive Conservative Leader James Aylward expressed dismay at the debate.

"It just seems like there was some kind of vendetta that was put forward," Aylward said.

The fox, which is on the provincial coat of arms, found a challenger Tuesday night. (Submitted by Paul Gauthier)

"I'm aghast at what happened tonight."

He asked the premier to apologize to the students.

McIsaac said his suggestion was serious and he doesn't think it's right to pick one animal without discussion. He also said it had absolutely nothing to do with Dumville.

"This is strictly serious," he said.

However, while defending the Holstein, McIsaac acknowledged he did take a small dig at Dumville.

"Bush did leave our caucus, yeah, that's for sure and he changed from the red team and I did take maybe a little bit of a shot at him there. But that's fine and dandy. We're good friends, and stuff like that," he said.

McIsaac argued the Holstein is important to the province economically. (Pierre Boulet)

"Not against anything the kids put forward at their presentation to the committee, which I was not at, at the time, but anyway. But this is my opinion. I really favour the Holstein cow. She's big, she's beautiful. She's of great benefit to the province economically as well. I milked cows myself for 30 years."

Neither the bill nor the amendment came up for vote.

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