Trudeau vs. Harper: Liberal Hopeful Shouted Down In Question Period (VIDEO) | HuffPost

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WATCH: Trudeau Versus Harper

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Canadians hungry to see what a potential showdown between Justin Trudeau and Stephen Harper might look like got a small taste Thursday afternoon.

Spoiler alert: it featured some shouting and a pseudo-Freudian slip.

In an unusual twist, it was Trudeau and not interim leader Bob Rae who kicked things off in Question Period for the Liberals. Rae told HuffPost that he wasn’t in the House because he was sidelined with the stomach flu.

Trudeau, mostly reading from a piece of paper, opened with a question in French about skills training.

But he was unable to get out a second question, in English, before being shouted down by the other side. Trudeau continued after a call to order from House Speaker Andrew Scheer.

“Mr. Speaker, it is time the members opposite learned that they were elected by Canadians to represent their views here in Ottawa, not the prime minister's views in their communities,” Trudeau said. “We know that they cannot run effective training in Kamloops or Rimouski from downtown Ottawa. Will the prime minister assure this House that the government will not centralize skills-training programs here in Ottawa?”

Harper’s response drew guffaws, even from his Tory bench.

“Mr. Speaker, I welcome the minister… the member for Papineau,” he said, smiling at his mistake while Grits cheered.

After another pause, Harper came dangerously close to making the gaffe again. The prime minister had a laugh before taking a dig at the Quebec MP’s attendance record.

“I welcome the member for Papineau in showing up and making the views of his constituents known for a change in the House of Commons,” he said.

Trudeau then accused the Conservative leader of trying to score "cheap political points."

The unusual exchange could be a glimpse at things to come. Federal Liberals will pick their new leader by April 14.

Also on HuffPost

Justin Trudeau Through The Years

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Prime Minister Trudeau and his then-wife Margaret leave the city's Notre Dame Basilica Sunday afternoon after the christening of their 22-day old infant Justin Pierre James, Jan. 16, 1972. Tasseled shawls kept the baby hidden from photographers and the 10-degree-below-zero weather. (credit:CP/RCM)

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Eleven-month-old Justin Trudeau, urged on by his mother Margaret Trudeau, crawls up the steps of an aircraft in Ottawa Dec. 5, 1972 to meet his father, then-prime minister, Pierre Trudeau on his return from Britain. (credit:Russell Mant/CP)

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Pierre Trudeau is saluted by RCMP Officer as he carries son Justin to Rideau Hall in 1973. Justin Trudeau teared up when he was presented with a framed copy while visiting Loyalist College in 2013. (credit:Peter Bregg/CP)

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Alexandre (Sacha) Trudeau delivers a right hook to his older brother Justin during a play fight in 1980 at Ottawa airport as the boys await a flight with the return of their father, then-prime minister, Pierre Trudeau. Nobody was injured. Justin was born in 1971 and Sacha in 1973 - both on Christmas day. (credit:Peter Bregg/CP)

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March 1979 photo of the Trudeau children: Michel (front), Alexandre (Sacha) and Justin (rear). (credit:CP)

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It was a big day for Dad, but a long day for the three Trudeau children. Left to right, Justin, Michel and Alexandre (Sacha) Trudeau attended the swearing in ceremonies of their father Pierre Elliott Trudeau as Prime Minister March 3, 1980 at Government House. (credit:Ron Poling/CP)

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Then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau and 10 year-old son Justin walk toward a plane at CFB Ottawa on Nov. 7, 1982. (credit:Chris Schwarz/CP)

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Then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau, left, watches as his 11-year-old son Justin swings on a chain during a tour of an old fort in the Omani town of Nizwa Dec. 2, 1983. Trudeau and Justin spent the day visiting the towns of Jebel and Nizwa 165 kilometres south of Muscat. (credit:Andy Clark/CP Photo)

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Then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau's 11-year-old son Justin jumps off an old cannon while visiting a fort along with his father in the Omani town of Nizwa and Jebel. (credit:Andy Clark/CP)

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Justin Trudeau and friend Mathieu Walker in the Sahara desert in October, 1994. (credit:Mathieu Walker)

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Justin Trudeau and friend Mathieu Walker in the Sahara desert in October, 1994. (credit:Mathieu Walker)

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Justin Trudeau with friends Mathieu Walker and Allen Steverman in Shanghai in 1994. (credit:Mathieu Walker)

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Justin Trudeau with friends Mathieu Walker (left) and Allen Steverman (centre) at the Great Wall of China in 1994. (credit:Mathieu Walker)

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Former prime minister Pierre Trudeau (L), his son, Alexandre (Sacha), ex-wife Margaret Kemper and son Justin weep as they leave a memorial service for their son Michel in Montreal in 1998. Michel Trudeau drowned after being swept into a lake during an avalanche in British Columbia. (credit:CP)

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Justin (left) and Alexandre (Sacha) Trudeau lean out of the funeral train to show appreciation to mourners who turned out to pay their respects to former prime minister Pierre Trudeau in Dorval, Que., Monday Oct. 2, 2000. Trudeau's casket was moved from Ottawa to Montreal for a state funeral. () (credit:Adrian Wyld/CP)

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Justin Trudeau is consoled by his mother Margaret after reading the eulogy for his father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau during his state funeral in Montreal, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000. (credit:Paul Chiasson/CP)

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Justin Trudeau delivers a eulogy for his late father Pierre Trudeau during the state funeral for the former prime minister at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000. Trudeau first caught the public heartstrings in October 2000, when he delivered a moving, deeply felt eulogy for his legendary father, weaving an emotional spell from inside the cavernous Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal. (credit:Paul Chiasson/CP)

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Justin Trudeau breaks down on his father's casket after reading the eulogy during the state funeral for former prime minister Pierre Trudeau Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000 in Montreal. (credit:Paul Chiasson/CP)

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Justin Trudeau gives a rose to a young girl, one of thousands of mourners who stood outside Notre-Dame Basillica in Montreal Tuesday, October 3, 2000 during a state funeral for his father, former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. (credit:Andre Forget/CP)

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An enthusiastic Justin Trudeau talks to reporters during a news conference to promote avalanche awareness in West Vancouver Thursday Jan. 25, 2001. (credit:Chuck Stoody/CP)

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Justin Trudeau stands at the base of a mountain near the evidence of a controlled avalanche at Lake Louise, Alberta, Friday January 12, 2002. (credit:Adrian Wyld/CP)

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Trudeau with adviser and friend Gerald Butts in July 2003 at Virginia Falls, Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories. (credit:Gerald Butts)

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Justin Trudeau carves through a gate during a celebrity slalom race in Mont Tremblant, Que. Friday, Dec. 12, 2003. Trudeau was taking part in a 24-hour ski-a-thon for charity organized by Jacques Villeneuve and Villeneuve's manager Craig Pollock. (credit:Ryan Remiorz/CP)

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Justin Trudeau spoke to students as Sisler High School about the benefits of joining the Katimavik Project on March 9, 2004 (credit:Wayne Glowaki/Winnipeg Free Press/CP)

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Justin Trudeau, son of the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau, leaves with his new bride Sophie Gregoire in his father's 1959 Mercedes 300 SEL after their marriage ceremony in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005. (credit:Ryan Remiorz/CP)

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Sophie Gregoire waves to the crowd as she arrives for her wedding to Justin Trudeau, son of the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau, in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005. (credit:Ryan Remiorz/CP)

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Then-leadership candidate Stéphane Dion crosses paths with Justin Trudeau, a supporter of Gerard Kennedy, at the Liberal Leadership Convention on Nov. 30, 2006 in Montreal. The day after he won the leadership, Dion told Trudeau he needed his help and urged him to run. (credit:CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz)

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Former prime minister Jean Chretien meets Justin Trudeau at the Liberal leadership convention, Friday, Dec. 1, 2006, in Montreal. (credit:Tom Hanson/CP)

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Justin Trudeau poses in London, Ont., on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 with a group of youth who participated in the Katimavik national youth service program that he has been actively involved in. The funny faces came from a request by a parent taking a photograph. (credit:Dave Chidley/CP)

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Justin Trudeau raises his arms in victory after being voted in as the Liberal representative in Montreal's Papineau riding, on April 29, 2007. (credit:Robert J. Galbraith/CP)

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Justin Trudeau, then Liberal candidate for the riding of Papineau, on the campaign trail with his mother, Margaret, in Montreal on Sept. 23, 2008. Trudeau snatched the riding from the Bloc Québécois by 1,189 votes. (credit:CP/ Graham Hughes)

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Liberal Justin Trudeau, then a candidate in the riding of Papineau, on the campaign trail in Montreal, Tuesday Sept. 23, 2008 with his mother, Margaret. (credit:Graham Hughe/CP)

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Then-Liberal Leader Stephane Dion chats with Justin Trudeau in Vancouver before boarding the campaign plane to fly to Ontario, Oct. 7, 2008. (credit:CP/Adrian Wyld)

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Justin Trudeau apologizes for swearing at Environment Minister Peter Kent in the House of Commons Dec. 14, 2011. (credit:CP/Sean Kilpatrick)

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Justin Trudeau poses in this official photo for his boxing match with Senator Patrick Brazeau. (credit:Media Ball)

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Senator Patrick Brazeau, right, and Liberal MP Justin Trudeau take part in a weigh-in for a upcoming boxing match Wednesday March 28, 2012. (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP)

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Senator Patrick Brazeau, right, and Liberal MP Justin Trudeau take part in a weigh-in for a upcoming boxing match Wednesday March 28, 2012, in Ottawa. (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP)

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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau, left, fights Senator Patrick Brazeau during charity boxing match for cancer research Saturday, March 31, 2012 in Ottawa. (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP)

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Senator Patrick Brazeau, right, and Liberal MP Justin Trudeau take part in a charity boxing match for cancer research Saturday, March 31, 2012 in Ottawa . (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP)

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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau celebrates after he defeated Senator Patrick Brazeau during charity boxing match for cancer research Saturday, March 31, 2012 in Ottawa . (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP )

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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau kisses his wife Sophie Grégoire after winning a boxing match against Senator Patrick Brazeau on Saturday, March 31, 2012 in Ottawa. (credit:Fred Chartrand/CP)

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Liberal MPs, including Justin Trudeau, look on as Senator Patrick Brazeau holds a Liberal hockey sweater on Parliament Hill Ottawa, Monday April 2, 2012. (credit:Adrian Wyld/CP)

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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau trims the end of Senator Patrick Brazeau's pony tail out of respect in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill Ottawa, Monday April 2, 2012. (credit:Adrian Wyld/CP)

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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau announces he will seek the leadership of the party at a news conference, Tuesday, October 2, 2012 in Montreal. (credit:Paul Chiasson/CP)

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Liberal MP Justin Trudeau waves to the crowd of supporters as he holds his son Xavier and his wife Sophie Gregoire holds their daughter Ella-Grace after announcing he will seek the leadership of the party Tuesday, October 2, 2012 in Montreal. (credit:Paul Chiasson/CP)

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Justin Trudeau, right, chats to his chief advisor Gerald Butts after taking part in the the Liberal leadership debate in Mississauga, Ont., on Saturday, February 16, 2013. (credit:CP/Chris Young)

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Marc Garneau, left, and Justin Trudeau take part in the Liberal leadership debate in Mississauga, Ont., on Feb. 16, 2013. (credit:CP/Chris Young)

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