The Conservatives are alleging "contempt of the House" after a Liberal MP was found to be participating in House of Commons proceedings virtually from a washroom stall.."Frankly, madam speaker, we've now had two years with Zoom meetings, two years with hybrid Parliament. Surely to God, we've figured out when and where to turn our cameras on and off," said Conservative MP John Brassard..The incident took place last Friday afternoon during a debate on a private member’s bill, when Conservative MP Laila Goodridge rose on a point of order and said it appeared that Liberal MP Shafqat Ali was participating from a washroom.."I'd like to remind everyone that especially online we have to be very prudent on how we use our devices, and to be aware of the surroundings when you are online," Assistant Deputy Speaker Alexandra Mendes said to MPs at the time after the incident was confirmed..Liberal MP and parliamentary secretary to the Government House Leader, Kevin Lamoureux, then rose in the House to say MPs "have to be very careful" about raising concerns, and suggested that the Conservatives were using "virtual Parliament as a mechanism to embarrass people.".On Monday, Brassard told the House of Commons that after speaking with MPs who witnessed the incident, it appeared Ali entered the men's washroom inside West Block. The angle of the video suggested that the MP then mounted his phone on the ledge on the wall just above the back of the toilet. .“The member of Parliament was literally using the washroom while participating in a sitting of the House of Commons, the cathedral of Canadian democracy. I can't believe I actually just said those words, madame speaker," Brassard said..Brassard added that the incident was a “serious breach of the rules of decorum and an affront against the dignity of the House of Commons,” and asked that the matter be referred to the Procedure and House Affairs Committee for further consideration..Approximately an hour and a half after Brassard spoke, Ali appeared in the House chamber virtually from his riding to apologize.."I want to take this opportunity to apologize sincerely and unreservedly to all members of Parliament for the unfortunate event that transpired last Friday," he said..A similar incident occurred during the last Parliament, when then Liberal MP Will Amos accidentally exposed himself twice during virtual proceedings. The MP said he was seeking help, and did not seek re-election in 2021.
