Achi news desk-
OTTAWA –
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his main rival ended with the leader of the Opposition and one of his MPs being thrown out of the House of Commons on Tuesday – and the rest of the Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Following unusually tense events, Speaker Greg Fergus warned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to rephrase their comments to avoid making direct accusations about another MP’s character.
Fergus issued a warning to Poilievre after he referred to Trudeau as “the guy who spent the first half of his adult life as an active racist,” referring to photos that emerged during the 2019 election of Trudeau dressed in blackface and brown.
He warned Fergus Trudeau after he said Poilievre was “showing us exactly what shameful, spineless leadership looks like,” and accused him of shaking hands with “white nationalists.”
The tense back-and-forth came as Poilievre and the Conservatives attacked the Liberals for allowing British Columbia to allow the decriminalization of hard drugs like heroin and fentanyl in public places, which the province’s NDP government is now asking Health Canada to reversed.
The Conservatives argue that the policy has caused great harm.
Trudeau completely ignored that issue, responding to every question about drugs by accusing Poilievre of associating with far-right extremists.
He said that a person who does that is not fit to be a prime minister.
The comments came after videos circulated online of Poilievre last week stopping at what protesters described as an anti-carbon price protest in Atlantic Canada.
The scene included too many banners bearing Trudeau’s name.
At one point, videos show Poilievre leaving a trailer belonging to one of the protesters. The exterior contained many images, including a symbol belonging to the far-right online group Diagolon.
The trouble in the House began to escalate when Fergus lashed out at Conservative MP Rachael Thomas after she said he was “acting in a disgraceful manner.”
The tense exchange continued after her departure, with Trudeau saying Poilievre was a “19-year” politician who chose to connect with that camp.
“Any leader who needs the support of a far-right white nationalist group to raise money and get closer to power does not deserve elected office,” the prime minister charged.
Poilievre said the prime minister’s words were just his “latest distraction” from his “own extreme policies.”
“When will we put an end to this wacko policy by this wacko prime minister?”
Then Fergus drew the line.
“No, no,” he said. “That is not acceptable.”
He asked Poilievre to withdraw his comments, saying they were unparliamentary.
Poilievre did not retract, but said he would replace the word with “extreme,” which Fergus also rejected.
He then said he would replace it with “radical”, which Fergus did not accept either.
He asked the Conservative leader to “simply” withdraw the comment.
When Fergus asked Poilievre for the last time to retract, the Conservative leader said, “I’m simply retracting and replacing it with the above adjective.”
Fergus then ordered him to leave the chamber and not take part in further debate on Tuesday, either in person or virtually.
Many left the Conservative caucus at the same time, all of whom eventually left before question period ended.
Government House leader Steven MacKinnon emerged from the House a few moments later, calling what had just unfolded a “disgrace.”
“It is disrespectful to our institutions, disrespectful to the Speaker,” he said.
After leaving, Poilievre posted on X that Fergus was “censored” for calling Trudeau’s drug policies “wacko.” The Conservatives also launched a fundraising campaign from the event within an hour of Poilievre’s ouster.
In a written statement, the Conservatives doubled down on the use of the word “wacko,” saying it had been used in the House of Commons many times in the past without being considered unparliamentary.
The party said Fergus kicked Poilievre out to protect the prime minister.
According to a quick search of Hansard publications, it appears that “wacko” has been used in the HoC on three occasions in the last decade. Twice in speeches in the current Senate by NDP House Leader Peter Julian, and once by former CPC MP Dean Del Mastro in the 41st. — Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello)
https://t.co/fNNZqRHyhy pic.twitter.com/YtMqZ1lVWB
April 30, 2024“>
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner said the events in the House showed evidence of a double standard and said Poilievre was telling the truth.
“If you look at the definition of wacko, that’s literally what the Liberal government is doing in terms of holding on to policies to decriminalize hard drugs like heroin and crack,” he said.
Conservative MP Arnold Viersen said watching Poilievre get thrown out was upsetting.
“The Speaker is supposed to be a referee, not a participant,” he said.
Health Minister Mark Holland defended the Speaker’s call, saying Poilievre had been removed because he refused to withdraw his language.
“When the Speaker, who is the arbiter of rules in the House, asks you to withdraw, it is important that you respect his position and that decision.”
Crown Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree also rejected the idea that Fergus was treating Tories differently.
“He has called out members of the Liberal party, he has called out members of the Conservative party; he even called out members of the other parties today,” he said.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet was clearly pleased with the events, thanking Fergus in French for showing “common sense” in the chamber.
Bloc MP Louis Plamondon, the longest-serving MP in the House after being elected in 1984, said Poilievre’s comment was “insulting.”
He said he hasn’t seen a party leader thrown out in 40 years on the Hill and he doesn’t remember a party holding a big walk either.
The Liberals continued their attacks on Poilievre outside the chamber. Liberal MP Charles Sousa said it was worth noting that the Conservative leader refused to answer questions about why he chose to associate with a group that displays symbols from the far-right Diagolon group.
“I think that speaks volumes about who he is and his character,” he said. “And I think that’s the real question today.”
Immigration Minister Marc Miller eventually dismissed the idea that anyone was silencing Poilievre.
“I think it would be good if he shut his yap from time to time,” he said.
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