QP: The scattershot attack

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The week slowly drawing to a close, more desks started to empty out in the Chamber, but hey, Justin Trudeau was there for a fourth day in a row — I’m not sure that ever happened under Harper, ever. Rona Ambrose led off, lectern still on desk, and she read a question in French about the size of the deficit. Trudeau rose and stated that they had pledged to be open and honest about budget figures, and they would reduce the net debt-to-GDP ratio. Ambrose then accused the government of doing nothing for the plight of Albertans with dropping oil prices. Trudeau reminded her that the previous government did nothing for them. Ambrose changed topics again, and trolled for support for their opposition day motion to maintain the CF-18 bombing mission. Trudeau reminded her that the Americans were just happy with the Canadian position, and that he was even just invited for a state dinner at the White House, something Harper never got. Denis Lebel was up next, and asked the same question to get the same answer. Lebel then asked why Trudeau thought that the 1982 patriation was a good template for electoral reform, but Trudeau reminded him of the promises made during the election.Thomas Mulcair was up next and noted the RCMP Commissioner’s admission that there were racists in his force and asked what the government was doing about it. Trudeau lamented it, but basically said that it was up to the RCMP to deal with their members. Mulcair asked about boil water advisories on First Nations reserves, to which Trudeau noted they were working with those First Nations. Mulcair changed topics again to Canada Post, and got the very same response he got the past three days. Mulcair gave one last change of topic, asking about which refugees where getting health funding for refugees, which Trudeau said they would be doing.

Round two, and Tony Clement accused him of having an aversion to talking about terrorism (Dion: Why are you distorting the policy of the government?), and lamented the lack of a plan on the fight against ISIS (Dion: We aren’t going to make it up on the back of a napkin), James Bezan accused the government of cutting and running from ISIS (Sajjan: We want to get this right to take the fight to them), and noted they struck here with homegrown terrorists (Sajjan: Domestic radicalization is a different fight), and Pierre Paul-Hus gave the same again in French (Dion: This is not a war of civilizations; Sajjan: We want to make sure we have the most effective plan). Georgina Jolibois asked about the outstanding residential schools claim in Labrador (Bennett: I am hoping to work with the Minister of Justice to get this back to the negotiation table), and Charlie Angus asked the same to the Minister of Justice (Wilson-Raybould: We are committed to establishing a new process for reconciliation). Erin O’Toole returned to his concern trolling of the security of Syrian refugees (Goodale: The RCMP and security services designed this process), and that biometrics were just security theatre (Goodale: There is no compromise in this process), Michelle Rempel wondered how many refugee settlement applications were starts before October 19th (McCallum: Here’s how you say welcome to Canada in their language), and wondered how many other applicants are being impacted by the Syrian refugees (McCallum: No impact). Sherri Benson and Karine Trudel asked about community mailboxes (Foote: We have a moratorium and are consulting).

Round three saw multiple questions on a referendum on electoral reform, a lowest bracket tax cut, mandatory minimum sentences, gun control, the Ambassador for Religious Freedoms, compensation for poor countries for climate change, the infrastructure plan, and removals to Haiti and Zimbabwe.

Overall, it was a feisty day, with a bit more heckling, but also a rather gross remark from John McCallum when he told Michelle Rempel to cheer up — one of those sexist kinds of remarks that women are often subjected to. The Speaker warned McCallum about goading her, and McCallum did apologize after QP during point of order, but it was still disappointing, and he should know better. Otherwise, both opposition leaders were all over the map today — Mulcair especially — which makes for a poor debate flow and is a naked attempt to get as many clips into the news cycle as possible, which is cynical and tiresome. I will also note that most of the ministers continue to respond to questions without reciting prepared lines, which is greatly encouraging for the future. Now if only we could ban scripts altogether…

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Maxime Bernier for a tailored black three-piece suit with a crisp white shirt and a blue patterned tie, and to Jody Wilson-Raybould for a black dress with a white chainlink pattern with a black jacket. Style citations go out to Kelly Block for a red-hued patterned collared shirt that had bands of yellow, grey and other earth tones along the sleeves, worn with a black vest and trousers, and to Robert Sopuck for a brown corduroy jacket with a grey-grown vest, dull blue shirt and brown striped tie.