Speaker apologizes for appearing in video message at Ontario Liberal convention

House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus apologized in the House of Commons on Monday for appearing in a video message played at the recent Ontario Liberal leadership convention.

“I would like to reassure members that the principles of respect, impartiality and decorum are values I continue to prioritize for my Speaker’s tenure,” he said.

Fergus was criticized by many Conservative MPs for his appearance in a roughly two-minute video tribute to John Fraser, the outgoing interim provincial Liberal leader. In the video, Fergus appears from the Speaker’s chamber and in the traditional robes of his role, speaking between segments recorded by former provincial Liberal leaders Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty.

Fergus maintained that his message was not meant to be partisan or political in any way. He said Fraser has been a personal friend for more than 30 years.

“Like all of you, I have deep and abiding relationships with people from all political backgrounds. It should not be seen as partisan to recognize our colleague’s departure. It is an act of friendship and respect,” Fergus told MPs.

Fergus, who represents a Quebec riding, said he isn’t a member of the Ontario Liberal Party and doesn’t live in that province. Still, he said he would not let such an incident happen again.

Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer — a former Speaker — raised the issue after Fergus’s apology.

Rising on a question of privilege, Scheer told the House that Fergus’s video was a “breach of the impartiality of the [Speaker’s] chair.”

“He was standing there in the full non-partisan trappings of his non-partisan office, paying a partisan tribute to a partisan friend at a partisan event,” Sheer said. “This conduct is simply unacceptable. It defies all long standing traditions and expectations attached to the high office of speaker.”

Scheer said he plans to present a motion in the House calling for the matter to be referred to the House procedures committee.

Bloc Québécois House Leader Alain Therrien told the House that his party is calling on Fergus to resign.

Fergus has said he would recuse himself from overseeing any House debate regarding the video.

At Queen’s Park on Monday, Fraser told reporters there was a miscommunication with Fergus’s office over when the video would be played.

“That’s on us,” Fraser said Monday.

“I just deeply appreciated what Greg did and what I would suggest to anybody who’s being critical of the Speaker — watch the video,” he added, defending the message Fergus gave as personal and non-partisan.