It being a Tuesday, all of the party leaders were in the House today, which is of course a rarity these days. Thomas Mulcair led off by asking which story was true — whether Harper had no idea that appointing a Federal Court justice would be a problem, or whether it was likely to be an issue before the courts. Harper equivocated, didn’t really answer and tried to say that nobody had a problem with Nadon during the process (which isn’t really true if we read between the confidential lines). Mulcair wondered why Harper didn’t get a Supreme Court reference before they appointed Nadon if they knew it would be an issue, but Harper insisted again that the NDP said good things about him. Mulcair asked why they didn’t try to change the appointment rules before appointing him. Harper responded by quoting Françoise Boivin’s praise of Nadon. Mulcair accused Harper of trying to strong-arm the Supreme Court into accepting the appointment, but Harper muttered about independent legal advice. Mulcair said that the appointment process clearly wasn’t working and needed to be changed, but Harper yet again repeated that Boivin praised Nadon, and characterized the SCC decision as “changing the rules,” when they absolutely did not. Justin Trudeau led off for the Liberals, and asked about the wage-suppressing effects of the mismanaged Temporary Foreign Workers programme. Harper batted back that the Liberals kept changing their position, and then changed topic, bringing up the PBO’s report on tax changes and how they benefitted mostly lower-income Canadians. Trudeau changed topics, and asked about the delays in filling that vacancy on the Supreme Court bench, and if it would be filled before the House rises for summer. Harper insisted that the Liberals didn’t object to Nadon’s appointment, but wouldn’t promise when a new name would come forward.

Round two, and Mulcair was back up, asking if Harper knew that someone in his office asked Nadon to resign from the Federal Court before being appointed (Harper: We got a ruling, independent advice, etc.), requesting that the government split the “cyberbullying” bill (Harper: police need these powers to protect children and it’s a good bill), Jinny Sims and Sadia Groguhé asked about the accusations of broken rules in the Temporary Foreign Workers programme (Kenney: Your facts are wrong and those people were paid the correct wage at that time), and of penalizing non-compliant employers (Kenney: We recently got these new powers but you opposed them), and Megan Leslie asked about the Public Service Integrity Commissioner’s report citing the head of ECBC for stuffing the agency with partisan appointments (Rob Moore: We have fired him and are conducting a review). Judy Sgro decried the processes of the new Building Canada Plan (Lebel: There were no shovels in the ground when you guys were in charge), and John McCallum asked about the lack of regular inspections to workplaces employing TFWs (Kenney: We brought in a new blacklist last year and are using it retrospectively, and you voted against it). Robert Chisholm decried the changes to EI that were done without consulting Atlantic premiers (Kenney: People have an obligation to look for work in their region), and Yvon Godin and Ryan Cleary returned to the report on hiring practices at ECBC (Rob Moore: We’ve taken steps, you used taxpayer dollars to stuff partisan offices; Kenney: Something about EI programs working).

Round three saw questions on changes to trademarks in Canadian law, the lack of accountability standards for Canadian foreign aid, the amounts disbursed so far for the Maternal and Child Health Initiative, maternal and child outcomes among First Nations, more about that ECBC report, visas for those affected by the typhoon in the Philippines six months ago, advertising costs that could have kept veterans offices open, asking for applause for Rainbow Day (which has nothing to do with holding government to account), a constituent who disappeared in Jamaica, and the Quebec bill on dying with dignity.

Overall, the first half of QP was actually very good — Mulcair was on point for a change, and had well structured questions that got to a point and tried to drive it home, while Harper did flail a little while avoiding answering. And even Trudeau’s Supreme Court questions built on Mulcair’s without repeating the same points. It was almost like they were trying to make QP work for a change (obvious scripts aside). Sadly, I have no confidence that it will last, especially as the second half fell to the usual patterns.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Bernard Trottier for a dark grey suit with a pale pink shirt and grey striped tie, and to Kellie Leitch for a pink collared shirt with a dark grey suit and skirt. Style citations to out to Joy Smith for a faded leopard print dress with a black jacket, and to Guy Lauzon for a grey suit with a butterscotch shirt and brown and gold tie.