A comment made by a Liberal member of Parliament to a Conservative colleague is being addressed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.

The Tories have been pushing for action from Trudeau following a comment made by MP Nicola Di Iorio on March 8, directed at South Surrey-White Rock MP Dianne Watts.

Di Iorio made the joke during a committee meeting as Watts took a call from her daughter. As the Tory MP's ringtone went off, he made an off-side comment they took to be a reference to stripping, MP Karen Vecchio told CTV News.

Di Iorio asked "where's the pole?" according to Vecchio.

Vecchio said she didn't have details, but that she and Watts felt the comment was inappropriate. Watts called the comment "suggestive" and "uncalled for," and said that it left her and other MPs feeling uncomfortable.

They moved forward with the meeting, but Vecchio said the larger issue is that Justin Trudeau had not done anything about the comment.

"We have a feminist prime minister, and a feminist government, and they are being extremely hypocritical," Vecchio said.

Watts told CTV News that Di Iorio caught up with her after the meeting and acknowledged that what he meant as a joke was not received in that way. He told her he didn't mean to offend her, she said.

"I feel bad for the staff there because they were uncomfortable, as were other MPs," Watts said, adding, "Life goes on."

A statement from the whip's office said Di Iorio apologized to Watts and "explained no word that he himself uttered was intended to offend." He also offered a second apology earlier this week, the whip's office said.

"All members agree that any form of inappropriate language or behaviour is unacceptable," the statement said. "Every Member of Parliament has the right to a safe and respectful working environment and we take this responsibility seriously."

Watts said she was leaving it in Trudeau's hands to take whatever action he feels is necessary.

"There should be no place or time where such comments are acceptable," she said.

On Friday, Trudeau was asked about the comment during a news conference in Quebec.

"One of the things that we brought in a number of years ago around issues such as this, as a part of my commitment to gender equality, to a harassment-free workplace, is ... an actual process that will be there to deal with issues of this sort," Trudeau said.

"That process is now properly under way."

Janni Aragon, a political scientist at the University of Victoria, said she was disappointed but not surprised by the comment, "given sexism in formal politics."

She said there's no shortage of stories of female politicians facing sexual comments and threats, but that this crossed the line.

"It's just inappropriate in any workplace, let alone in a Parliament meeting or between our elected officials," Aragon said.

CTV News has reached out to the MP who allegedly made the comments.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan, CTV National News' Melanie Nagy and The Canadian Press