Conservatives advocate for motion to remove Speaker Greg Fergus

The federal Conservatives have escalated their efforts to remove Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, following a ruling by deputy adjudicator Chris d’Entremont that deemed Fergus’ alleged partisan behavior a matter of urgent concern. The controversy arose from a promotional event invite that used “very partisan” language to describe Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s policies, prompting outrage from the opposition.

The online listing for the event with Fergus was quickly revised by the Liberal party after concerns were raised, with a spokesperson citing a “miscommunication” as the reason for the initial wording. Despite the event being cleared by the Clerk of the House of Commons, the Conservatives moved a motion to declare Fergus’ actions a breach of trust and call for his immediate removal from office.

The motion, if passed, would lead to a new Speaker’s election being held, but the outcome remains uncertain as the New Democrats have expressed support for Fergus and placed blame on the Liberal party for the incident. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reiterated his confidence in Fergus, stating that the issue has been addressed and should not impact Fergus’ role as Speaker.

This is not the first time Fergus has faced calls for resignation over allegations of partisan behavior, with the Conservatives questioning his ability to remain impartial in his role. In response to past criticisms, Fergus has apologized and vowed to uphold the standards of the Speaker’s office.

The debate over Fergus’ future as Speaker is expected to dominate proceedings in the House of Commons until a resolution is reached. While some MPs have called for Fergus to step down in the interest of upholding democratic institutions, others have defended him against what they see as partisan attacks from the Conservatives. The outcome of the vote on Fergus’ ouster remains uncertain, with the Liberal caucus expected to support Fergus in retaining his position.