May 21, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON – Chris Warkentin, Deputy Whip of the Official Opposition, released the following statement on continued partisan activities from House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus:
“House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus has once again shown his disregard for the neutrality required in his role.
“The Liberal Party of Canada is advertising a “Summer Evening with the Honourable Greg Fergus”, scheduled for June 4th just across the river from Parliament Hill. The promotional material uses inflammatory partisan attacks about the Leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party. This is the same Speaker who, just a few weeks ago, used the authority of his position to kick out the Leader of the Opposition while giving a free pass to the Prime Minister for using similar language.
“This Speaker has shown that he has no intention of remaining non-partisan. In addition to the two instances mentioned above, the Speaker has spoken at a cocktail fundraising dinner for a neighbouring Liberal, addressed the Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention in full Speaker garb, and jetted off to Washington to make a speech about his days as a member of the Young Liberals.
“Conservatives have known for months that the Speaker has no intention of doing his job well or fairly. Unfortunately, Trudeau’s NDP coalition partners have stood behind Fergus, preferring a Speaker who will protect Trudeau to one who shows a modicum of fairness in the chair.
“After Fergus’ last malfeasance, however, the NDP promised that they would call for Greg Fergus to step down if something like what happened at the Ontario Liberal Party convention ever happened again.
“It has happened again. If Fergus refuses to see the obvious error of his conduct, the NDP must finally join the Conservatives and the Bloc to express non-confidence in the Speaker.”