House of Commons speaker Greg Fergus pays tribute to the late prime minister Brian Mulroney in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 18.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Update: Liberal Party National Director apologizes to MP Greg Fergus over partisan language on event post
On Tuesday, May 21, the Liberal Party of Canada apologized to Greg Fergus, who serves as the Speaker of the House of Commons, over an advertisement that appeared on its website that included language it says was partisan in nature.
On X, the party’s national director Azam Ishmael published a letter to Mr. Fergus about the ad, which the party has since taken down.
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing criticism over language used in an advertisement promoting a coming event that a Conservative MP says is partisan and inflammatory and shows Mr. Fergus is not fit to serve in his role.
In a four-page letter being sent to Mr. Fergus Tuesday morning, Conservative MP Chris Warkentin says an advertisement for “A Summer Evening with the Honourable Greg Fergus,” to be held next month, includes a line that “Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives propose reckless policies that would risk our health, safety and pocketbooks.”
Mr. Warkentin, who represents the Alberta riding of Grande Prairie-Mackenzie, says the event is being promoted by attacking Mr. Poilievre. A Speaker cannot credibly claim to be objectively policing debate in the House of Commons by day while holding “partisan attack rallies against the Leader of the Official Opposition by night,” he added.
“I recognize that any sitting Speaker who intends to seek re-election as an MP must also consider fundraising,” he said.
“But I note that your advertised event does not appear to be a fundraiser, as there is no ticketed price. With such a highly partisan description, your event appears more akin to a partisan political rally than anything else.”
The role of the Speaker is to essentially be a referee. The Speaker’s actions must be impartial to preserve the trust of the House.
The Conservatives intend to raise their concerns about Mr. Fergus’s advertisement in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Mr. Fergus has not yet responded to concerns contained in the letter.
Mr. Fergus, a Liberal MP who represents the Quebec riding of Hull–Aylmer, was elected as Speaker in October, 2023.
Mr. Warkentin’s letter references other instances that the Conservatives believe show Mr. Fergus is not adequately suited to serve in his role as Speaker.
For example, he said Mr. Fergus recently used his authority as Speaker to remove the Conservative Leader from the House of Commons over remarks made about Justin Trudeau while he said the Prime Minister used “equally questionable” language “merely seconds before.”
Last December, Mr. Fergus came under fire for participating in a congratulatory video for John Fraser, the former interim leader of the Ontario Liberals, who is a long-time personal friend. In the video screened at the party meeting where Bonnie Crombie was named Ontario Liberal Leader, Mr. Fergus wore his Commons uniform.