House affairs committee to table Speaker Fergus report

House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is poised to learn Thursday what sanctions his peers have decided he'll face over his personal video message to a long-time Liberal friend.

House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is poised to learn Thursday what sanctions his peers have decided he'll face over his personal video message to a long-time Liberal friend.

The Procedure and House Affairs Committee (PROC) is expected to table its report in the House early Thursday, after conducting an expedited study into what all MPs agreed was a bad judgment call on Fergus' behalf; filming a video for outgoing interim Ontario Liberal leader John Fraser in his Speaker's attire, which was then errantly played at a partisan event.

Chair of the committee Liberal MP Bardish Chagger told reporters yesterday to expect the report "first thing in the morning" but, with Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer signalling plans to advance a motion of non-confidence in the Speaker, procedural matters may play out before PROC's findings are presented.

The Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois have taken the position that Fergus' infringement of the essential impartiality expectations of his office amounts to a resignation-worthy offence, while the New Democrats have signalled their desired outcome would be "tough" sanctions, rather than his ouster.

As the party that could tip the scales in making the call about Fergus' fate, if the NDP teamed up behind closed doors at PROC with the Liberals to pass recommendations such as a financial penalty and new rules to prevent future breaches, Fergus could escape the controversy with reprimands and without having to offer his resignation.

During his testimony before the committee earlier this week, Fergus vowed to learn from this mistake and never make it again, while indicating he would accept whatever recommendations the committee makes.

This is a developing story, check back for updates…