QP: Trying to protect bureaucrats

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After the government unveiled their much ballyhooed price gap legislation, it remained to be seen if that would lead off QP, or if Julian Fantino would remain in the line of fire. Before things got started, however, the two new Conservative MPs from the recent by-elections, Jim Eglinski and Pat Perkins, took their seats. Thomas Mulcair had not yet returned from Paris, leaving Peter Julian to lead off, asking about the US Senate torture report, and how CSIS and the RCMP could use information obtained by torture. Harper insisted it had nothing to do with Canada. Julian moved onto the veterans file and demanded the resignation of Julian Fantino, to which Harper said that the NDP were more interested in protecting bureaucrats and cutting services. Nycole Turmel was up next, and asked about processing times for EI applications, and the decision to hire temporary workers to clear the backlog. Jason Kenney responded that they were dedicated to giving good levels of service, and thanked his parliamentary secretary for the report on processing. Turmel tied in the Social Security Tribunal and the Temporary Foreign Workers programme, calling Kenney incompetent, but Kenney repeated Harper’s line that the NDP is averse to efficiencies. Justin Trudeau was up next, and brought up the sacred obligation to veterans, wondering why the priority was a tax break for wealthy families instead of veterans. Harper insisted that they provide benefits to both families and veterans, and the current court case was against a previous Liberal programme. Trudeau listed a number of veterans programmes cut or underfunded by the government, to which Harper recited of list of programmes that he claimed the Liberals voted against before trotting out his line that they were trying to protect bureaucrats. Trudeau asked again in French, and Harper claimed that 100 of the jobs they eliminated existed solely to delay benefits payments. (Really?!)

Round two, and Megan Leslie asked about a report detailing a lack of progress on GHG reductions (Harper: We won’t take unilateral action on oil and gas regulations; Carrie: We are a world leader), Robert Chisholm and Robert Aubin asked about the EI wait time delays (Kenney: Automation! Smarter procedures!), Murray Rankin and Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet asked enhancing the Canada Pension Plan (Sorenson: Ontario’s plan would force families to pay more!), before Boutin-Sweet asked a question about income inequality (Kenney: We have seen a major decrease in poverty), Jinny Sims demanded a $15/hour federal minimum wage (Kenney: The best strategy for income inequality is to ensure they have good jobs), and Nathan Cullen gave some blanket outrage that tangentially had something to do with income splitting (Kenney: Lowest number of people in poverty in history!) Judy Foote and Marc Garneau asked about cuts at Veterans Affairs while managers get bonuses (Fantino: You voted against things), and Frank Valeriote noted new hires at HRSDC and political staffers but cuts at Veterans Affairs (Fantino: We have increased services to veterans). Peggy Nash and Mylène Freeman asked about the assault against Rinelle Harper and her demand for an inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women (Leitch: We are taking action), and Sadia Groguhé and Andrew Cash asked about taking in more Syrian refugees (Alexander: More Syrians and Iraqis than anyone else!).

Round three saw questions on the oil and gas regulations (Harper: Sector-by-sector approach, and we’d like to regulate the oil and gas sector but we need to do so in concert with the Americans otherwise it’s crazy), closures of veterans offices, why terrorists returning to Canada haven’t been arrested, our failure to address GHG emissions, CETA promises to Newfoundland and Labrador, Syrian — and not Iraqi — refugees, Iranian foreign students being disadvantaged by sanctions, Health Canada’s advertising regulatory obligations, and gun control legislation.

Overall, it was a slightly more exciting day than before, and Harper dropped a bit of a bombshell, but it took Megan Leslie 15 minutes to follow up on it because they can’t think on their feet fast enough or disrupt their speaking order with any ease, and yes, that is a problem that really does need to be addressed. As well, consider this fair warning to the two newbie MPs that when you ask a question, you’re supposed to hold the government to account – not the opposition, and not provide an opportunity to let the minister make a statement, as they have other time slots during Routine Proceedings to do just that.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Peter MacKay for a dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt and a blue and purple striped tie and lighter blue pocket square, and to Kellie Leitch for a black dress with a black jacket. Style citations go out to Megan Leslie for a pink and grey hued short-sleeve top over a black long-sleeved top and black slacks, and to Jean Rousseau for a chocolate brown suit with a bright cherry red shirt and a brown and red tie.