By Canadian Press

Speaker Greg Fergus apologizes in House of Commons again for partisan video

Dec 15, 2023 | 10:33 AM

OTTAWA — The Speaker of the House of Commons has once again apologized for filming a video played at a partisan event, after a parliamentary committee called on him to show more contrition.  

Speaker Greg Fergus says he made a “serious mistake” in recording a video in tribute to the outgoing interim leader of the Ontario Liberals.

He was wearing his ceremonial robes in the video, which was shot in his Parliament Hill office and played at the provincial party’s recent leadership convention.

The procedure and House affairs committee said in a report released Thursday that there should be clearer guidelines for future Speakers about the impartiality of their role.

The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois MPs on the committee called for Fergus to resign, but Liberals and New Democrats, who held the majority, instead endorsed a call for him to apologize again and reimburse Parliament for resources used to film the video.

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Fergus says his office is putting in place a “more rigorous” communications protocol, and reassured parliamentarians a situation like this would not happen again.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2023.

The Canadian Press