A heated exchange between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative MPs over Trudeau’s description of the Tory caucus as ‘’ambulance-chasing’’ politicians has led to a formal Conservative complaint in the Commons.

The Conservatives started off the House on Thursday morning by asking Speaker Geoff Regan to investigate the insult they claim Trudeau threw across the aisle on Wednesday. The Opposition party also claimed in a formal point of order that Trudeau said at one point during the brouhaha that he controls the Speaker.

The confrontation took place as Conservative MPs continued to hound Trudeau and the government over Correctional Service Canada (CSC)’s transfer of a woman convicted in the brutal 2010 murder of eight-year-old Tori Stafford to a CSC healing lodge for Indigenous women in Saskatchewan.

Conservative pressure on the 2014 transfer of Terri-Lynne McClintic from a medium-security prison to the healing lodge has been intense, with the official Opposition forcing a vote on a motion to denounce the move.

The “ambulance-chasing’’ accusation was Trudeau’s impromptu putdown after the Conservatives relentlessly went after him in Wednesday’s question period.

The prime minister has set aside Wednesday’s 45-minute question period to answer all opposition questions, including from backbenchers.

The Conservatives claim Trudeau had directed the ambulance-chaser derision specifically to Ontario Conservative MP Lisa Raitt, who attacked the government for its refusal to reverse the decision to transfer McClintic.

McClintic confessed to the murder, and her male companion in the gruesome crime was also convicted.

“It was un-parliamentary language, calling Lisa Raitt an ambulance-chaser, after she had asked a question about Tori Stafford,’’ Conservative Deputy Whip John Brassard said outside the Commons on Thursday morning. ” ‘Ambulance-chaser’ is a derogatory term.’’

Alberta Conservative MP Chris Warkentin also took offence at a comment Trudeau made about the Speaker.

“The second point of order was the reaction of the prime minister, when he suggested to the Speaker that there be decorum, effectively telling the Speaker what he should or should not be doing,’’ Brassard said.

“Chris Warkentin asked Trudeau, ‘Oh, so you control the Speaker now?’ ’’ Brassard quoted Warkentin as saying.

“The prime minister said, ‘Yes, I do,’ ’’ said Brassard. He said at least a dozen MPs around Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, who sit directly across the Commons centre aisle from Trudeau, also heard the latter’s comments.

‘’Warkentin followed it up, ‘So you’re telling me that you control the Speaker?’ ’’ said Brassard.

“And the prime minister said, ‘As a matter of fact, I do,’ ’’ Brassard claimed.

The Speaker is elected by all MPs at the beginning of each new Parliament following dissolution and an election, but also answers to all members, who can challenge any of his or her decisions.

Conservative House Leader Candice Bergen made arguments for the two points of order that the party raised with Regan.

The Speaker promised to respond to the claims after reviewing audio and written records from the chamber.