Conservative MP withdraws 'bathtub' comment at Speaker's request
MP Garnett Genuis rejected claims the comment was homophobic
Conservative MP Garnett Genuis has withdrawn a comment he made last week that the Liberals claimed was homophobic.
Earlier Tuesday, Speaker of the House of Commons Greg Fergus asked Genuis to retract the comment, which was made during a heated exchange in the Commons over the government's controversial purchase of a luxury apartment for its consul general in New York.
While Genuis rejected the claim that what he said was meant as a homophobic remark, he withdrew it Tuesday evening.
"In deference to the authority of the chair, I withdraw the remarks," Genuis said.
"I appreciate how the chair acknowledged I did nothing wrong and there was no ill-intention," he continued, prompting several points of order from other MPs who argued Genuis lacked remorse in withdrawing his comment.
During last Wednesday's question period, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre listed off features of the condo, including "a handcrafted copper soaking tub." Poilievre asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau if he visited Consul General Tom Clark at the new residence on his recent trip to the U.S.
The House of Commons transcript suggests that during Trudeau's response, when the prime minister was arguing Clark's role is to engage with international leaders on various issues, an unnamed MP yelled: "Does he engage with them in the bathtub?"
The House of Commons' video showed Genuis, the MP for the Alberta riding of Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, saying "bathtub." The microphones didn't pick up the full comment.
On Thursday, Genuis rose in the House to deny the claim that his comment was homophobic.
"The point of that comment is to illustrate that, of course, meetings don't take place in the bathtub. A luxurious bathtub has nothing to do with meetings," he said.
"It had nothing to do with sex. I wasn't thinking about sex at all."
Fergus said Tuesday that while he was "prepared to take [Genuis] at his word," he still asked the MP to withdraw his remark.
"I would invite him to reflect upon how his comments could have been interpreted and to recognize that they provoked disorder," Fergus said.
Liberal and NDP MPs had been calling for Genuis to withdraw his remarks and apologize.
Fergus also ordered Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar to withdraw remarks he made about NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh last Friday.
During a statement, Majumdar referred to Singh as "the sellout NDP leader."
On Tuesday, Fergus said Majumdar's comments "constituted a personal attack" on Singh. The Speaker noted that he had warned other members against using similar language only days before Majumdar made his comments.
"As I stated before, there are ways to make our point without resorting to personal insults," he said.
Fergus said he won't recognize Majumdar in the House until he withdraws his comments.
Following the two rulings, Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer questioned whether Fergus was applying the rules fairly. Scheer pointed out that the Speaker originally asked Trudeau to withdraw the claim that Genuis's comment was homophobic, and argued that the prime minister didn't do so.
After Genuis made the bathtub remark, Trudeau quipped, "We're used to casual homophobic comments from the other side of the House."
At the time, Fergus said he heard a comment but could not tell who made it. While pleading with MPs to "treat each other with the presumption of honour and respect," he asked Trudeau to withdraw that remark.
"Standing up to bullies requires us to call them out on their crap sometimes and that's what I will do," Trudeau responded.
"I will happily withdraw my comment if the member who suggested that I was sharing a bathtub with Tom Clark stands up, takes responsibility."
Trudeau said he would withdraw the "crap" comment and Fergus allowed the prime minister to continue.
Fergus said Tuesday he would take Scheer's suggestion under advisement and look into the matter.
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