QP: Demands that Fantino resign

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The second-last Monday of the sitting year, and there were a large number of empty seats in the Chamber, which sadly is not too much of a surprise. Thomas Mulcair was present, and led off by asking about the AG report on mental health in veterans affairs, and the funding announcement being led over 50 years, and then accused the minister of fleeing the country. Fantino stood up and robotically insisted that he asked for the AG review and that he accepted his recommendations, before insisting that he was on a trip with veterans in Italy. Mulcair lashed out, calling him a coward, for which the Speaker cautioned him, before they went for another round. Mulcair demanded his resignation, but Fantino simply uttered robotic talking points. Mulcair changed topics to the final dismantling of the Wheat Board, to which Gerry Ritz insisted that they were still accepting bids. Mulcair then launched into Aglukkaq, but because he used “dishonesty” in his salvo, the Speaker shut him down. Ralph Goodale led for the Liberals, and calmly demanded the resignation of Fantino. Fantino simply returned to his talking points about making improvements to veterans benefits. After a second round, Fantino hit back a little more, and for the final round, Marc Garneau repeated the resignation demand in French, Fantino restored to his script about making significant improvements for those benefits.

Round two, and Romeo Saganash and Jean Crowder returned to Aglukkaq’s actions — or lack thereof — with the Rankin Inlet scavenging allegations (Aglukkaq: Those allegations are false, and look at what we’ve done for the North; Valcourt: Nutrition North is helping increase nutritious food in the North), Malcolm Allen asked about the assets of the Canadian Wheat Board and the contradictory testimony of the minister and his officials (Ritz: That’s not what I said, and the Liberals mismanaged things), and the rail grain fines (Watson: The enforcement process is underway), and Ève Péclet and Charlie Angus asked about allegations of SNC-Lavalin funds going to Christian Paradis’ riding (Calandra: We brought in the Accountability Act). Joyce Murray asked about the lack of mental health positions in the Canadian Forces (Nicholson: We have doubled the number of mental health workers employed), Judy Sgro asked about the AG report on the auto bailout (Van Loan: The steps that were taken helped save the industry), and Adam Vaughan asked about the lack of funds for housing (Bergen: When you were a councillor, a shelter’s cost ballooned). Randall Garrison and Rosane Doré Lefebvre asked about the government freaking out telecom privacy disclosures (Blaney: We take privacy seriously, but we are looking at ways to give law enforcement agencies tools), and Élaine Michaud and Jack Harris asked about reports of sexual harassment and assault in the cadets programme (Leitch: We are focused on supporting victims and putting victims behind bars; Nicholson: We take these allegations seriously and we will act on them).

Round three saw questions on the loss of manufacturing jobs and poverty, homelessness funding, Nutrition North, Pyrotite damage in Quebec, whether the $200 million veterans programme announced last year was for six years or 50 (Fantino: no answer), the CN bridge in Quebec that needs painting, and the federal deduction for childcare.

Overall, it was a punchy day, and Mulcair was certainly letting his temper get the best of him, theatrically or otherwise. That the Speaker had to caution him and disallow a question for unparliamentary language can’t really help with his image of competent management, but unless he’s counting on the outrage being the selling point. Candice Bergen’s response to the NDP about housing funding — that Question Period wasn’t the time to ask about complicated funding announcements but that she offered to meet them in her office to explain it and they didn’t bother to take her up on it — was certainly curious. It probably wasn’t the best answer to say that QP wasn’t the time for questions, but perhaps she could have better phrased that it was too complex to explain in 30 seconds.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Joyce Murray for a red top with a black and brown jacket, and to Bernard Trottier with a tailored navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a lavender tie. Style citations go out to Jean Rousseau for a brown striped suit with a light blue shirt and a tan tie, and to Joan Crockatt for a black leather jacket over a red Stampeders hoodie. Great that they won the Grey Cup, but you should take the hoodie off after you make your member’s statement.