{{Short description|Canadian politician and lawyer (born 1974)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Will Amos | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = 200px | riding = Pontiac | parliament = Canadian | term_start = October 19, 2015 | term_end = September 20, 2021 | predecessor = Mathieu Ravignat | successor = Sophie Chatel | birth_name = William Amos | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|12|4}} | birth_place = Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | death_date = | death_place = | profession = {{hlist|Lawyer|lecturer}} | alma_mater = McMaster University (BASc)<br />University of British Columbia (MA)<br />McGill University (JD, BCL) | party = Liberal | footnotes = | spouse = Regina Amos | children = 2 }} '''William Amos''' (born December 4, 1974) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Pontiac, Quebec from 2015 to 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, he was first elected in the 2015 federal election and was re-elected in the 2019 federal election. In December 2019, Amos was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.<ref>https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/89527</ref>
In May 2021, he temporarily stepped away from his role after two on-camera incidents during parliamentary sessions: one in which he was naked on a non-public video feed and a second in which he urinated into a coffee cup on camera during a non-public session. Amos described both incidents as accidental and apologized for them, while also calling for an investigation into how a photo of the first incident was leaked to the press. In June 2021, Amos's urination incident was ruled a ''prima facie'' case of contempt against the House of Commons by Speaker Anthony Rota, and the matter was referred to the chamber's Procedure and House Affairs Committee. In August 2021, he announced that he would not seek re-election in that year's election.
Before entering politics, Amos was a lawyer for Ecojustice Canada, a lecturer at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, and director of the uOttawa Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic.
==Education and career== Amos attended McMaster University, earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree and a Master of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia. He went on to attend McGill University's civil/common law program, graduating in 2004.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Schmitz|first=Cristin|date=November 6, 2015|title=Lawyers back with a vengeance, business people will cede power|url=https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/2196/lawyers-back-with-a-vengeance-business-people-will-cede-power|website=Lawyers Weekly|access-date=April 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Twenty-five McGillians off to Parliament : McGill Reporter|url=https://reporter.mcgill.ca/twenty-five-mcgillians-off-to-parliament/|date=October 21, 2015|website=publications.mcgill.ca|access-date=April 3, 2021}}</ref> Amos was called to the bar in both Ontario and Quebec and worked for a large Montreal law firm. He advised former Cabinet minister David Anderson on issues related to species at risk and worked in the Prime Minister's Office under Jean Chrétien.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Berthiaume|first=Lee|date=January 25, 2016|title=Pontiac MP Will Amos on caring for the local environment|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/q-a-pontiac-mp-will-amos-on-caring-for-the-local-environment|access-date=January 25, 2016|website=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Turnbull|first=Amanda|title=Will Amos New Director of uOttawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic {{!}} Common Law Section News|url=http://dev15.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/Common-Law-Section-News/will-amos-new-director-of-uottawa-ecojustice-environmental-law-clinic.html|access-date=May 23, 2016|website=dev15.commonlaw.uottawa.ca}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Mandel|first=Charles|date=October 21, 2015|title=Warren Kinsella dishes on who will be Trudeau's Minister of Environment|url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2015/10/21/news/warren-kinsella-dishes-who-will-be-trudeaus-minister-environment|website=National Observer|access-date=May 23, 2016}}</ref>
=== Ecojustice Canada and University of Ottawa === By 2007, Amos was a lawyer for Ecojustice Canada, an environmental law charity which had partnered with the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) Faculty of Law to create the uOttawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic, which provided legal advice to individuals and community groups involved in environmental law cases.<ref name=":2" /> During his time at the environmental law clinic, Amos collaborated as an author on four books, three of which were about the mining industry in Quebec, and one on holding the Canadian government accountable for environmental enforcement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=8bd1a4d2-ee35-4f33-b21f-79e81c6d3b76&Section=ALL&Language=E|title=PARLINFO - Parliamentarian File - Complete File - AMOS, William|access-date=May 23, 2016}}</ref> Amos was a part-time lecturer and staff lawyer at the University of Ottawa before being promoted to director of the uOttawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic in August 2010.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=New uOttawa-Ecojustice Clinic Director announced - Ecojustice|url=http://www.ecojustice.ca/pressrelease/new-uottawa-ecojustice-clinic-director-announced/|date=August 24, 2010|website=Eco Justice|publisher=Ecojustice Canada|language=en-US|access-date=May 23, 2016}}</ref>
==Political career== In October 2014, Amos won the Liberal nomination to run in Pontiac for the 2015 federal election.<ref name=":4" /> He won the riding in the 2015 election, unseating incumbent Mathieu Ravignat of the New Democratic Party (NDP).<ref>[http://www.lapresse.ca/le-droit/dossiers/elections-federales-2015/201510/19/01-4911707-will-amos-rafle-pontiac.php Will Amos rafle Pontiac], ''La Presse'', October 19, 2015.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/federal-election-pontiac|title = Liberals win decisive victory in the Pontiac|date = 2015-10-16 |access-date = 2021-04-03|work = Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> At the time of his election, Amos was teaching law at the University of Ottawa as the director of the uOttawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Smyth|first=Catrina|date=October 20, 2015|title=Sea of red washes over orange crush|url=http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/10/20/sea-of-red-washes-over-orange-crush|website=Ottawa Sun|access-date=May 23, 2016}}</ref>
Amos was re-elected following the 2019 election.<ref name="CBC2019">{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=October 21, 2019|title=Liberal Will Amos victorious in Pontiac|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/pontiac-federal-election-2019-1.5325968|access-date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> On December 12, 2019, Amos was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, with a focus on science.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blewett|first=Taylor|date=December 13, 2019|title=Mandate letters and parliamentary secretaries: What the NCR needs to know|work=Ottawa Citizen|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/mandate-letters-and-parliamentary-secretaries-what-the-ncr-needs-to-know|access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref> On August 8, 2021, Amos announced he would not seek re-election.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Amos|first=Will|date=August 8, 2021|title=Statement by Member of Parliament Will Amos|url=https://www.facebook.com/willamoscanada/posts/2438562332953846|website=Facebook|language=en-ca|access-date=August 8, 2021}}</ref>
=== On-camera incidents === On April 14, 2021, Amos apologized for appearing naked during a hybrid parliamentary session with other members of parliament.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Levesque|first=Catherine|date=April 14, 2021|title=Liberal MP issues apology after appearing naked in virtual House of Commons|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7758780/liberal-mp-naked-house-of-commons/|website=Global News|language=en-US|access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> He stated that he had just gone out for a jog and that his video was "accidentally turned on." In response to the incident, Bloc Québécois member Claude DeBellefeuille said that members should remember always to be fully clothed, and Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons, replied by saying that members should "always be vigilant when they are near a camera and a microphone."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jones|first1=Ryan Patrick|last2=Rands|first2=Chris|date=April 14, 2021|title=Liberal MP apologizes after appearing naked on House of Commons video feed|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/william-amos-liberal-mp-naked-parliament-1.5988128|website=CBC News|access-date=April 14, 2021}}</ref>
The incident occurred on a video feed that only Members of Parliament and House of Commons staff can see, separate from the public-facing video system. It is against House of Commons rules to share video or images of non-public parliamentary proceedings. On April 15, Liberal House Leader Pablo Rodriguez called the leak of the photograph potentially "criminal" and an act of "callous disrespect". Rodriguez also called for an investigation into the leak of the photograph to be conducted by House Speaker Anthony Rota. Amos issued a statement on April 15, supporting the call for an investigation. Liberal Whip Mark Holland said that his counterparts from the NDP and Bloc reached out saying that the image had not originated from any of their offices.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tunney|first=Catharine|date=April 15, 2021|title=Government House leader calls for investigation into leaked photo of naked Liberal MP|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/william-amos-liberal-mp-naked-parliament-1.5988649|work=CBC News|access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> On April 21, 2021, Bloc MP Sébastien Lemire apologized for taking the image of Amos that had been spread online and said he was not sure how the image reached the media.<ref>{{cite news |last=Raycraft |first=Richard |date=21 April 2021 |title=Bloc MP apologizes for taking picture of naked House of Commons colleague |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bloc-mp-apologize-photo-naked-1.5996800 |work=CBC News |access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref>
On May 27, 2021, Amos released a statement apologizing for urinating while on camera the day before,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Austen |first1=Ian |title=Canadian Lawmaker Is Exposed on Camera for a Second Time |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/28/world/canada/canada-lawmaker-urinate.html |access-date=29 May 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=28 May 2021}}</ref> saying that while it was accidental and not visible to the public, it was still unacceptable. He also announced that he was temporarily stepping aside from his role as parliamentary secretary to Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and from his committee work to seek assistance.<ref>{{cite news|date=May 27, 2021|title=Liberal MP caught on camera — again — during virtual House of Commons|work=CBC News|agency=The Canadian Press|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberal-mp-caught-on-camera-again-during-virtual-house-of-commons-1.6043751|access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Cousins|first=Ben|date=May 27, 2021|title=MP says he urinated on camera 'without realizing' month after being caught naked|work=CTV News|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/mp-says-he-urinated-on-camera-without-realizing-month-after-being-caught-naked/|access-date=May 27, 2021}}</ref> On June 7, 2021, Speaker Rota ruled that Amos's urinating incident was a prima facie case of contempt of the House of Commons, and said that the procedure and House Affairs committee should investigate further. A motion to refer the incident was then passed without objection.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bryden|first=Joan|date=June 7, 2021|title=Speaker rules conduct of urinating MP constitutes prima facie case of contempt|work=The Globe and Mail|agency=The Canadian Press|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-speaker-rules-conduct-of-urinating-mp-constitutes-prima-facie-case-of/|access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref> On June 8, Amos's office stated that Amos was receiving help with stress and time management.<ref>{{cite news|date=June 8, 2021|title=MP who exposed himself seeking help for stress and time management|work=The Globe and Mail|agency=The Canadian Press|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-mp-who-exposed-himself-seeking-help-for-stress-and-time-management-2/|access-date=June 9, 2021}}</ref>
In August 2021, Amos announced that he would not seek re-election in that year's election.<ref>{{cite web |title=3 Liberal MPs say they will not run in the next federal election {{!}} CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/three-liberal-mps-not-reoffering-1.6134329}}</ref>
==Personal life== Amos currently resides in Chelsea with his wife and two children.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|last=McCooey|first=Paula|date=August 12, 2015|title=Will bellwether Pontiac keep riding the orange wave?|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/riding-profile-pontiac|website=Ottawa Citizen|access-date=April 19, 2021}}</ref> He is fluently bilingual.<ref name=":2" />
==Electoral record== {{2019 Canadian federal election/Pontiac}} {{2015 Canadian federal election/Pontiac}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=18585}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amos, Will}} Category:Living people Category:1974 births Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec Category:Politicians from Ottawa Category:21st-century Canadian lawyers Category:University of British Columbia alumni Category:Academic staff of the University of Ottawa Category:Canadian environmental lawyers Category:21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada Category:McGill University Faculty of Law alumni