Speaker of the House of Commons Greg Fergus has said he has no intention of resigning, despite calls from the two opposition parties to do so.
The Conservative Party and the Bloc Quebecois say they are calling for Fergus’ resignation over his appearance in a video shown at last weekend’s Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention.
In a video, Fergus paid tribute to former Ontario Liberal Party interim leader John Fraser. The video was recorded in the Speaker’s office while Mr Fergus was wearing his robes.
House Speaker Greg Fergus told CBC’s Katie Simpson in Washington, D.C., that he wants fairness, as the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois call for his resignation over his appearance in a video played at the Ontario Liberal Party convention. He said he would not resign because he wanted to prove something. and fairness.
Lawmakers spent a significant amount of time Tuesday afternoon debating the language of a motion to refer the matter to a committee. All four major parties have announced their support for the proposal, so the motion is likely to pass.
Fergus said he intends to allow that process to proceed.
“There is a process set out by the House of Commons and we will follow that process,” Fergus told CBC News on Tuesday night.
Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who introduced the motion, reiterated on Tuesday that his party believes Fergus should resign.
“We have made our position clear. At this point, we don’t know how the chairman can remain in office,” Scheer said. “Until he makes his own decision, we need to use the tools we have.”
Bloc Quebecois Party Leader Yves-François Blanchette said Tuesday that Fergus “failed” to be impartial by appearing in the video.
“He can’t stay here,” Blanchett told reporters. “It needs to be fixed as soon as possible so it doesn’t get in the way of Congress.”
Mr Fergus was asked how he could continue to hold office as the two opposition parties say they have lost confidence in his impartiality, saying he is committed to demonstrating “impartiality”.
“The best thing to do is to show them and show them fairness and fairness in doing their jobs,” he said.
Ahead of debate on the motion on Tuesday, Government House Leader Karina Gould said she had confidence in Mr Fergus. After the motion was filed, a spokesperson for Gould’s office later said the government supported the issues being considered by the committee.
MPs are expected to vote on the Conservative Party’s amendments to the motion on Wednesday, and the committee will submit its report by mid-December. After that vote, they will continue debating key issues. It’s unclear how long that will take.
Fergus to Washington for pre-planned trip
Fergus spoke to CBC from Washington, where he was on a pre-planned trip.
A spokesperson for Fergus’ office confirmed to CBC News that the trip has been planned for “several weeks” and that Fergus will meet with diplomats and elected officials. . Mr. Fergus declined to supervise a discussion of his own video.
Mr Fergus apologized on Monday for the fact that the video was used at a partisan event, but insisted it was intended as a tribute to his friend of more than 30 years. He said he was told the video would be played during an “intimate party.”
Opposition MPs are forcing a debate and vote on whether House Speaker Greg Fergus should be held accountable for a video tribute he produced for outgoing Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser. Fergus made the video in the Speaker’s office, wearing traditional Speaker’s robes. With the issue on the government’s agenda, the Electricity Commission is considering whether Mr Fergus breached political impartiality rules.
Mr Fraser told reporters at Queen’s Park on Monday that there had been a miscommunication with Mr Fergus’ office over when the video would be played.
Mr Fergus was elected Speaker of the House of Commons in early October after his predecessor, Liberal MP Anthony Rota, resigned amid controversy.
During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to Ottawa in September, Mr. Rota told the House of Commons that he had served in a volunteer unit created by the Nazis to help fight the Soviet Union during World War II. Admitted.
