QP: Senate versus satellite offices

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With Harper off in Europe, and both Mulcair and Trudeau at Parizeau’s funeral in Montreal, it was going to be a mediocre day. Megan Leslie led off listing some expenses flagged in the Senate AG report, and asked if the PMO had contact with any of those senators before it was tabled. Paul Calandra responded that the senators were responsible for their own spending. Leslie tried to draw links to PMO involvement — the evidence around it sketchy at best — but Calandra wouldn’t budge. Leslie pressed again, and Calandra noted that the NDP were looking to re-open the constitution before reminding them of their satellite offices. Alexandre Boulerice gave another try in French, got the same answer, and for his final question, demanded an oversight body for the Senate, to which Calandra said he expected the Senate to follow the AG’s recommendations. Dominic LeBlanc led for the Liberals, asking about inadequate pensions. Pierre Poilievre insisted that the Liberals would just raise payroll taxes. Ralph Goodale asked the same again in English, to which he got the same reply from Poilievre. Goodale quoted the finance minister in refuting that pension payments are income taxes, but Joe Oliver didn’t take the bait, and Poilieve repeated his same talking points.

Round two, and Ève Péclet, Rosane Doré Lefebvre, Irene Mathyssen and Charlie Angus tried to conflate the ClusterDuff affair with the full Senate audit (Calandra: Your satellite offices). Judy Sgro returned to the pension issue (Sorenson: Keep your hands off our pensions), and Frank Valeriote and Marc Garneau read a press release on the Liberal plan (Poilievre: same answer). Robert Aubin asked about the social security tribunal (Poilievre: Canadians have a way to appeal when they’re not satisfied with decisions), Robert Chisholm asked about access to EI benefits (Poilievre: You want a 45-day work year), and Niki Ashton asked about demanding the Pope apologies for Residential Schools (Valcourt: We have advised the Vatican), and about the suit against Cindy Blackstock (Valcourt: We are helping First Nations children).

Round three saw questions on the Black’s closures, drug prices, banning plastic microbeads, visitor visas, gun violence in Surrey, budget cuts to border security, and a veteran suffering clawbacks from a renovation project.

Overall, it was a ridiculous day. Between the NDP questions on the Senate, which were either rehetorical or out of bounds, and the Liberals reading press releases, it was pretty much a wasted day. Nothing of substance was asked, and at one point things devolved to chanting. You could feel yourself getting stupider as it went along. Knock it off, MPs. You’re better than this.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Rona Ambrose for a medium grey jacket and skirt with a light grey wrap top, and to Rob Clarke for a medium grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a fuchsia patterned tie. Style citations go out to Rick Dykstra for a black suit with a dull blue shirt and a multicoloured striped tie, and to Candice Bergen for a red dress with a busy white and black pattern across it. Dishonourable mention goes out to Bal Gosal for a black suit with a dull yellow shirt and tie, and to Susan Truppe for a black pantsuit with a mustard yellow top.