QP: Déjà vu from Monday

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While new senators were being sworn in down the hall, all of the leaders were present for QP in the Commons, and everyone was raring to go. Rona Ambrose led off, reading from her mini-lectern, asking about how the budget numbers don’t add up. Justin Trudeau stated, matter-of-factly that they were putting money in Canadians’ pockets. Ambrose listed people who felt the budget lacked transparent, but Trudeau was undaunted in lauding the good news of the budget. Ambrose accused him of blocking projects like pipelines, and Trudeau hit back a little more pointedly about how “shouting pipelines into existence” didn’t work. Denis Lebel was up next, worried that the infrastructure envelope was thin, and Trudeau lauded the funding. Lebel launched a paean about how great the infrastructure funding was under their government, but Trudeau reminded him that their arguments failed to convince Canadians in the fall. Thomas Mulcair was up next, and got an ovation from the whole of the Commons. He repeated the false equivalency of that Shelly Glover fundraiser with the Jody Wilson-Raybould fundraiser, to which Trudeau listed all of the rules and said that they were being followed. Mulcair switched to the Panama Papers and the story that CRA officials went to work for KPMG, and Trudeau recalled the new funds for CRA in the budget. Mulcair repeated a bunch of dubious accusations and demanded an investigation into KPMG, and Trudeau repeated the funds for CRA. Mulcair closed the round with a question on EI reform, and Trudeau listed the reforms made so far.

Round two, and Blaine Caulkins accused the Wilson-Raybould fundraiser of mixing with lobbyists (LeBlanc: We all fundraise), Michael Cooper took a shrill kick at the can (LeBlanc: Your cute phrases don’t change the facts), Karen Vecchio again brought in the Wilson-Raybould’s husband (Bennett: That organization has a proven track record), and Jacques Gourde again asked between the difference of being an MP and a minister (LeBlanc: No scandal here). Roméo Saganash and Charlie Angus asked about the Attawapiskat suicide crisis (Philpott: We are taking action in the short and medium term). Rob Nicholson asked about federally-appointed superior court judicial appointments (Wilson-Raybould: We are revamping the process and will make announcements soon), and asked about her possibly hiring a political advisor (Wilson-Raybould: same answer), and Alice Wong vigorously read a pair of questions on tax increases (Morneau: You should actually read the budget). Tracey Ramsay repeated yesterday’s questions about the TPP (Freeland: We are consulting), and Ruth Ellen Brosseau railed about supply management (MacAulay: We believe in supply management).

Round three saw questions on oil investment, the KPMG affair, the “empty messages” in the budget, EI changes, the possibility of privatizing search and rescue (Sajjan: That may have been a Conservative plan but not ours), a Canadian terror suspect, reports that Energy East will be imposed on Quebec, and Aveos workers in Quebec.

Overall, it was mostly déjà vu from yesterday — nearly all of the questions were the same as yesterday, in the same order, which made for a very dull day. The only substantive difference was the presence of Mulcair and Trudeau – kind of like that they all decided that their questions were so good yesterday without Trudeau present (note: they weren’t) that they decided to give it another shot with him there. That was unfortunate, and shows a real lack of ability on the part of those MPs asking questions. I would also add that Mulcair was full-on snide today (and was even more so with his budget speech after QP). It’s not clever, just bitter, and it’s not a good look for someone who kept preaching civility in the Commons.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Arif Virani for a medium grey three-piece suit with a white shirt and a brilliant blue tie, and to Lisa Raitt for a grey dress with half sleeves and black detailing including a belt. Style citations go out to Rachael Harder for a mustard top with a grey jacket with three-quarter sleeves and black lapels, and to Michel Picard for a moss green suede jacket with a white shirt and a burnt-orange tie. Dishonourable mention goes out go to Ginette Petitpas Taylor for a yellow jacket with a black turtleneck.