While it was only Thursday, only two leaders were present — Thomas Mulcair and Elizabeth May, with Stephen Harper off in Winnipeg and Justin Trudeau, well, elsewhere. After interminable members’ statements on how great/terrible the budget is, Mulcair finally got up to lead off, pointing out that the NDP had proposed the small business tax cut that was being gradually rolled out in the budget, and it was voted down, so why should Canadians believe the government about it now. Pierre Poilievre boasted about the low-tax plan in response. Mulcair returned to yesterday’s lead about the problems for their grandchildren that the TFSA increase would create, but Poilievre insisted that TFSAs were great. Mulcair then wondered about Jason Kenney and other Conservatives insisting that the contingency fund wasn’t being touched when it was, and wondered where the finance minister was — as Oliver was once again absent. Poilievre ignored it, and continued to praise TFSAs. Charlie Angus was up next, and returned to the issue of Mike Duffy’s residency regarding his appointment to the Senate, to which Paul Calandra insisted that the practice was clear, and that the NDP was trying to make a victim of Duffy, and oh, they owe for those satellite offices. Angus then asked about entries in Duffy’s diary about meetings on Enbridge that weren’t reported to the Lobbying Commissioner, to which repeated his answer. Marc Garneau led off for the Liberals, returning to the problems with the TFSA boost and its inherent inequality. Poilievre insisted that the Liberals would raise taxes. Ralph Goodale was up next, bringing up the changes to the OAS in relation to the TFSA changes. Poilievre insisted that seniors were taking full advantage of TFSAs, and another round gave just the same.

Round two, and Jinny Sims and Ève Péclet returned to the allegations about Duffy being a lobbying pipeline to Enbridge (Calandra: Duffy is facing serious charges), Megan Leslie noted the increase in GHG emissions without a plan to reduce them (Carrie: We are taking action! Air quality! Transit!), Peggy Nash read a question about income inequality (Poilievre: Our low tax plan is great!), and Nathan Cullen offered some generic outrage (Poilievre: Yay TFSAs!). Judy Foote noted that the budget only helps rich seniors and not poor ones (Poilievre: Home renovation tax credit for seniors!), Emmanel Dubourg asked about other problems being left to our grandchildren (Poilievre: Look at all these people maxing out their contributions), and Scott Brison asked about job losses (Poilievre: Low-tax plan!). Hoang Mai asked about a report on the state of rail lines in Quebec (Raitt: We welcome the advice and will take it seriously), Ruth Ellen Brosseau and Malcolm Allen worried about Supply Management as the TPP is being negotiate (Fast: We are protecting supply management), and Allen asked about the sale of the Candian Wheat Board (Keddy: Investors are injecting $250 million into the company).

Round three saw questions on missing and murdered Aboriginal women, the foreign aid budget, community mailboxes, First Nations education funding, problems with a port and diving training, the Port of Quebec City, a misleading poll about changing the national anthem, the lack of funding for youth gang prevention, the lack of details on humanitarian assistance for Iraq and Syria, and tax deductions for autism claims.

Overall, it was a terrible day. Not only was the finance minister absent when he should have been defending his budget, but Pierre Poilievre was answer on his behalf, ignoring the actual questions in favour of his list of talking points. Mulcair’s questions were largely unfocused, and the continued Duffy questions were simply invitations for more talking points by Paul Calandra. It really was enough to make one want to scream. The only high point was Speaker Scheer shutting down a backbench suck-up question about how terrible the Liberals are. He needs to do that far more often.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Judy Foote for a black dress with a grey jacket, and to Hoang Mai for a charcoal suit with a pale blue shirt and a fuchsia tie. Style citations go out to José Nunez-Melo for a tan jacket with a bright purple shirt, khaki trousers, and a bright orange pocket square with no tie, and to Isabelle Morin for a melon pink half-sleeved jacket with a dark grey top and orange mottled scarf.