Some two hours before QP got underway, the news hit the wires — that Nigel Wright was being charged by the RCMP for breach of trust, and a raft of documents was released that showed just how much Wright and the PMO were trying to stage-manage things in the Senate. Add to that, all of the major party leaders were in the House, so it was going to be an explosive day. When QP began, Thomas Mulcair started by asking if Harper wanted to change any of the testimony that he had given on the ClusterDuff scandal so far. Harper responded that he had been clear, and the charges showed that it was indeed Duffy and Wright were the individuals involved. Mulcair pointed to the documents that Harper was aware of the payment, but Harper insisted that he only knew that Duffy said that he was going to repay the expenses but didn’t know the details. Mulcair wondered what Harper had approved, but Harper read from the same documents to show that he wasn’t informed. Mulcair wondered what “good to go” referred to in the documents, but Harper reiterated that he thought that Duffy was going to repay his own expenses. Mulcair closed his first round by asking about the statement that he wasn’t aware when the documents showed that Wright went to him for approval. Harper continued to repeat the line that he only knew that Duffy agreed to repay his expenses. Trudeau was up next, and wondered if the Prime Minister still believed that he had no responsibility for the corruption in his own office. Harper insisted that the documents proved it was limited to the two individuals. Trudeau reiterated his call that the Prime Minister testify under oath, but Harper repeated the same line. Trudeau invoked Brent Rathgeber’s statement that the party had become what they once mocked — to which Rathgeber shrugged — and demanded Harper tell the truth. Harper responded that it was Liberal senators who voted not to punish those embattled senators, and threw in a China dig in there as well.

Round two, and Mulcair was back up, wondering if Harper was calling a liar (Harper: Wright told him that Duffy was going to repay the expenses), could he tell Canadians what he knew (Harper: It’s in black and white what I knew and the RCMP confirmed it), was he aware of the original plan to repay with party funds (Harper: From the start, I insisted that Duffy repay his own expenses and I acted immediately when I found out otherwise), who else in your office knew of these activities (Harper: If you want to cite the RCMP, it’s only these two people being charged), you claimed that your office isn’t under investigation, but the RCMP documents list half a dozen staff from your office (Harper: There are two individuals under investigation), and who ordered Senator Gerstein to manipulate huge audit process (Harper: The RCMP made it clear that only Duffy and Wright are under investigation). LeBlanc pressed on the Gerstein angle and wondered why he was still in caucus (Calandra: This is between Wright and Duffy, while Liberals protect the status quo), and how can you deny the Prime Minister’s involvement (Calandra: This open and accountable prime minister ordered his office to cooperate). Megan Leslie took a turn, and wondered how the PM would have no idea in May when Wright got authorisation in February (Calandra: The RCMP confirmed that he didn’t know about the arrangement), and Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe repeated the same again in French (Calandra: It is clear that the prime minister did not know).

Round three saw more questions about Senator Gerstein’s role, the paper trail extending into the Privy Council, affordable housing, a PEI ferry contract due for renewal, Mulcair got up again to ask who ordered the whitewash of the Deloitte audit (Calandra: You sat on a bribery allegation for 17 years), the failure of a tailing pond dyke into the Athabaska river, and the plans to create a national securities regulator.

Overall, the first two rounds were pretty good as far QP goes, with some good exchanges between Mulcair and Harper — aside from Harper’s repeated talking points. Trudeau was also better in his delivery today, and was barely reading from notes, though he still was not very natural in his delivery, relying on pronouncements rather than following up on questions asked and answers not given.

Sartorial speaking, snaps go out to Michelle Rempel for a fitted black and white patterned half-sleeved dress, and to Blake Richards for a tailored slate grey suit with a light pink shirt and dark pink tie. Style citations go out to Jean Rousseau for a black suit with a faded bright blue shirt and blue and black striped tie, and to Joan Crockatt for a bright orange jacket over a black top. Special mention goes out to Françoise Boivin for her boxy Romulan uniform of a jacket.