CALEB NICKERSON
PONTIAC June 16, 2021
Pontiac MP Will Amos was reprimanded by the House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota on June 7 for his second videoconferencing mishap, where he was caught urinating on camera.
Rota called the second incident serious and advised his colleagues to be mindful when participating in the virtual parliamentary proceedings.
“We have often reminded Members that virtual sittings are an extension of House proceedings and that their conduct must follow our rules and practices, even when participating from a distance. As soon as an MP logs in to a virtual session and opens their camera, it is considered to be, for all intents and purposes, in the House. The reported facts are not contested and constitute a serious breach of the rules of decorum and an affront to the dignity of the House.”
The statement was responding to a question of privilege made by Conservative MP Karen Vecchio. Rota said the issue will be discussed further at the procedure and House affairs committee.
At the time of print, Amos hadn’t made any public statements or appearances since publishing an apology on social media at 10:30 p.m. on May 27. In his statement, he apologized and said he was seeking assistance, without specifying what he was seeking assistance for. He announced that he would be stepping back from his roles in committees and as parliamentary secretary.
His office director Francis Beausoleil declined to comment on the record about when Amos would be returning to public events, but provided more detail about what he would be seeking assistance for.
“MP Amos has temporarily stepped back from his parliamentary duties to pursue a wellness program, working with a health team to address stress and time management challenges,” he wrote in an email. “The constituency offices continue to provide support and assistance to constituents in Pontiac.”
This is the second blunder in as many months for Amos, who was previously caught naked on a House of Commons videoconference feed in April, and the photo was shared widely in the media. He claimed at the time that he had returned from a jog and was changing into his work clothes.












