Commons Speaker Anthony Rota refused an emergency debate on the Chinese intimidation of an MP and threatened to eject Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre from the House.. Anthony Rota .“I do not want to enter into an argument here,” said Rota, a six-term Liberal MP (Nipissing-Timiskaming, ON)..Conservatives sought an emergency debate on a confidential Canadian Security Intelligence Service memo indicating Chinese diplomats sought to intimidate Hong Kong family members of MP Michael Chong (Wellington-Halton Hills, ON). .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Chong said he was never told of the security report..“This issue is so pressing,” said Conservative MP Andrew Scheer (Regina-Qu’Appelle, SK), the Opposition House leader who requested the debate..“Beijing has sought and continues to seek to influence and intimidate Canadian citizens.”.“Beijing’s intimidation tactics are not limited to Members of Parliament but are being deployed against many Canadians of Chinese descent in communities across the country,” said Scheer..“These allegations are widely reported and well established through House of Commons committee testimony.”.Speaker Rota refused to permit the emergency debate. He gave no reason..Poilievre and other Conservative MPs jeered at the ruling..“Does the Leader of the Opposition have something to say to the chair?” asked Rota..“Actually, he does have something to say —” replied Poilievre..“Oh, oh!” said some MPs..“You asked me if I had something to say. I do —” said Poilievre..“Oh, oh!” said some MPs..“I think it is outrageous. We stand in this Parliament to represent our constituents — ” said Poilievre..“Oh, oh!” said some MPs..“If he continues, he will be ejected from the House,” said Rota..“You asked me,” said Poilievre..“I am cutting you off,” replied Rota..“I find your ruling baffling,” said Poilievre..“We have a Member of Parliament who was threatened.” .Poilievre said he would not permit the Speaker to “shut us down.”.“We think it is an emergency when any Member of Parliament faces threats against his family related to the votes conducted on the floor of the House of Commons,” said Poilievre..“Nothing is more basic to our democracy than the ability of members to vote for their constituents’ interests, not to have to vote in order to protect their family members from threats and violence.”.Chong, sponsored a motion in 2021 condemning China for crimes against humanity. It passed by a unanimous 266-0 vote, with the cabinet abstaining..The motion marked the first time MPs recognized ongoing atrocities in China under the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
