QP: Haze and incoherence

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A slushy and wet day in Ottawa, and the PM was headed off to Montreal instead of being in QP. Rona Ambrose led off, mini-lectern again on Andrew Scheer’s desk instead of her own, and complained about the incoherence of the current government’s messaging. Navdeep Bains got up to respond, pointing out that the previous government turned a surplus into a deficit and touted their own plan for creating jobs. Ambrose complained about the size of the deficit, to which Bains insisted that they have a plan to grow the economy and make it more productive. Ambrose then insisted that Trudeau was imposing a national carbon tax, and this time Catherine McKenna got up and quoted Suncor’s CEO and Preston Manning as fans of carbon pricing. Maxime Bernier was up next, and he complained of the broken promise around the size of the deficit. Marc Garneau responded to this question, stating that Conservative cuts in the current economic situation could push the country into recession. Bernier insisted that deeper debt would not create wealth, and Garneau read some talking points about the importance of their own plan. Charlie Angus led off for the NDP, who noted a suicide in Moose Factory in his riding, and wanted a plan to end the discrimination in funding. Jean-Yves Duclos responded to this one, and he said that federal and provincial partners were working together on the complex issues. Angus listed the health problems on reserves, demanding action yesterday, for which Duclos reiterate that they were working with First Nations on a nation-to-nation basis to provide inclusive and sustainable circumstances. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet asked the same again in French, got the same answer from Duclos in French, and for her final question, demanded action on proportional representation. Maryam Monsef stated that she looked forward to meaningful consultations.

Round two saw Lisa Raitt led off, worrying about the Ontario carbon price and accused the PM of using the federal credit card to pay the Ontario Liberal bill (Champagne: We are cutting taxes for the middle class), Luc Berthold asked about a natural gas network in Quebec (Bains: Here’s a list of places we’re investing in), Ed Fast decried the fictional carbon tax (McKenna: More quotes from Conservatives favouring carbon taxes), Candice Bergen wanted the Mining and Exploration tax credit extended (Carr: We are considering it), and Pierre Poilievre again asked about taxing stock options (Bains: Businesses are supportive of our innovation agenda). Anne Quach asked about the court decision on medical marijuana users growing their own plants (Blair: We are reviewing the decision), and Murray Rankin worried about continuing the current policy of criminalizing possession (Blair: We have a plan to legalize, regulate and restrict but the current laws stand). Kellie Leitch worried about anti-smoking laws and marijuana legalization (Khera: Those who need it prescribed should have access to it), Rob Nicholson decried the incoherence on marijuana (Blair: The best way to protect kids is strict legalization), and Colin Carrie and Gerard Deltell worried about seniors with dementia and doctor-assisted dying (Khera: We are examining the report; Casey: There will be many more steps to debate this). Erin Weir and Hélène Laverdière worried about remaining in the Joint Strike Fighter Programme (Sajjan: You need to be in the programme for industrial benefits).

Round three saw questions on the Justice Minister’s husband’s lobbying, an advisory appointment, gasoline prices, the possibility of a plan to engage terrorism in Libya, the Canada Transportation Act review, CRTC regulatory changes, rail by grain, and lost jobs in the aerospace industry.

Overall, it wasn’t the best day, but far from the worst. The leaders’ round was all over the map, and I’m not sure why Navdeep Bains chose to take the lead questions when he didn’t even really try to answer them, and the same with Marc Garneau answering the questions in French. I do hope that we’re not returning to a system of Back-Up Prime Minister du jour like the previous government occasionally engaged in. On a positive note, I’d like to give a gold star to Conservative MP Chris Warkentin who asked a question off-the-cuff, with no script, and which picked up on a previous answer that had been given. This is exactly the kind of thing we need to see more of, so he needs to be congratulated for it.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Catherine McKenna for a red, black and grey patterned wrap dress, and to Marc Garneau for a dark grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a purple tie. Style citations go out to Hunter Tootoo for a dark grey jacket with a teal green shirt and a red-bordered sealskin tie, and to Judy Foote for a leopard print top with a burnt red jacket and black trousers. Dishonourable mentions go out to Ginette Petitpas Taylor for a mustard jacket with a black turtleneck and trousers, and to Maryam Monsef for a black jacket with a lemon yellow dress.