The galleries full of Sikh delegates in advance of the Komagata Maru apology, the benches were similarly full on the floor of the Commons. Rona Ambrose, mini-lectern on neighbouring desk, led off by railing about the government’s proposed motion to control the parliamentary calendar. Trudeau noted that they were trying to give MPs time to speak and that this was about putting forward the agenda that Canadians voted on. Ambrose dropped a reference to Trudeau’s admiration for the “basic dictatorship” of China before asking again in French, and Trudeau gave the same response. Ambrose moved onto the topic of an electoral reform referendum, and Trudeau used the “Unfair Elections Act” as his excuse for his preferred consultative process. Denis Lebel took over in French, asked Ambrose’s second question again and got the same answer, and his second question was the referendum question in French, prompting Trudeau to drop the “60 percent of Canadians voted to change the electoral system” talking point. Thomas Mulcair was up next, his mini-lectern making a return, and he first thundered about the government shutting down democracy, then asked about the Alberta Court of Appeal ruling around doctor-assisted dying before demanding that C-14 be referred to the Supreme Court. Mulcair asked again in French, got the same answer, and then changed to the issue of home mail delivery. Trudeau gave his standard response about the promise to consult, and for his final question, Mulcair demanded that the government stop taking veterans to court. Trudeau insisted that they were working with veterans to get results for them.

Ambrose repeated her first question in French and now Lebel repeats that exact same French question. Getting repetitive, guys. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) May 18, 2016

Round two, and Andrew Scheer accused the government of having disdain for Parliament with their scheduling motion (LeBlanc: One of the rules we would suspend is one that allow you to stand up and try to adjourn the House in the middle of the day), Alain Rayes and Rachael Harder demanded a referendum (Monsef: We’re waiting for your constructive suggestions). Alexandre Boulerice and Nathan Cullen demanded changes to the electoral reform committee (Monsef: We’ve been asking for your support on this project). Scott Reid and Jason Kenney returned to the referendum demand (Monsef: Come to the table with ideas). Hélène Laverdière and Randall Garrison asked about an unauthorized RCMP investigation into journalists and demanded changes to the old C-51 (Goodale: Those officers were reprimanded; the first two steps in overhaul of C-51 will be done by summer).

Consultation by way of unicorn! Everyone gets to be heard that way! https://t.co/6pX4TwNMj8

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) May 18, 2016

And nobody is credibly challenging her because they won't veer from their scripts. #QP https://t.co/mpEh7DwTyD

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) May 18, 2016

Round three saw questions on relations with Russia, the replacement for the Office of Religious Freedoms, veterans lawsuits, environmental protections in the Fisheries Act, Sikhs in Afghanistan, Syrian refugee delays, and the Alberta court ruling on assisted dying.

Overall, it was a bit of a gong show today. Between the howls over the procedural motion, and the cries for a referendum, the questions were not terribly brilliant. But Maryam Monsef’s saccharine talking points again made absolutely no sense, and once again, nobody skewered any of her nonsense because they all stuck to their scripts and dared not deviate. It makes the whole exchange pathetic on both sides because nobody will get to any actual substance. Monsef can smile and offer her trite but ultimately empty responses because nobody will call her on any of the false talking points, or her red herrings or false equivalences. But unless anyone is willing to throw away their scripts, and go after the substance of her talking points as opposed to simply howling for a referendum, one fears that this will carry on for the weeks to come. Do better.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Justin Trudeau for a tailored dark grey three-piece suit with a crisp white shirt and dark red tie, and to Celina Caesar-Chavannes for a fuchsia dress with a white sweater. Style citations go out to Pam Goldsmith-Jones for a blue-grey paisley collared shirt with a grey-brown skirt, and to Jean-Claude Poissant for a black suit with a pale yellow shirt and a red and navy striped tie.