Canadian Lawmaker Gives Colleagues an Accidental Show

William Amos said he stripped down in front of camera, not realizing it was on
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 15, 2021 10:50 AM CDT

A Canadian member of parliament appeared naked in front of his colleagues Wednesday when he changed out of jogging clothes in his office—right in front of his camera. Liberal MP William Amos, the parliamentary secretary to Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, was seen completely naked during a virtual parliamentary session, though a screenshot obtained by media outlets showed he was holding something, possibly a phone, that blocked his genitals from view. The footage was visible to other MPs and House of Commons staff, but was not broadcast to the public because Amos wasn't speaking, per CBC News and CTV News. In a later statement, Amos, who represents the Quebec region of Pontiac, said his camera "was accidentally turned on as I was changing into my work clothes after going for a jog."

"I sincerely apologize to my colleagues in the House of Commons for this unintentional distraction," Amos added, promising the "honest mistake … won't happen again." House Speaker Anthony Rota later said he'd missed the incident, but Bloc Quebecois MP Claude DeBellefeuille, the party whip, brought it up following the session. "It may be necessary to remind the members, especially the male ones, that a tie and jacket are obligatory, but so are a shirt, boxer shorts or pants," she said in French, per CTV. She did acknowledge that Amos was "in great physical shape." Liberal whip Mark Holland says Amos was "utterly mortified," per CTV. During the pandemic, "the line between our home and our office place is so blurred and trying to manage that is sometimes challenging," he added. "You've got to really always assume that camera is on." (More Canada stories.)

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