NDP, Conservative MPs accuse each other of harassment in the House

A NDP MP is calling on the Speaker to intervene after she accused some Conservatives MPs of harassment and name-calling during a raucous late-night voting session Thursday in the House of Commons.

MP Lindsay Mathyssen accused Conservative MPs of behaving in ways that contributed to the "toxicity" in the opposition lobby and in the chamber.

Conservative MPs denied the accusations and alleged that Mathyssen was behaving aggressively toward them.

Members were at the House late Thursday to debate and vote on the federal government's GST holiday bill, which passed at around 11:30 p.m.

"The disrespect shown to the place disrupted members, staff and pages, leading to a toxic environment and an unsafe workplace," Mathyssen said.

"Conservative members of Parliament continued to call me names, harassed me and attempted to bully me. How can I do my job if Conservatives yell personal insults as I try to speak or talk to the Speaker?"

Close to 100 Conservative MPs were in the chamber last night.

WATCH | NDP MP says Conservatives 'harassed' her:  

NDP MP says Conservatives called her names and attempted to bully her after GST vote

5 hours ago

Duration 6:46

NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen says Conservative Party members ‘harassed’ her after a late-night vote on the GST tax holiday. Mathyssen said ‘acts of harassment are escalating’ in the House.  

Matthyssen said she was unable to hear her name or the names of her colleagues as they were called to vote on Thursday night due to the "generally disruptive behaviour from the Conservatives."

She also said she tried to address her concerns to the Speaker but "nothing was done."

MP Gray says she felt 'intimidated'

Meanwhile, Conservative Michelle Rempel Garner, MP for Calgary Rose Hill, told the Speaker that Mathyssen and two other NDP MPs — Blake Desjarlais and Bonita Zarillo — were "standing with a very aggressive posture, almost with hands in the faces of my colleagues, who then had to de-escalate the situation." She said the Conservative Party was prepared to provide a video of the incident.

CBC News obtained the video of the incident Rempel Garner described. Later on Friday, Conservative MP Michael Barrett posted the video on X.

"Us expressing the frustration of what people across the country are feeling right now should not be allowed to be whitewashed by a member saying that her feelings were hurt," Rempel Garner said during question period.

She added that the "NDP are feeling the heat because of their choices to keep propping this corrupt government up ... that is something they have to live with."

Conservative MP Tracy Gray also alleged that Mathyssen "lashed out" at some Conservative members and claimed they were intoxicated despite them not drinking.

"She proceeded to come over to my desk," Gray said. "I felt physically intimidated. I was actually in shock."

On Friday afternoon, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May told CBC News that some Conservative MPs had been drinking and had a party before the vote.

"You should not be coming to Parliament all charged up on booze," she said.

Conservative MP Luc Berthold later said that May's claims about Conservatives acting belligerently are "totally false" and referred to the recording Rempel Garner mentioned. 

"I've never seen Ms. May in the lobby. I don't know where she got her information," he said. 

WATCH | MPs have heated exchange in House of Commons:

NDP and Conservative MPs yell across House aisle following GST vote

5 hours ago

Duration 1:00

After a vote on introducing a new two-month GST tax break, NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen addresses the House Speaker and yells back and forth with a Conservative MP.