Amos: ‘Hyperactive multi-tasking’ the cause of nude Zoom incidents
Incidents not the product of ‘ill-intent, unethical personal gain, or moral wrongdoing’
By Stuart Benson
An “unhealthy overemphasis on doing too much” was the assessment of Will Amos’ health team as to why he was caught naked on camera twice while attending online House of Commons sessions, the Pontiac MP told a select group of local and regional reporters on July 7.
Amos explained that the July 7 briefing was part of a “progressive return” to his duties that had begun on June 21 and a return to regular constituent office hours the following week.
“I want to be clear that while these two incidents have resulted in great embarrassment, they don’t define me,” Amos told the eight media outlets via Zoom. “These were not circumstances of any ill-intent, unethical personal gain, or moral wrongdoing.” He apologized once again for the two incidents.
Amos’ wife, Regina Flores, was at his side at the Chelsea constituency office and made a heartfelt statement of support about his return to work. Amos explained that he had been dealing with the issue by taking a step back to focus on family and surround himself with a team of health professionals to create and implement a comprehensive “wellness plan” to address the “root cause” of these incidents.
“The assessments from my health team suggest that I don’t have any mental health disorder,” Amos said, explaining that his health team consisted of a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a psychotherapist, and a family doctor.
“They conclude that my ‘hyperactive multitasking’ represents a significant personal and professional vulnerability,” Amos added. “Both Zoom incidents reflect situational awareness challenges resulting from ‘hyperactive multitasking’ and a lack of focus.”
On May 26, the Parliamentary Secretary of Science and Innovation was caught on a webcam urinating while attending a virtual House of Commons session broadcast to other MPs and Hill staff. This incident occurred more than a month after a nude screenshot of Amos was leaked to social media and national news outlets on April 14; Amos was changing his clothes in his office after a jog during a hybrid session of Parliament.
Amos said his wellness plan includes an emphasis on focusing on a single task at once, reducing his overall work intensity from an 85 to a 60-hour workweek, and taking more caution to prevent “unacceptable carelessness and distraction, especially in virtual environments.”
“One thing at a time,” Amos added. “Less is more.”