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Justin Trudeau calls environment minister "a piece of shit'

Quebec MP follows in his famous father's colourful footsteps.

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Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Justin Trudeau is clearly his father's (expletive deleted) son.

The late former prime minister Pierre Trudeau once found himself accused of telling a fellow MP in the House of Commons to "f** off" -- a claim that the colourful politican denied. He only really mouthed the words "fuddle duddle,'' he insisted.

But an angry outburst during question period in the House by his son Justin Trudeau, now a Montreal MP, left no room for confusion.

Trudeau, a Liberal, could be heard quite clearly calling Environment Minister Peter Kent a "piece of (expletive)'' -- prompting a momentary uproar in the chamber where such language is considered unacceptable.

Kent had just finished dismissing NDP environment critic Megan Leslie as ill-informed on a recent climate-change conference because she hadn't been there.

In fact, the government had barred opposition MPs from being part of Canada's official delegation. So Kent's argument rubbed Trudeau the wrong way.

Following question period, Trudeau rose immediately to apologize.

"I lost my temper and used language that was most decidedly unparliamentary, and for that I unreservedly apologize and withdraw my remarks,'' he said.

As for Kent, he insisted he wasn't troubled by the language, but he did ask Trudeau to apologize to the House.

The exchange capped a foul-mouthed season on Parliament Hill.

New Democrat MP Pat Martin recently cut loose with bad language on Twitter when the government moved in to cap debate on its budget bill. And acting Liberal leader Bob Rae swore in response to a negative tweet by another Liberal.

-- with files from Canadian Press

(5) Comments

Jaye Sunsurn December 14th 2011 | 2:14 PM

History is littered with numerous 'incidents' happening inside the hallowed halls, ones far worse than a few uncooth remarks, even John A MacDonald crossed the floor not to join the other party, but to percussively get his point across in a puglisit fashion.

WendiG December 14th 2011 | 3:15 PM

As despicable as I find Kent, Harper, et al, on this and many other subjects, Justin Trudeau is displaying his father's arrogance and sense of entitlement..

It surpasses belief that Trudeau cheerfully displayed the  ignorance, in a previous holiday greeting,  to dress himself and happy family in the skins and fur of dead animals, but sees no contratdiction in swearing at Kent for the Harper position on Kyoto...

ED December 14th 2011 | 9:21 PM

His Dad was a great leader and he will be one day too..the sooner the better that he runs to lead our country.. he spoke his mind and as unprofessional as it may have been ..Kudos for speaking up to that "piece of shit" Minister of Environment , Peter Kent.

Graham December 14th 2011 | 10:22 PM
WendiG wrote:

It surpasses belief that Trudeau cheerfully displayed the  ignorance, in a previous holiday greeting,  to dress himself and happy family in the skins and fur of dead animals, but sees no contratdiction in swearing at Kent for the Harper position on Kyoto...

I don't see any contradiction. Are you suggesting that animal rights and climate change even remotely related? How much influence does the fur trade have over your views on eco-friendly regulations?
WendiG December 15th 2011 | 5:17 PM
Graham wrote:
WendiG wrote:

It surpasses belief that Trudeau cheerfully displayed the  ignorance, in a previous holiday greeting,  to dress himself and happy family in the skins and fur of dead animals, but sees no contratdiction in swearing at Kent for the Harper position on Kyoto...

I don't see any contradiction. Are you suggesting that animal rights and climate change even remotely related? How much influence does the fur trade have over your views on eco-friendly regulations?

If you cannot see that they are connected, what possible reason would there be for protecting against climate change, unless, like Trudeau,  you feel that superior sense of entitlement over all creatures except your own "group" of humans?