WATCH: While the Prime Minister was away this week, it was up to Conservative MP Paul Calandra to deal with Questions about Canada’s mission in Iraq. But, that turned into a bit of a debacle and led to a tearful apology on Friday. Tom Clark explains.
OTTAWA – Conservative MP Paul Calandra has made a tearful apology to the House of Commons for his non-answers to opposition questions this week.
Calandra, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s parliamentary secretary, rose on a point of order to tell the House he was sorry for his conduct.
His voice cracked as he appeared to fight back tears during the apology.
WATCH: The exchange that led Calandra to apologize.
Calandra says he allowed his “passion” and “anger” to get in the way of properly responding to a question earlier this week from NDP Leader Tom Mulcair.
Mulcair was asking the government to clarify when the 30-day window for Canada’s current mission in Iraq would close.
Calandra responded by raising a comment about Israel posted to social media by a party supporter.
“I allowed the passion and the anger which, something I read, to get in the way of appropriately answering a question to the leader of the Opposition,” Calandra told the House today.
“For that I apologize to you and to this entire House and to my constituents.”
Mulcair tweeted that he accepts Calandra’s apology and hopes the Conservative MP supports an NDP motion to be proposed next week that seeks to give the Speaker more power to cut off members who aren’t answering questions.
WATCH: Conservative MP Paul Calandra’s emotional apology to House of Commons.
– with files from Laura Stone
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