OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will not have to deliver any more apologies or face any parliamentary sanctions for knocking into a New Democrat with his elbow.
NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau says she wants everyone to move on from the incident.
“It is my sincere hope that all members will work to ensure that we never see this conduct repeated, and also that we take this opportunity to recommit to improving the tone of debate in Parliament,” Brosseau said in a statement read out Tuesday to the Commons committee on procedure and House affairs.
New Democrat MP David Christopherson shared her views with the all-party committee, which gathered today to discuss how to respond to the May 18 incident, in which Trudeau tried to pull Conservative whip Gord Brown through a group of New Democrats who were standing in his way.
Trudeau knocked into Brosseau, who then missed a vote related to the Liberal government’s proposed legislation on doctor-assisted dying.
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“The details of the unprecedented physical interaction between the prime minister and members of the opposition are well documented, and such an incident would not be acceptable in any workplace,” Brosseau’s statement said.
“It left many members stunned and raised important questions about the conduct of the prime minister in a House that was already confronted with unprecedented government measures to limit debate.”
That was a reference to a now-withdrawn motion that would have given the Liberal government more control over parliamentary procedures.
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But Brosseau said the fact that the committee was considering the question of privilege, coupled with her acceptance of Trudeau’s apology, was the closure she was looking for.
Brosseau says Trudeau’s actions were unprecedented and unacceptable, but she has accepted his apology and wants everyone to move on.
The Liberal-dominated committee agreed unanimously to end things there.
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