Other MPs quickly recognised the distinctive background of the parliament building’s bathroom as Shafqat Ali, a Liberal MP in Toronto, joined the parliamentary session from his phone.

A politician from the rival Conservative Party rose on a point of order to question if her colleague “might be participating from a washroom”, and a parliamentary official agreed that appeared to be the case, the BBC reports.

The Conservative leader of the House of Commons in Ottawa later raised the issue in a full sitting of the House, pointing out: “The member of Parliament was literally using the washroom while participating in a sitting of the House of Commons, the cathedral of Canadian democracy.”

Mr Ali apologised for the “lapse in judgement”, adding: “I take this matter extremely seriously, and I promise never to repeat this error again.”