Liberal MP Pam Damoff briefly faints at desk during question period

OTTAWA — A Liberal MP walked out of the House of Commons on her own after collapsing at her desk during the daily question period.

Pam Damoff took a deep breath and put down her tablet before slumping onto her desk as Omar Alghabra, the parliamentary secretary to the foreign-affairs minister, answered a question from the Opposition Conservatives about trade.

The Toronto-area MP’s head stayed on the desk for a few seconds before fellow Liberal Marco Mendicino noticed something wrong. He moved over to her, put his hand on her back and then waved for attention from the Speaker of the House of Commons to put a halt to debate.

Damoff sat up after a few seconds, as Mendicino asked whether she was OK.

Damoff moved a hand towards her face and looked around, appearing confused.

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Multiple MPs with health training ran over to help, including Liberals Doug Eyolfson and Carolyn Bennett and former Liberal cabinet minister Jane Philpott, who now sits as an independent, all physicians. So did Conservative Colin Carrie, a chiropractor.

The Prime Minister’s Office says Damoff left the chamber on her own and was given water in the inner lobby.

Damoff was elected for the first time to the House of Commons in 2015 to represent the riding of Oakville North-Burlington, and currently serves as the parliamentary secretary to the minister of health. Prior to her time in federal politics, she served five years as an Oakville town councillor.

At the end of question period, Liberal House leader Bardish Chagger thanked everyone who put politics aside and jumped up to help a colleague.

House Speaker Geoff Regan added that Canadians who normally watch vigorous partisan debate would have been heartened to see the response.

The Canadian Press