Canadian Opposition Leader Ejected from Parliament for Calling PM Trudeau a 'Wacko'

In a heated exchange during a House of Commons session on Tuesday, Canadian Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre was ejected from the chamber after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a "wacko" over the government's drug overdose policy. The incident occurred as Poilievre criticized Trudeau's support for British Columbia's policy of decriminalizing small amounts of hard drugs, which the province is now seeking to roll back.

The Speaker of the House, Greg Fergus, deemed Poilievre's comment "unparliamentary and unacceptable" and ordered him to withdraw it. When Poilievre refused, he was ejected from the House for the remainder of the day's sitting. This marks the first time an opposition leader has been named and removed by the Speaker in the House of Commons.

The tense exchange saw both leaders engage in name-calling, with Trudeau accusing Poilievre of associating with far-right extremists and "white nationalist groups." Poilievre denied these allegations and criticized Trudeau's past episodes of wearing blackface. The situation escalated, leading to what was described as a "remarkable question period " with MPs from all sides yelling at one another.

Following Poilievre's ejection, the Conservative caucus left the chamber in solidarity with their leader. Poilievre accused the Liberal Speaker of censoring him, while Government House Leader Steve MacKinnon criticized Poilievre's actions, calling his rhetoric "violent" and "extreme." NDP House Leader Peter Julian described Poilievre's behavior as "disrespectful" to parliamentary institutions.

Why this matters: The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the Conservative opposition and the Liberal government over issues like drug policy and the handling of the economy. It also serves as a preview of how raucous the next election campaign, expected in 2025, may be as Poilievre and Trudeau face off.

The episode sparked a debate over parliamentary decorum and whether Poilievre was being unfairly silenced. Conservative MP Rachael Thomas was also expelled for challenging the Speaker and calling his handling of the House "disgraceful." Despite the turmoil, the Bloc Québécois leader and an NDP MP made remarks aimed at restoring civility to the proceedings. Poilievre later repeated his "wacko" insult on social media, as the Conservatives launched a fundraiser off the back of the incident.

Key Takeaways

• Canadian Opposition Leader Poilievre ejected from Commons for calling PM Trudeau a "wacko".
• Speaker deemed Poilievre's comment "unparliamentary and unacceptable", first time an opposition leader removed.
• Heated exchange saw name-calling between Poilievre and Trudeau over drug policy and past controversies.
• Conservative caucus left in solidarity, Poilievre accused Speaker of censorship, others criticized his behavior.
• Incident highlights tensions between Conservatives and Liberals, preview of 2025 election campaign.