EDMONTON -- A Conservative MP from Alberta is apologizing for a controversial exchange in the House of Commons Tuesday in which he asked another member if she's ever considered sex work.

Members were discussing the murder of 22-year-old sex worker Marylene Levesque, killed by 51-year-old Eustachio Gallese.

Gallese, a convicted murderer out on day parole, was granted permission by a case worker to visit sex workers despite his history of violence against women.

Levesque was found dead in a Quebec City hotel room on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Gallese turned himself in to police and was charged the next day with second-degree murder.

The house was debating an opposition day motion on whether to condemn the Parole Board of Canada's decision when Victoria NDP MP Laurel Collins rose to speak.

"Consider listening to the voices of sex workers," she said. "Sex workers are saying that sex work is work, and I also ask the honourable member if he considers the Harper government's decision to implement Bill 36, which criminalized the work environments, the work establishments sex workers go to to feel safe."

That prompted a response from Peace River-Westlock Conservative MP Arnold Viersen.

"I would just respond to that by asking the honourable member across the way if it's an area of work that she has considered, and if that is an appropriate…," he said, getting interrupted by audible boos.

"Mr. Speaker I think this makes the point. I do not think any woman in this country ever chooses this as a job. This is something they are trafficked into."

Viersen later rose to apologize for his comments to Collins and posted an apology on Twitter.

Earlier today, I stood in the House of Commons to apologize unreservedly to @Laurel_BC for my comments during the debate on our Opposition Day motion. — Arnold Viersen, MP (@ArnoldViersen) February 4, 2020

"Earlier today, I stood in the House of Commons to apologize unreservedly to @Laurel_BC for my comments during the debate on our Opposition Day motion," he wrote.

Collins eventually responded on her own Twitter account, accepting Viersen's apology but asking him to apologize to all women.