QP: Like a greatest hits package 

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All of the leaders were present today, for probably the last time in the 41st parliament. And hey, government computer systems were under a cyberattack as it went off, so that was exciting. Thomas Mulcair led off, asking about General Lawson’s comments on “biological wiring” as it relates to sexual harassment in the military and what the government would do about it. Harper denounced the comments and noted that Lawson apologised immediately and that they would implement the recommendations of Justice Deschamps. Mulcair asked again in English, demanding a personal commitment by the PM to changing the culture of the military, but Harper repeated his response but cautioned Mulcair against slurs against all members of the military. Mulcair then changed topics to the RCMP deletion of those gun registry records and wondered about the PMO role in encouraging them to do so. Harper insisted that they acted under the law. Mulcair then brought up the Senate audit, and wondered about the residency of Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen (who was not named in said audit). Harper, a bit testy, brought up the NDP satellite offices. Mulcair turned to another senator’s mileage claims, to which Harper said that they were inventing things and reminded them of the satellite offices again. Justin Trudeau was up next, returning to the issue of sexual harassment in the military, and wondered why the PM would not immediately dismiss the Chief of Defence Staff for comments that he himself condemned. Harper returned to his previous response, following a dig at Trudeau. A second round in French got the same response again, and for his final question, Trudeau touted his plans for a revised Supreme Court appointment process, and rhetorically asked why the PM doesn’t commit to appointing bilingual judges. Harper insisted that the institution was already bilingual, and not every member was required to be.

https://twitter.com/davidakin/status/611239298713698305

Round two, and Mulcair got back up regarding the Nigel Wright quote (Harper: I knew nothing), Mulcair brought up electoral misconduct and rhetorically asked about safeguards (Harper: Your satellite offices are exactly like the sponsorship scandal), Mulcair wanted C-51 referred to the Supreme Court before royal assent (Harper: Why do you hate peace bonds?), Mulcair asked about the soft economy (Harper: You couldn’t name the corporate tax rate when asked), assembly lines being shut down (Harper: Every sector love our Economic Action Plan™), Mulcair wondered whether the PM asked the Pope to apologise for residential schools — asking in both English and French in the same question (Harper: We brought it up, it’s up to them to respond), and Mulcair demanded the veterans offices be reopened (Harper: We’ve augmented them). Wayne Easter demanded answers on the RCMP deleting those gun registry records (Blaney: You want to treat farmers and duck hunters as second-class citizens), Judy Sgro demanded manufacturing jobs (Moore: Look at all of these funds we have for the sector), and Adam Vaughan decried the lack of infrastructure funds going to big cities (Lebel: Unprecedented investments!). Niki Ashton asked about mercury levels near a First Nation (Valcourt: We are working to improve their living conditions), and demanded an inquiry on missing and murdered Aboriginal women (McLeod: We are taking action), and Charlie Angus and Alexandre Boulerice decried voter suppression (Poilievre: You loony lefties don’t think people should present ID to vote).

Round three saw questions on home mail delivery, Mint employees expensing a resort trip, the Ontario cabinet minister fingered by CSIS and the comments made by MacKay about him, cell tower regulation loopholes, regulating trans fats, deportations to Burundi, screw-ups at Citizenship and Immigration affecting a cancer patient, snow crab licences, and a wharf project in the Gaspé.

Overall, people seemed to think it was a good day full of feisty exchanges, but it was really more of a greatest hits package for Mulcair, in order to get as many media clips on as many topics as possible in advance of the election. As a result, while the exchanges themselves may have been feisty on an individual basis, they amounted to absolutely nothing. It was not a back-and-forth — you could have accomplished as much by assembling a clip show with your desktop editing software. But QP has become so degraded that people lapped it up, which disappoints me even further.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Niki Ashton for a royal blue dress with a black three-quarter sleeved jacket, and to Greg Rickford for a tailored black suit with a crisp white shirt and a blue striped tie and pocket square. Style citations go out to Jonathan Tremblay for a tan jacket with a fluorescent light blue shirt and a brown tie and black slacks, and to Roxanne James for a custard yellow jacket with a red top.