After the Auditor General released his Spring 2014 report this morning, the question was whether its findings would lead off QP, or if some of the other matters of recent import — the telecom data, the fight with the Chief Justice, the deployment of our forces to Eastern Europe — would take precedence, given that Stephen Harper was present today. Thomas Mulcair led off by wondering which version of the story around the call from the Chief Justice or her office was correct. Harper said that it was suggested that he wasn’t aware there was an issue with appointing Nadon, and insisted that he was aware there was an issue and that he acted according to the legal advice he had been given. Mulcair wondered why nothing was said if the call was so inappropriate. Harper said that he didn’t refuse the call, and repeated that he was aware of a potential legal issue that could wind up before the courts, which is why he got legal advice. Mulcair wondered why there was so much trouble spent having this fight, and wanted Harper to categorically rule out attempting to re-appoint Justice Nadon. Harper said that he was clear he wouldn’t, and repeated his previous answers. Mulcair stuck to his script and repeated it in French, to which Harper complained that the ruling would undermine the ability to appoint Quebec judges and harm the federal institution. Mulcair brought up the objections of the former bar association presidents, and called on Harper to apologise to the Chief Justice. Harper dodged, and repeated his earlier answers. Justin Trudeau was up, and called on Harper to withdraw his remarks about the Chief Justice. Harper fell back on his line about independent legal experts. Trudeau changed tracks, and noted that Canada was on track to bring in more temporary foreign workers than immigrants, but Harper tried to insist that the Liberals wanted to bring in more TFWs and he wanted Canadians to get a first crack at jobs. Trudeau wanted Harper to agree to their opposition day motion on fixing the TFW programme — dubious with regards to being a question on government business — and it was no surprise that Harper didn’t agree.

Round two, and Mulcair turned to the AG report’s finding on Statistics Canada and the quality of labour numbers (Kenney: We want to fix our immigration programme to align immigration with job availabilities), on the CRA’s tax compliance abilities (Findlay: We have agreed to the recommendations), Malcolm Allen asked about the mismanagement at CanNor (Aglukkaq: We accept the recommendations), Randall Garrison and Rosane Doré Lefebvre asked about the findings on prison crowding (Blaney: Your apocalyptic vision has not come to pass), Mathieu Ravignat asked about the StatsCan data (Kenney: We didn’t abolish the long-form census — just the criminal sanctions), Jinny Sims and Sadia Groguhé decried two-year-old warnings around the TFW programme (Kenney: That’s old data and we’re getting people working). Irwin Cotler asked if the Chief Justice should raise an issue around appointment eligibility (MacKay: There are times when we don’t with agree, and we sought legal advice that aligned exactly with our position), and John McCallum asked about the previous warnings on TFWs (Kenney: We didn’t ignore the warnings and we have tightened up the programme). Matthew Dubé said young workers are being denied jobs in favour of TFWs (Kenney: If the Auditor General wants to do a second audit, we won’t say no), Linda Duncan said that the minister hadn’t responded to her letter about oilsands workers being replaced by TFWs (Kenney: We have set up new surveillance of the programme with more inspections), Peggy Nash decried the reports of labour shortages in high-unemployment regions like Southwestern Ontario (Kenney: There are no general labour shortages but there are sectoral shortages), and Pat Martin thundered about how union-member carpenters were denied workers in favour of TFWs (Kenney: We are working closely with building trades unions to help get Canadians get trained).

Round three saw questions on tolls on the proposed Champlain Bridge replacement, cuts to CBC/Radio-Canada, the mismanagement of the National Day of Honour plans, the wireless code of conduct, the construction of an inspection plaza on the US side of the new bridge at Windsor, and an airline fuel dump.

Overall, Mulcair was not as on point today as he was yesterday with regards to the questions on the Chief Justice. It especially broke down when Harper responded and he pretended that he didn’t in order to repeat the question in French. It boggles my mind that people don’t realise just how stultifying this practice is when it comes to the flow of questions.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Maxime Bernier for a medium brown suit with a pink shirt and pocket square and a dark pink striped tie, and to Shelly Glover for a black jacket with a white and brown skirt with a geometric flower petal pattern. Style citations go out to Niki Ashton for a loud floral print dress, and to Rick Dykstra for a dark grey suit with a light blue shirt and a multicoloured striped tie. Special mention goes out to Kennedy Stewart for a brown corduroy jacket with a white shirt, orange tie, and dark wash blue jeans.