Immigration Minister Marc Miller was admonished in the House of Commons during question period Thursday when he told Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to “grow a pair” and get his security clearance.
Miller withdrew the comment but has yet to apologize for the language.
The minister was responding to a question from Poilievre for the government to detail its plan to address immigration concerns that led U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to threaten a 25-per cent tariff on all Canadian imports when he takes office in January.
“According to (Miller’s) department, there are half a million people here illegally, all of whom could be tempted to go south of the border, provoking a massive retaliatory response,” Poilievre said. “So once again, what’s the plan to fix what he broke?”
Miller responded by accusing Poilievre of “pandering to people, entertaining false hope, promising visas to everyone, promising they won’t get deported.”
He then turned to Poilievre’s refusal to get a security clearance to receive classified information on foreign interference allegations, including against Conservative Party members, which Poilievre has argued would prevent him from speaking publicly about matters he may be briefed on.
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“He needs to grow a pair (and) get the briefing,” Miller said, which led to a lengthy period of disorder in the House.
House Speaker Greg Fergus then intervened and called on Miller to withdraw his remark.
“There is a large flexibility that the Speaker gives of course to the language that’s used in here, but I think that might be beyond the border,” he said.
Miller withdrew but then added: “On a day like this, I would say (Poilievre) is all flannel, no axe.” The minister had used the same phrase on social media shortly before question period to criticize Poilievre’s opposition to the Liberals’ GST relief legislation.
Poilievre then accused Miller of “losing control of his words and his mind.”
“This is a government that is falling to pieces,” he said.
Global News asked Miller’s office to comment on whether the minister planned to apologize for the “grow a pair” remark.
The term has been described by the Women’s Media Centre, founded by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem and which calls itself a “progressive, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization,” as a “sexist” term on par with the phrase “man up.”
“The minister withdrew his comment during Question Period – we won’t comment further,” a spokesperson for Miller’s office told Global News in response.
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