Canadian MP Apologises for Joining Parliamentary Session From Toilet Stall

Conservative Party members became suspicious of his surroundings when he logged in to a hybrid session last week.

Shafqat Ali. 

(Photo: Twitter/@EqualizerHuman1)

A Canadian legislator has said sorry after he was caught attending a closed parliamentary session from a toilet stall.

Liberal party member Shafqat Ali logged in into a hybrid session of parliament last Friday via a Zoom-like video feed.

Conservative Party members, however, became suspicious of his surroundings.

MP Laila Goodridge told the House of Commons that a lawmaker “might be participating in a washroom.”

This was later confirmed by the parliamentary staff.

"The member of parliament was literally using the washroom while participating in a sitting of the House of Commons, the cathedral of Canadian democracy. I can’t believe I actually just said those words, Madame Speaker," Conservative House leader John Brassard said.

"Those who witnessed the events quite clearly saw the Liberal MP enter what appeared to be a toilet stall in one of the men's washrooms located on this very floor of this very building," he added.

After the incident came to light, Ali called into Parliament to apologise for his "lapse in judgement," reported the BBC.

"I take this matter extremely seriously, and I promise never to repeat this error again," he said.

(With inputs from The Guardian and the BBC.)