(OTTAWA) Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on Tuesday strained the nerves of House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota, who outright threatened him with expulsion.

The acrimonious exchanges began after Mr. Rota rejected a request by the Conservatives to hold an emergency debate on Chinese interference, ruling that it did not meet the criteria set out in the regulations.

” To order ! Order!, then launches the president who tries to restore calm in the Chamber. Does the Leader of the Opposition have anything to say to the President? »

It was then that Mr. Poilievre spoke. “Actually, he has something to say. You asked me if I had something to say: I have something to say. I think that’s outrageous! »

President Rota interrupts him immediately. “If he continues, he will be expelled from the House,” he warned.

“Expel him!” we hear shouting in the Chamber.

Meanwhile Mr. Poilievre continues to speak despite his microphone being muted and the President refusing to let him speak again. “You asked me if I had something to say,” he sends among other things.

“I’m cutting you off. It’s like that. Please sit down,” replies Mr. Rota, whose mandate is to ensure the orderly progress of proceedings, to interpret these rules impartially, to maintain order and to defend the rights and privileges of deputies.

Hoping to get to the agenda, the president reads a conservative motion on homeownership and affordable rent. Mr. Poilievre, who had not said his last word, rose to address it, but decided to return first to the rejected request for an emergency debate.

“Let me say at the outset, Mr. President, that I find your decision disconcerting. We have a deputy who has been threatened,” he begins.

It was enough for Kevin Lamoureux, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House, to rise to make a point of order.

“Mr. Speaker, there is a tradition in the House, whether here in Canada or in the UK, and that is that you respect the chair. […] When you made your decision, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada shouted through…”, he said in pain and misery under the reproaches of the Conservative MPs.

Before it all turned to fair, President Rota, in a move he called “rare”, decided to explain the reasons behind his decision.

The matter for debate is indeed “urgent” and the request has been “seriously” considered, he says, but one of the criteria for deciding an emergency debate is whether there is an opportunity for debate. in the near future, immediately.”

But, according to him, it is. “If the hon. members […] of the opposition find this so important, they will use their opposition day on Thursday to debate it, because it is very important to them,” he adds.

Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer then rose, but Mr. Rota warned him by giving him the floor: “I don’t want to start an argument here,” he said. I explained the reasons for my decision. It’s final! »

“It’s just that this problem is so pressing,” Mr. Scheer sends him before being interrupted by the president who considers that “this is not acceptable”.

The House leader of the NDP, Peter Julian, in turn made a point of order. “It’s a serious disrespect for your role as Speaker of the House,” he said in pain and misery.

“I do not hear the honorable parliamentarian who has the floor”, then rises the president before resuming the NDP member who wants the Conservatives to start debating their motion which is on the agenda.

The conservative leader then decides to resume after throwing a final point at the president.

“I will remind the president that we will decide what is relevant for our speeches,” he said. You won’t silence us! »