Poilievre penalized for not withdrawing comments that set off question period fracas

House Speaker Greg Fergus penalized Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on Thursday by reducing the number of questions he could ask, after Poilievre refused to retract remarks he made in the House of Commons last week.

"The chair has given the leader of the Official Opposition the opportunity to make amends for his words," Fergus stated ahead of question period. "Since he has not made this commitment or withdrawn his comments, I will remove three questions from the leader of the Official Opposition."

Last week during question period, Poilievre used his initial round of questions to criticize the Bloc Québécois and NDP for not backing his motion to bring down the Liberal government. He also called NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh "a fake, a phony, and a fraud," prompting Singh to stand and walk into the aisle to confront Poilievre.

Two MPs told CBC News that Singh said, "I'm right here, bro," while another MP reported hearing Singh say, "I'm right here."

Before question period on Thursday, Fergus addressed the House, condemning both Poilievre and Singh for their conduct during last week’s session. Fergus described Poilievre's remarks as "excessively scornful and personal." He added that Singh’s decision to leave his seat and approach another MP was "unacceptable," emphasizing that disagreements in the House should be settled with words, not physical acts.

Fergus explained that after the incident, he reached out to both leaders, requesting they "make amends." Singh agreed to "act differently in the future," but Poilievre did not respond. As a result, Fergus asked the Conservative leader to withdraw his comments publicly in the House, highlighting that party leaders have a responsibility to serve as role models.

"Rigorous debate and even profound disagreement are possible without resorting to such comments or actions," Fergus said, calling on MPs to choose their words more carefully and warning that further disciplinary action could be taken.

Liberals and NDP members questioned the adequacy of Fergus's ruling. Following question period, NDP MP Heather McPherson argued that Poilievre should not have been allowed to ask any questions until he withdrew his comments. She expressed concern over the "mixed messages" being sent.

Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux echoed McPherson's concerns, suggesting that it was the Conservative Party, rather than Poilievre personally, that was penalized by the reduction in questions. Fergus acknowledged their points but reminded the House that the Speaker has discretion in enforcing the rules.