Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized 'unreservedly' for elbowing a female opposition member of Parliament in the chest as he waded through a group of her colleagues.

Ruth Ellen Brosseau said the fracas forced her to miss a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday as she had to leave the chamber.

'I was elbowed in the chest by the prime minister and then I had to leave. It was very overwhelming,' she said. 'I missed the vote because of this.'

Opposition leaders have slammed the incident as 'violent' - branding Trudeau, an avid boxer, 'un-statesmanlike'.

Reports claim Trudeau shouted 'get the f*** out the way' during the dispute.

The kerfuffle spells a possible blow to Trudeau's image as a modern, feminist leader.

It comes just days after the leader's wife was criticized for requesting help, as she said she could not juggle the job of being First Lady and being a mother-of-three.

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The moment: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seen reaching for a man's arm in the House of Commons on Wednesday. In doing so he elbowed opposition lawmaker Ruth Ellen Brosseau in the chest

Trudeau is seen having stern words with a lawmaker as his elbows his Brosseau behind him

The leader then storms off. He allegedly shouted 'get the f*** out the way' as he stormed over to them

Trudeau has apologized 'unreservedly' after Brosseau (right) said the fracas caused her to miss her vote

Footage from the House of Commons television feed shows Trudeau wading into a clutch of lawmakers and pulling one through the crowd in order to get the vote started. As Trudeau turns around to pull the lawmaker through, Brosseau can be seen grimacing in pain.

Trudeau, a boxer and former bar bouncer, later stood up in Parliament and said it wasn't his intention to hurt anyone as he attempted to escort the lawmaker.

Trudeau said he thought the man was being impeded as he walked up the aisle of the chamber and wanted to help him in attempt to speed up the vote.

'I admit that I came in physical contact with a number of members as I extended my arm, including someone behind me whom I did not see. I certainly did not intend to offend or impact on anyone,' Trudeau said. 'I apologize for that unreservedly and I look for opportunities to make amends.'

Opposition New Democrat lawmaker Peter Julian called it a 'pretty violent push' and said he had never seen such behavior in his 12 years in Parliament.

'Physical force in this House is never permitted,' he said. Opposition Conservative Andrew Scheer said he was sitting across from Trudeau and said it was clear he lost his temper.

'He was motivated by anger and lost his temper,' said Scheer, who added it was 'very unstatesmanlike.'

Opposition New Democrat leader Thomas Mulcair later screamed at Trudeau 'What kind of man elbows a woman!?' in the chamber before Trudeau's cabinet bench cleared and intervened to make sure things didn't escalate.

The kerfuffle comes as a possible blow to Trudeau's image as a modern, feminist leader.

Tempers have been running high as the government pushes through a motion to limit debate on its euthanasia legislation.

Interim opposition Conservative leader Rona Ambrose called the prime minister's behavior shocking and embarrassing and said Trudeau's clear intent was to intimidate lawmakers physically and his actions resulted in Brosseau being shoved into a desk. 'He should be ashamed,' Ambrose said in a statement.

Opposition Conservative lawmaker Jason Kenney tweeted that if previous Prime Minister Stephen Harper had ever physically bullied members of Parliament like Trudeau, there would be immediate and widespread demands for his resignation.

Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer, left, and Peter Julian NDP House Leader, right, pictured telling reporters it was 'a pretty violent push' and branded the incident 'unstatesmanlike'

Opposition hitting out: 'He was motivated by anger and lost his temper,' said Scheer (left)

'No sane person watching that video could come to any conclusion but that it was an accident. Stupid of him to be over there, but come on,' political commentator Andrew Coyne tweeted.

Green party Leader Elizabeth May, whose seat in the House of Commons, gave her a ringside seat for the encounter and subsequent arguments, called for calm at one point — and suggested that the New Democrat lawmakers may have been milling about on the floor in order to delay the vote.

'It was most unwise of the prime minister to attempt to move along the vote,' May said. 'But the second contact with my friend (Brosseau), which is certainly the one that was the most emotional for the member involved, was clearly, from my perspective ... unintentional.'

She added: 'He had not seen her behind him. That is the truth. Now you can like it or not like it.'

The Speaker concluded that Brosseau's privileges as a Member Parliament had been breached, which means the encounter will be examined by an all-party committee.