While it was Monday, the no major leaders in the Commons — Justin Trudeau was several blocks away talking about Canada increasing its contributions to the a Global Fund to fight HIV and TB, while Rona Ambrose was in Alberta, and Thomas Mulcair was, well, elsewhere. Andrew Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, asking if the government would match donations to other charities than just the Red Cross in the Fort McMurray wildfires. Ralph Goodale praised the capacity of the Red Cross, and said they would look at other compensation going forward. Scheer then asked why the PM’s in-laws went to Washington and not the Natural Resources Minister. Dominic LeBlanc reminded him that the president himself invited the PM’s mother and in-laws. Scheer lamented that party “bagmen” also squeezed out ministers, and LeBlanc reminded him that the two in question were invited by the White House, and the taxpayers paid no part of their trip. Gérard Deltell then took over in French, asking the same question again twice, and LeBlanc repeated the response in the other official language. Dion responded on the second time, and he praised the work of the Natural Resources minister in getting an agreement with the Americans. Peter Julian led off for the NDP, howling about KPMG’s involvement. Diane Lebouthillier decried those wealthy individuals who haven’t paid their fair share, and that there were criminal investigations underway, contrary to his assertion. Julian asked again in English, Lebouthillier repeated her answer, adding that she isn’t sure why he can’t understand it. Niki Ashton hectored about the size of the budget implementation bill, for which Bill Morneau disputed that it was an omnibus bill. Ashton then demanded immediate decriminalisation of simple possession of marijuana, and Bill Blair quoted Mulcair in saying certain decriminalisation would be a mistake.

Pray tell, which Liberal has "never worked a day in his life"? #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) May 9, 2016

Round two, and Blaine Calkins and Jacques Gourde started rat packing the Washington visit questions (LeBlanc: Historic visit, personal invitations), and John Brassard lamented the Prime Minister’s nannies (LeBlanc: Two household staff also act as secondary caregivers). Shari Benson and Alexandre Boulerice asked about Canada Post’s profits (Foote: We need an independent comprehensive review, which we are conducting). Candice Bergen asked about the effect of the wildfires on oil production (Carr: I am meeting with industry leaders), and Matt Jeneroux asked if the government would change its spending patterns to deal with the loss of oil production (Carr: bland assurances), and decried that the Liberals used a photo of Ambrose and Trudeau meeting with Goodale on a fundraising emails (Gooodale: Now is the time to come together, not play politics). Alistair MacGregor and Pierre Nantel decried the number of Conservative donors on the CBC board (Joly: We are putting into place a new merit-based appointment process).

We had the nanny questions months ago. Nothing has changed. Why is it coming up again now? Are there no other issues to discuss? #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) May 9, 2016

Round three saw questions on PPP Canada, delegate expenses for the Paris conference, softwood lumber, the visa requirement on Mexico, the “lost” victims of Thalidomide, the Port of Vancouver, the RCMP unionisation bill, Supply Management, and Energy East.

Overall, it was an exasperating day with the constant repetition of questions that had obvious answers, particularly the issue of the Washington trip. It is public knowledge that President Obama himself asked that Margaret Trudeau and Trudeau’s in-laws to attend the State Dinner, and yet this is some kind of scandal. It’s public knowledge that the president and chief fundraiser of the Liberal Party paid their own way on that trip, so why ask eight questions about it? Similarly, why it was necessary for Bob Saroya to ask the exact same question that Michelle Rempel had just asked, in the same official language, is mystifying. Rempel asked a good question and held her own. Saroya’s repetition was both unnecessary and annoying. That no substantive questions were asked until very nearly round three is outrageous. It shouldn’t be this hard. None of this is rocket science.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Mélanie Joly for a light blue collared shirt with a tan jacket and black trousers, and to Marc Garneau for a dark grey suit with a white shirt and blueberry tie. Style citations go out to Louis Plamondon for a grey jacket with a fluorescent yellow shirt and tie, and to Judy Foote for a zebra-print beige jacket with a black dress.