QP: And to all a good night…

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The last QP in the Commons of 2014, and only one of the leaders was present, as Stephen Harper was preparing for a photo op in Mississauga, and Justin Trudeau was, well, elsewhere. Thomas Mulcair led off by demanding Julian Fantino’s resignation twice Julian Fantino, slightly more spirited than his usual robotic reply, decried how often the opposition voted against veterans. Mulcair then asked about impaired driving laws, to which Peter MacKay insisted that they were tough on criminals and respecting victims. Mulcair pivoted again, asking about compensation to Newfoundland and Labrador for CETA implementation, to which Rob Moore noted that the fund was created to compensate for losses, not as a blank cheque, so they were waiting for demonstrable losses. Another pivot, and Mulcair demanded specific emissions regulations for the oil and gas sector. Colin Carrie read that a job-killing carbon tax was “crazy.” Marc Garneau led off for the Liberals, and return to cuts to front-line programmes at Veterans Affairs, demanding that the minister be fired. Fantino insisted that the government supported veterans while the opposition voted against them. Joyce Murray noted the government distancing itself from the New Veterans Charter, to which Fantino simply recited his talking points. Frank Valeriote asked about the connection of General Dynamics to the new mental health research for the military, to which James Bezan praised the initiative.

Round two, and Annick Papillon, Sylvain Chicoine and Jinny Sims decried veterans suicides because they couldn’t get help (Fantino: We are proud of the work we’re doing), Matthew Kellway decried the fact that they can’t get their “Climate Change Accountability Act” passed (Carrie: Job-killing carbon tax!), Megan Leslie noted that other sectors will have to cut more emissions to compensate for oil and gas regulations won’t happen (Carrie: Our record is clear! We’ve taken decisive action!), and Élaine Michaud and Jack Harris asked about the increasing costs of the CF-18 replacement programme (Finley: We’re doing life extensions of the CF-18s while we make a decision). Frank Valeriote decried the wait times for mental health help for veterans (Fantino: We’re helping veterans), Carolyn Bennett demanded an inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women (Leitch: We are supportive of victims and committed to seeing perpetrators behind bars), and Emmanuel Dubourg noted the government’s reluctance to attack tax evasion (Findlay: I launched a ministerial committee to get advice on tackling the underground economy). Ève Péclet and Randall Garrison asked if the government condemned torture and if so if they would decline information obtained through it (Blaney: This is an issue of American politics, but we will take information into account if it is relevant), and Malcolm Allen asked about farmers bidding on the remains of the Canadian Wheat Board (Ritz: You need better research, they didn’t put together a serious bid).

Round three saw questions on compensation for both Quebec cheese makers and Newfoundland and Labrador fish processors, Canada Post home delivery, oil and gas GHG regulations and how that affects our ability to get our products to market, the closure of an intensive supervision programme of some dangerous offenders, Inuit women not being included in the action plan for violence against women, the west coast fishery and the Cohen Commission report, regional news cuts at CBC/Radio-Canada, snow removal, and the price gap legislation.

After QP, the House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, so that the MPs could welcome security personnel onto the floor in order to thank them for their service in light of the shooting on October 22nd.

Overall, it wasn’t a terribly boisterous day, and the debate not terribly enlightening, especially with the leader’s round all over the map. It bears reminding to everyone that ministerial responsibility doesn’t mean that the minister is obliged to resign, as Mulcair demanded. Instead, it means that they take responsibility for the conduct of the department and must take action for it. Resignation is a nuclear option that only happens in extraordinary circumstances. Julian Fantino’s ineptitude and lack of empathy are not extraordinary.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Candice Bergen for a grey dress with a black large quasi-tartan pattern, and to Bernard Trottier for a tailored charcoal suit with a crisp white shirt and lavender tie. Style citations go out to LaVar Payne for a dark grey windowpane suit with a black shirt and light blue striped tie, and to Anne Quach for her seventies orange floral turtleneck/brown sweater hybrid under a giant taupe knitted scarf.

Programming note: While Commons QP is over for 2014 (barring unforeseen circumstances), Senate QP continues for a few more days, and I’ll do my best to cover that before they go home.