Tensions were high in the House of Commons Wednesday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed through a group of MPs, leading to a shouting match with NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and accusations that the prime minister elbowed an NDP MP in the chest.

Trudeau said he came in contact with 鈥渁 number of members鈥� as he crossed the floor and extended his arm to guide Conservative Whip Gord Brown through 鈥渁 gaggle of MPs standing there impeding his progress down the aisle.鈥�

Trudeau said his intention was to help move the House forward on an impending vote on a motion to limit debate on the government鈥檚 controversial assisted-dying legislation, Bill C-14.

鈥淚n doing so I admit I came in physical contact with a number of members as I extended my arm, including someone behind me who I did not see,鈥� Trudeau said after the incident.

鈥淚f anyone feels that they were impacted by my actions, I completely apologize. It was not my intention to hurt anyone.鈥�

Video then shows Mulcair shout at Trudeau and accuse him of elbowing 鈥渁 woman,鈥� referring to NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e pathetic! You鈥檙e pathetic!鈥� Mulcair shouts, pointing at Trudeau as the prime minister steps toward him.

NDP MP Nathan Cullen appeared to step between the pair and break up the heated exchange.

The cameras, which are controlled by the House of Commons, then cut away.

Brosseau later said she was elbowed by the prime minister and had to step outside the House chambers and sit in the lobby for a moment.

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

Trudeau later directly apologized to Brosseau.

"I want to take the opportunity, now that the member is OK to return to the House right now, to be able to express directly to her my apologies for my behaviour and my actions, unreservedly," he said.

But the prime minister refused to speak with reporters as he left Parliament and simply said he would 鈥渢alk about it later.鈥�

Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose called the incident 鈥渟hocking鈥� and said Trudeau鈥檚 鈥渃lear intent was to intimidate Members physically.鈥�

鈥淣o one should ever have to deal with this kind of behaviour in any workplace. The fact that it's the Prime Minister of Canada is embarrassing. He should be ashamed of his actions,鈥� Ambrose said in a statement Wednesday evening.

NDP House Leader Peter Julian said the incident is unprecedented in his 12 years in federal politics.

鈥淚 have never seen any member of the House act towards another member or members as he just did,鈥� Julian said. 鈥淧hysical force in this House is never permitted, it is never welcome, and it is entirely inappropriate.鈥�

Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said it appeared the prime minister 鈥渓ost his temper鈥� and called for him to 鈥渁pologize unreservedly.鈥�

鈥淚t looked like he lost his cool, and he just marched right over. It鈥檚 just terrible that this happened,鈥� Scheer told reporters after the incident.

He added that the Tory whip didn鈥檛 need the prime minister鈥檚 help.

鈥淕ord鈥檚 a hockey player. He doesn鈥檛 need help to move his way down the aisle.鈥�

Liberal MP Deb Schulte had a different version of the events.

"As (Trudeau) strode across, the group moved apart and he reached through and moved the House leader through. At the point that he did, he did bump into another member. I believe there was no intent to harm anyone or to actually bump into any one," Schulte said.

NDP MP Niki Ashton said she was 鈥渁shamed, as somebody who sits in this House, to have been witness to the person who holds the highest position in our country, the highest elected position, to have done such an act in this House."

Green Party Leader and MP Elizabeth May tweeted after the incident: 鈥淭hings are very very bad in the House. Nearly a physical altercation between Mulcair and Trudeau.鈥�

Speaker of the House Geoff Regan said it is inappropriate to 鈥渕anhandle鈥� other members, which led to rousing applause in the House.

With files from The Canadian Press