Even the prime minister can get a little a peckish from time to time.
During the first hour of Wednesday night鈥檚 marathon voting session in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was called out by a member of the Conservatives for surreptitiously eating during the proceedings.
鈥淲e all know that the rules of this House do not permit us to eat in this place and I can鈥檛 help but observe that during the last vote a number of people were eating in their seats including the minister of defence, the minister of Canadian heritage, and the prime minister who appeared to be hiding a bagel in his desk,鈥� Conservative MP Scott Reid announced.
As per , members are permitted to 鈥渞efresh themselves with glasses of water during debate, but the consumption of any other beverage or food is not allowed.鈥�
Reid gave one last parting shot at the prime minister when he stated: 鈥淢r. Speaker, the prime minister has already stained this place with corruption, he does not need to stain it with mustard as well.鈥�
The Conservative politician was referencing the ongoing SNC-Lavalin scandal that continues to dog the Liberals more than a month after it became public.
The SNC-Lavalin affair is also the reason why Members of Parliament were in the House of Commons on Wednesday night. The Liberal majority shot down a Conservative motion calling on the prime minister to allow former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould to testify again about the scandal.
This led to a Conservative-sponsored filibuster that has continued into Thursday morning.
In response to Reid鈥檚 accusation, Trudeau stood up and acknowledged he had eaten during the session.
鈥淚ndeed Mr. Speaker, I apologize. It was a chocolate bar and I apologize,鈥� Trudeau stated as members of his party suppressed smiles behind him.
