'Repetitive partisan conduct': Conservatives to force vote on ousting Speaker Greg Fergus

The federal Conservatives have advanced a motion that will force MPs to vote on whether to oust Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, after MPs' deputy adjudicator ruled Monday that the Liberal member's allegedly errant partisan event invite required urgent attention.

The federal Conservatives have advanced a motion that will force MPs to vote on whether to oust Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, after MPs' deputy adjudicator ruled Monday that the Liberal member's allegedly errant partisan event invite required urgent attention.

Ruling on a question of privilege raised by Conservative MP Chris Warkentin last week, deputy House Speaker and Conservative MP Chris d'Entremont said that without passing judgement on the facts, concerns raised about the latest example of the Speaker's "alleged lack of impartiality" merited taking priority.

"It is in the interest of the whole House to resolve this particular matter quickly, and with all due seriousness, and as a result, I find that a prima facie question or privilege exists in this case," he said.

This all stemmed from opposition outrage over "very partisan" language – calling Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's policies "reckless" – used to promote an upcoming constituency event with Fergus.

That version of the online listing for "a summer evening with the honourable Greg Fergus" was quickly pulled by the party and replaced with a version promising a "fun-filled summer kick-off BBQ."

According to Liberal spokesperson Parker Lund, the event listing was revised because there was a "miscommunication" between the party and Fergus' riding association, "which led to the wrong text being put on the website."

While the messaging used by the Liberal party "had not been approved" by Fergus' team, the event – meant to assist in his re-election efforts, as is above board – was cleared by the Clerk of the House of Commons, according to Speaker's office spokesperson Mathieu Gravel.