Tories Renew Call to Oust House Speaker for Upcoming Participation in ‘Partisan’ Event

Greg Fergus makes a Speaker's Statement before Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Oct. 18, 2023. 

Conservatives are again calling for House Speaker Greg Fergus to resign or be removed after discovering his participation at a Liberal Party event was advertised with “partisan” language against Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre.

In a May 21 statement, Tory MP Chris Warkentin accused Mr. Fergus of engaging “partisan activities” in relation to a Liberal Party event titled “Summer Evening with the Honourable Greg Fergus.”

Mr. Warkentin, who serves as his party’s deputy whip, said that Mr. Fergus “has once again shown his disregard for the neutrality required in his role.”

The link for the event is available on the Liberal Party website, but details about the event do not appear. A notice says “this event is either passed, or is no longer available.” The Liberal Party did not respond to questions about the event.

Mr. Warkentin’s office provided what it says is a screenshot of the event as it appeared on the website.

The “summer evening” with Mr. Fergus is to be held on June 4 in Gatineau, across the river from Ottawa, in Mr. Fergus’ riding of Hull—Aylmer.

“While Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives propose reckless policies that would risk our health, safety, and pocketbooks, our Liberal team is focused on making life more affordable for Canadians,” says the event notice.

Mr. Warkentin says the language used in the promotional material constitutes “inflammatory partisan attacks” against Mr. Poilievre.

Mathieu Gravel, spokesperson for the House Speaker, told The Epoch Times the event is a barbecue organized by the Hull-Aylmer Federal Liberal Association to assist in the re-election of Mr. Fergus.

“The Speaker’s office had discussed this event with the Clerk of the House of Commons, who raised no concerns since this event is taking place in Mr. Fergus’s riding, which is permitted,” said Mr. Gravel.

Mr. Gravel says that the Hull-Aylmer Federal Liberal Association was unaware of the text posted on the Liberal Party website and asked that it be removed. He added the text was not approved by Mr. Fergus’ team. The Association’s invitation for the barbecue provided by Mr. Gravel does not contain partisan language.

House Speakers, which oversee politically charged proceedings and debates in the Commons, are expected to maintain neutrality to the greatest extent. They only take part in votes in order to break a tie.

Mr. Fergus has been accused by the opposition of acting in a partisan manner several times during his short tenure, with the latest controversy being expelling Mr. Poilievre from the House on April 30.

Mr. Poilievre had called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his drug decriminalization policies “wacko” during a wild question period session. Mr. Fergus asked the Tory leader to withdraw his comment, while Mr. Poilievre said he would only withdraw if he could replace it with another term such as “extremist” or “radical.”

Moments earlier, Mr. Fergus had not intervened when Mr. Trudeau accused Mr. Poilievre of courting “extremist white nationalist groups.”

Mr. Fergus also came under scrutiny in late 2023 for providing a video of himself in full Speaker garb to the Ontario Liberal Party convention, and for speaking of his time as a Young Liberal during a speech in Washington. The party convention matter was studied before the Procedure and House Affairs Committee in December, where Mr. Fergus said he was “deeply sorry” and told MPs he would “do whatever I can to regain your confidence.”

Mr. Fergus replaced fellow Liberal MP Anthony Rota as Speaker after the latter resigned over his recognition of former Ukranian soldier Yaroslav Hunka in the House of Commons in September 2023. It was later discovered that Mr. Hunka had fought for a Nazi SS division accused of war crimes.

“The Speaker, to use the old hockey analogy, is nothing more than a referee,” said Mr. Fergus in October after being elected in the role by fellow MPs.

Party whips from the NDP and the Bloc Québécois did not immediately return a request for comment.

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