With the Rob Ford sideshow slowing down enough so as not to consume the news cycle whole, and with the leaders back in the House today, it was setting up to be a much more lively QP than yesterday’s rather sedate hour. Thomas Mulcair started off with giving the Prime Minister a chance to address the relief efforts for the typhoon in the Philippines, which Harper dutifully did to much applause. Mulcair then moved onto asking if Harper had any regrets of his role in the ClusterDuff affair. Harper rejected the premise of the question, and said that he was disappointed with Wright and Duffy when he found out. Mulcair asked which members of Harper’s staff have been questioned by the RCMP, even offering up names that have been mentioned. Harper insisted that this was all Wright’s responsibility, and both he and Duffy have been sanctioned. Justin Trudeau started his round off by congratulating the government for its typhoon response, and asked if they would extend the deadline for matching donations and visas for students and foreign workers in Canada. Harper said that moving forward, they would extend the needed flexibility as need be. Trudeau moved onto the topic of judicial obstruction by the Conservative staffers, some of whom are now in the PMO, and wondered why there were delays in the false robocall investigations. Harper hit back by pointing out that Trudeau’s lack of support for mandatory minimums meant that he didn’t believe in accountability in the justice system.

For round two, Mulcair decided to pick up on the accountability response, and wondered why Jenni Byrne was hired in the PMO if she obstructed the robocall investigation (Harper: The party has cooperated fully with investigators), why is she now in charge of covering up the senate scandal (Harper: You’re engaging in smear tactics), Mulcair brought up Michael Sona and the Conservative staffers who are testifying against him — which really isn’t government business (Harper: We will let the courts handle this, but you’re trying to clear certain individuals), is the PMO being investigated or not if you’re providing documents (Harper: To the best of my knowledge it’s not but we are cooperating), he wondered which of the various versions of events is true (Harper: When you throw mud you lose ground), and how many documents have been turned over to the RCMP (Harper: We have been cooperating). Judy Foote noted that former PMO staffers were given promotions to distance them from the PM post-Wright/Duffy deal (Calandra: You Liberals just want to protect your entitlements), Ralph Goodale pointed the the various emails come to light so far and the claim that there is no evidence (Calandra: We are cooperating with authorities). Mathieu Ravignat asked about the lack of adequate whistleblower protections (Clement: We brought in new protections), and how cabinet ministers are suddenly becoming lobbyists (Clement: We passed the Accountability Act), and Alexandre Boulerice and Charlie Angus asked about loopholes in the Access to Information Act (Clement: We’ve provided more information than ever and will consider changes from the Information Commissioner).

Round three saw questions on greenhouse gas reduction policies, the helicopter safety recommendations to protect offshore oil workers and why those same requirements weren’t also being implemented for the new military helicopters, the delayed election reform bill, labour market training funding, EI being used as a government cash cow while hollowing out the regions, tomato markets, drug shortages reporting, overheated housing markets, and carbon pricing by a fee-and-dividend system.

Overall, it was a much better day than yesterday, though Mulcair did get a bit sidetracked in his in line of questioning with a lengthy detour into the recent Michael Sona allegations, none of which had anything to do with government business — not that the Speaker said anything about it. Trudeau was also reading his questions a little more obviously again, which seems to be a bit of a regression from progress he was making previously.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to James Bezan for a chocolate suit with a white shirt, navy and red tie and red pocket square, and to Linda Duncan for a black dress with a black and grey plaid jacket. Style citations go out to Diane Finley for her abstract foliage patterned dress with a black jacket, and to Jonathan Tremblay for a greyish brown shit with a yellowish orange shirt and black and gold striped tie.