QP: A (mostly) serious, grown-up day

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There we no major leaders present for Question Period yet again, and with an increasing number of empty desks, the time of year is getting increasingly obvious. After an emotional tribute by Nathan Cullen to UK MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in her home riding earlier today, there was a moment of silence in the Commons. Jason Kenney started off, demanding that ISIS be considered a genocide. Stéphane Dion assured him that because of the UN report on genocidal activities, they were asking the UN Security Council to make a declaration. Kenney insisted that Dion was late to the party and named off other affected local populations, and Dion reminded him that Canada’s policy was the same as our allies and we were taking the lead in getting the Security Council to Act and it was why we tripled our contribution to the allied forces in the region. A third round from Kenney got the same answer. Michelle Rempel was up next, and demanded action on resettling Yazidis to Canada. John McCallum noted that several families were on the way to Winnipeg in a few weeks under private sponsorship, and noted that the Immigration Committee had just adopted a motion to study it. Rempel quoted the act that lets McCallum take action immediately, and he reminded her that the situation was more complicated than that. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet led off for the NDP, demanding parliamentary oversight for weapons exports. Dion stated that he controls export permits and does so with rigour and transparency. Boutin-Sweet then demanded a public inquiry into Afghan detainees, and John McKay listed off past and ongoing investigations. Murray Rankin was up next, and demanded that parliament pass Bill C-14 as amended. Jody Wilson-Raybould insisted that the bill as tabled was already constitutional and that it was the right approach. Rankin demanded the bill be referred to the Supreme Court, but Wilson-Raybould was not moved.

Round two, and Peter Kent returned to the genocide question and demanded a return to a combat mission (Dion: Our mission is getting results), Lisa Raitt and Gérard Deltell worried about CPP reform and “payroll taxes” (Morneau: We are working with the provinces). Brigitte Sansoucy and Irene Mathyssen decried veterans’ lack of access to long-term care (Hehr: We support veterans in over 1500 long-term care facilities). Andrew Scheer demanded the government demanded the government pay to have oil and gas workers clean up old wells (Carr: It’s the responsibility of those who made the mess to clean it, but if the provinces deem this necessary we will consider it), Candice Bergen decried the deletion of Harper-era web content (Brison: This is all archived at Libraries and Archives), and Scott Reid and Alain Rayes demanded a referendum on electoral reform (Holland: We have a committee process which we want you to participate in). Georgina Jolibois and Niki Ashton asked about a Dene land claim ratification (Bennett: It’s a complex file with lots of partners we are working with).

Round three saw questions on veterans benefits, that veterans group lawsuit, enhancing CPP benefits, off-shore shrimp fishery, a national organ donor registry, the “Liberal War on History,” salmon fisheries, the Marrakesh Treaty, Air Canada’s official languages obligations, and health transfers.

Overall, it was as pretty sober and serious day with plenty of decent questions and responses. It was almost like a grown-up exercise for a change rather than entirely for cheap theatrics (which, to be fair, this current parliament has been less about than in the recent ones I’ve sat through). At times, it was hard to keep up with because there was some actual substance to recap. They were even mostly not repeating their applause lines in both official languages consecutively, but asking more questions instead, which is behaviour we should be encouraging. The good behaviour and half-decent lines of questions started to peter out toward the end, but it was largely a very good day. It’s too bad that it’s one of the very last of the spring sitting, as it looks like the Commons is likely to rise after tomorrow for the summer (with the exception of people coming back for President Obama’s address to a joint session of Parliament on the 29th).

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Celina Caesar-Chavannes for a short-sleeved grey dress, and to Matt Jeneroux for a dark grey suit with a black waistcoat white striped shirt and purple spotted tie. Style citations go out to Erin Weir for a tape suit with a light blue shirt and an orange tie, and to Kim Rudd for a pale yellow dress with a black splatter pattern across it. Dishonourable mention goes out to Cheryl Gallant for a mustard yellow dress with a black sweater with brass studs down the sleeves and sides.