QP: Hudak math and Kijiji data

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For the first time of the week, all three leaders were in the Chamber, possibly for one of the last times before the Commons rises. Thomas Mulcair led off by asking about cuts to job market research, wondering how it could be justified. Stephen Harper responded by insisted that it wasn’t correct and more resources had been diverted into the area, and by the way, we created one million net new jobs. Mulcair retorted with a crack about Hudak math, and looking for information on Kijiji, to which Harper noted that the information came from Statistics Canada. When Mulcair demanded that the hiring tax credit for small businesses be extended, Harper reminded them that they voted against that time-limited measure in the first place. Mulcair changed topics and moved to the fighter jet procurement, and if other companies could put in bids. Harper assured him that the report had not yet been considered by cabinet, but they would soon. Justin Trudeau was up for the Liberals, and noted that the previous chief of defence staff noted that the F-35 was not the only suitable plane for Canada, and whether the process was going to be open and transparent. Harper repeated that cabinet had not yet considered the report. Trudeau moved onto the Northern Gateway Pipeline and the widespread opposition to it. Harper responded that the government was in the process of reviewing the report of the National Energy Board, and they would be coming to a decision soon.

Round two, and Mulcair was back up asking about former defence ministers calling on participation in ballistic missile defence (Harper: We will always take the appropriate course of action to protect Canadians), Jonathan Genest-Jourdain and Jean Crowder noted a First Nations march for education before a funding cutback (Valcourt: We have increased funds, and we are trying to protect these children), Andrew Cash and Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe noted the immigration minister’s smear against a lawyer challenging the citizenship bill (Alexander: The Liberals didn’t sort our our immigration problems in 13 years), and Françoise Boivin wondered when the government would start to draft bills that respect the constitution (MacKay: All of our bills respect the constitution — you just need to read the bills). John McCallum brought up the cuts to labour market data thus fuelling the growth in temporary foreign workers (Kenney: A couple of time-limited surveys ran their course, but we are launching new studies on job vacancies and wage rates), Geoff Regan asked about the GHG regulations on oil and gas which are holding back the Keystone XL pipeline (The Speaker ruled against Regan’s use of “strategically stupid”), and Carolyn Bennett asked about the powers to strip citizenship in the current bill (Alexander: The changes brought in by Prime Minister Trudeau cheapened citizenship). Linda Duncan asked about temporary foreign workers replacing iron workers in the oil sands (Kenney: Our officials are conducting an investigation), Jinny Sims demanded an independent review on TFWs (Kenney: Service Canada don’t approve permits that displace Canadian jobs), and Sadia Groguhé and Peggy Nash noted the cuts to labour market data collection (Kenney: The government is launching two new robust surveys).

Round three saw questions on a First Nations challenge to the Canada-China FIPA, the Northern Gateway pipeline, the provision in the omnibus budget bill that allows CRA to turn over private information to police without notification, giving the elections commissioner the power to compel testimony, the defeat of an amendment that would add protection of trans people to the “cyberbullying” bill, whether Harper would be attending any Pride events this summer — especially as World Pride is in Toronto (Calandra dodged on his behalf), the Social Security Tribunal, the Quebec City CN bridge, and that Quebec wants the airspace over their prisons regulated.

Overall, it wasn’t a terribly exciting day after all. Mulcair was off his game, none of his jokes landing, and his questions repetitive without building up to anything. The total number of actual questions was reduced terribly given that so many of them were simply repeated in the other official language for no good reason. It’s too bad, because Harper was in the mood to answer questions (in his own particular way), but the questions put to him were pretty mediocre.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Justin Trudeau for a medium grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a light red tie, and to Candice Bergen for a hot pink top with a cream jacket. Style citations go out to Lois Brown for a brown dress with white polka dots and a white jacket, and to Rick Dykstra for a dark grey suit with a light blue shirt and a multicoloured striped tie.