Poilievre penalized for not withdrawing comments that set off question period fracas

House Speaker Greg Fergus docked questions from Pierre Poilievre on Thursday after the Conservative leader declined to withdraw comments he made in the House of Commons last week.

«The chair has offered the leader of the Official Opposition the opportunity to make amends regarding the words he used,» Fergus said just before question period.

«Having not received such a commitment on his part and the member having not withdrawn his comments, I will therefore remove three questions from the leader of the Official Opposition.»

During question period last week, Poilievre used his opening round of questions to criticize both the Bloc Québécois and NDP for not supporting his motion to topple the Liberal government.

At one point, the Conservative leader called NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh «a fake, a phony and a fraud.» Singh responded by rising from his seat and walking into the aisle to yell at Poilievre.

Two MPs who were in the House told CBC News that Singh said, «I'm right here, bro,» while another said they heard the NDP leader say, «I'm right here.»

Roughly half an hour before Thursday's question period started, Fergus addressed the House regarding last week's incident and reprimanded both Poilievre and Singh for their actions.

In French, Fergus described Poilievre's comments as «excessively scornful and personal.»

«It seems to me equally clear that, in response to such criticisms, it's unacceptable for a member to leave their seat and move toward another member,» Fergus said in French.

«In the House, we resolve our disagreements with words, not with physical acts of this nature.»

Fergus said that following last week's incident, he reached out to both Poilievre and Singh and asked them to «make amends.» The Speaker said Singh responded