Thursday, and Trudeau was again not to be seen in the Commons, as he was off in Calgary meeting with industry stakeholders. Not that it’s not important, but he was only in QP one day this week, and that’s something more reminiscent of his predecessor than he promised to be. Rona Ambrose led off, script on mini-lectern, and read a question about the Port of Quebec. Marc Garneau agreed that it was significant, and said they we examining the request being made. Ambrose then raised her concern that Trudeau said that he wouldn’t promise to approve Energy East if the NEB approves it. Bill Morneau responded, chastising the former government for not being able to get resources to tidewater in ten years. Ambrose tried again, and got the same answer. Gérard Deltell was up next, asking about funding for the National Optics Institute, to which Navdeep Bains praised them and promised a timely response to their request. Deltell wondered again about funding, to which Bains listed the various sectors they were helping. Thomas Mulcair was up next, demanding action for residential school victims cut off from compensation by a loophole. Jody Raybould-Wilson assured him that she had instructed her officials to find a resolution. Mulcair turned to the TPP and the issue of drug costs, to which David Lametti assured him that they were undertaking consultations. Mulcair lamented the theoretical affects of the agreement on intellectual property, and Lametti reiterated his response. Mulcair again hammered on the signing of the TPP, and Lametti again reiterated the consultation process.

"I'm going to ask him today…" Ambrose asks Trudeau, who is in Calgary. #badscripts #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) February 4, 2016

Round two was led by Lisa Raitt, who was concerned about pre-budget consultation (Morneau: I’ve listened more than any finance minister in history), Luc Berthold tried to get Morneau to insist that the Conservatives left a surplus (Morneau: You guys are the only ones who think you left a surplus), and Maxime Bernier was concerned about raising taxes on the wealthy not working (Morneau: We reduced taxes on 9 million Canadians). Tracey Ramsay asked the exact same TPP question as she does every day (Lametti: Signing is not ratification), and Cheryl Hardcastle lamented the fate of the auto sector (Bains: We are reinvesting in the auto innovation fund). Blaine Caulkins returned to his attempt to make hay of the reappointment letters (LeBlanc: The real scandal is on your side), and Michael Chong continued his tirade on the Liberals apparently not following the Reform Act (LeBlanc: We all uphold the rule of law). Brigitte Sansoucy tried a protectionist shoehorn of the Rona takeover with the TPP (Lametti: We are consulting), and Alexandre Boulerice demanded a public review of the Rona takeover (Bains: There will be a process like any takeover).

https://twitter.com/aaronwherry/status/695330056906809344

Round three saw questions on the anti-ISIS mission plan, the TPP affecting the price of drugs, the position on Russia vis-à-vis Ukraine, the public safety committee not hearing about refugee screenings, Nathan Cullen wanted his pet “proportional committee” agreed to (Monsef: Let’s serve the best interests of all Canadians), the Marrakesh Treaty for visually impaired reading materials, and more protectionism for the Rona takeover.

Dion signalling that the anti-ISIS plan has come together, and that Trudeau will announce soon. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) February 4, 2016

Overall, it was a fairly dull day, with only a couple of minor outbursts from the MPs. What did grate, however, was the endless questions on the TPP that were all premised on the same thing, that signing the TPP at this stage is indicative of support rather than allowing the text and certain technical details to be released so that it can be studied further. But they kept asking the same thing, over and over again. Tracey Ramsay has been asking the same question every day, no matter that the answer isn’t going to change. That’s not seeking accountability – it’s being obtuse. There is a difference.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Lisa Raitt for a well cut black jacket with a black top and trousers, and to Mark Holland for a dark grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a reddish cross-hatched tie). Style citations go out to Arif Virani for a black suit with a cranberry shirt and black patterned tie, and to Diane Lebouthillier for a bile yellow top with a black and white jacket. Dishonourable mention goes out to Maryam Monsef for a lemon yellow dress with a black double-breathed jacket.