Tensions erupted at the Canadian House of Commons this week between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Conservative Party’s Pierre Poilievre, the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Poilievre was ejected from the chamber.
The two men traded barbs during a debate regarding a proposed law by the Trudeau government that would legalize heroin and Fentanyl in public places. Trudeau called Poilievre a spineless leader who pals around with white nationalists. Poilievre, in turn, said that Trudeau was a wacko prime minister. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Greg Fergus, urged Poilievre to retract his remarks, which the leader of the opposition did, opting to call Trudeau an extremist, which later led to his ejection from the floor (via CTV News):
NEW: Pierre Poilievre has been ejected from the House of Commons for calling Justin Trudeau a "wacko, extremist, radical Prime Minister."pic.twitter.com/52pJ96wiDL
— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) April 30, 2024
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
The unusually tense events saw Speaker Greg Fergus caution both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to rephrase their comments to avoid making direct accusations about the character of another MP.
Fergus issued a warning to Poilievre after he referred to Trudeau as "the guy who spent the first half of his adult life as a practising racist," referring to photos that emerged during the 2019 election of Trudeau dressed in black and brown face.
[…]
Trudeau ignored that issue completely, responding to each question about drugs by accusing Poilievre of associating with far-right extremists.
He said a person who does so is not fit to be prime minister.
[…]
Poilievre said the prime minister's words were only his "latest distraction" from his own "extremist policies."
"When will we put an end to this wacko policy by this wacko prime minister?"
Fergus then drew the line.
"No, no," he said. "That is not acceptable."
He asked Poilievre to withdraw his comments, saying they were unparliamentary.
Poilievre didn't withdraw, but said he would replace the word with "extremist," which Fergus also rejected.
He then said he would replace it with "radical," which Fergus did not accept either.
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Per a quick Hansard publication search, it appears "wacko" has been used in the HoC on three occasions in the last decade.
— Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello) April 30, 2024
Twice in speeches in current Parliament by NDP House Leader Peter Julian, and once by former CPC MP Dean Del Mastro in the 41st.
https://t.co/fNNZqRHyhy pic.twitter.com/YtMqZ1lVWB
The next Canadian election will occur on or before October 20, 2025.
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