With the House now risen for the holidays, the Senate was still sitting to wrap things up before they too could go home. And yes, that includes carrying on with Question Period, to see if there are any answers that they could get before things wrapped up entirely — and hey, this is the chamber where you can actually ask questions about Senate business! Things got underway after Routine Proceedings, and Senator Eggleton asked about a number of child poverty reports, and wondered if the government would increase the nation child benefit plan. Senator Carignan, answering for the government, assured him that they had already increased the child benefits available as well as created the universal child benefit, while those below the low-income cut-off didn’t have to pay taxes. Eggleton was not impressed by that answer, as what was done was certainly not enough to solve the problems. Carignan touted that the government was creating wealth and jobs, and they lowered taxes so families had more disposable income. Eggleton brought up the inequity of supports for Aboriginal children as compared to non-Aboriginal children. Carignan stuck to his “jobs and growth” talking points, and didn’t address the level of inequity.

Senator Munson was up next, asking about the news that Canada Post would be phasing out home delivery. Carignan read the stats about Canada Post’s current conditions and touted the restructuring as reflecting the modern world. Munson wasn’t pleased with that, and reminded Carignan that two years from now, Canadians would remember who cut Canada Post. Carignan spoke about jobs being eliminated through attrition as opposed to outright layoffs. Senator Charette-Poulin asked a supplemental about the increase in stamp prices. Carignan spoke about Canada Post’s financial pressures and the fact that most Canadians only buy two stamps per month. When she pressed about the plan’s details, Carignan referred her to the detailed press release. Charette-Polin asked about how this would be a burden to the elderly with mobility issues, and how this would impact those who need home care, but Carignan talked around the issue.

Senator Smith was up next, asking about the sale of our embassy in Rome, as a cost-cutting measure, while the advertising budget has increased exponentially. Carignan thought it was clever to bring up the Sponsorship Scandal at this point. Smith retorted with the “missing” $3.1 billion — err, except that Treasury Board located it — while demanding that the government implement an advertising commissioner as Ontario has. Carignan defended the $3.1 billion as having been found. Senator Ringuette brought up the ads for training programmes that don’t yet exist, but Carignan insisted on the importance of advertising to communicate with Canadians. Ringuette suggested they better spend those ad dollars on actual training programmes, but Carignan responded with a slam about how Justin Trudeau apparently admitted that he doesn’t know how to manage the economy.

Senator Dennis Dawson followed up on the same topic, asking why the government was attacking the Canadian wireless industry when it employed tens of thousands of Canadians. Carignan directed him to the Speech From the Throne and the sections on help for consumers.

Overall, it was a welcome change from Commons QP, and there was some genuine wit displayed — a rarity down the hall. This was my first time watching Senator Carignan answering for the government, and while he didn’t have the same developed level of scorn and vitriol that Senator LeBreton used to deliver her answers with, the responses were quite rote and sounded like they could have been read by most parliamentary secretaries instead.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Senator Dennis Dawson for a black suit with a light blue shirt and red bow tie (as bow ties are cool), and to Senator Maria Chaput for a maroon mandarin collared jacket with a black top and trousers. Style citations go out to Senator Nicole Eaton for a high-necked giraffe-print dress with a leopard-print belt, and to Senator Michel Rivard for a tan jacket with brown trousers, a butterscotch shirt and paisley tie.