Immigration Minister Marc Miller was admonished in the House of Commons during question period Thursday when he told Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to “grow a pair” and get his security clearance.
Miller withdrew the comment but has yet to apologize for the language.
The minister was responding to a question from Poilievre asking the government to detail its plan to address immigration concerns that led US President-elect Donald Trump to threaten a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports when he takes office. the position in January.
“According to (Miller’s) department, there are half a million people here illegally, all of whom could be tempted to go south of the border, provoking a massive retaliatory response,” Poilievre said. “So, once again, what’s the plan to fix what you broke?”
Miller responded by accusing Poilievre of “people-pleasing, raising false hopes, promising everyone visas, promising they won’t be deported.”
He then referred to Poilievre’s refusal to obtain a security clearance to receive classified information about allegations of foreign interference, including against members of the Conservative Party, which Poilievre said would prevent him from speaking publicly about matters about which he could receive information.
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“He needs to grow up a couple (and) get information,” Miller said, leading to a long period of disarray in the House.
House Speaker Greg Fergus then intervened and asked Miller to withdraw his comment.
“Of course, the Speaker gives a lot of flexibility to the language used here, but I think that might be over the line,” he said.
Miller withdrew but later added: “On a day like this, I would say (Poilievre) is all flannel, no axe.” The minister had used the same phrase on social networks shortly before question period to criticize Poilievre’s opposition to the Liberals’ GST relief legislation.
Poilievre then accused Miller of “losing control of his words and his mind.”
“This is a government that is falling apart,” he said.
Global News asked Miller’s office for comment on whether the minister planned to apologize for the “growing a couple” comment.
The term has been described by the Women’s Media Centerfounded by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem and which calls itself a “progressive, non-partisan, non-profit organization”, as a “sexist” term on par with the phrase “man up”.
“The minister withdrew his comment during question period; we will have no further comment,” a spokesperson for Miller’s office told Global News in response.
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