QP: Pawns on a chessboard

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While Trudeau and a good number of ministers remained at the UN General Assembly, things carried on back in Ottawa. Rona Ambrose led off, reiterating her line from yesterday about our troops not being pawns on the political chessboard of getting a UN Security Council seat. Harjit Sajjan reminded her that nothing was decided about where they would be deployed and they were still gathering information, and then patted himself on the back for how transparent they were being about it all. Ambrose asked a pair of questions about why there was a sudden change of heart on an extradition treaty with China while they still have the dealt penalty, Sajjan said that they were pushing China on that issue. Ambrose then changed topics to the planned CPP increase, and Bill Morneau said that they still planned on keeping TFSAs and that the rate would increase with the Consumer Price Index, and then they went one more round in French. Thomas Mulcair concerned trolled about the Liberals still using Stephen Harper’s GHG targets, and Jim Carr said that they were planning to increase the targets as they went along. Mulcair went another round in French, and Carr reminded him of the pan-Canadian targets being negotiated. Hélène Laverdière asked if the government would repeal the ministerial directive that allows information obtained by torture to be used. Ralph Goodale didn’t make a firm commitment, only noted that they were giving the whole national security apparatus a thorough review and that legislation on a parliamentary oversight body was before the House. Laverdière then returned to the issue of the extradition treaty with China, but got much the same response from Sajjan that he gave before.

Round two, and Denis Lebel asked about a softwood lumber agreement (Lametti: We are busy negotiating), Blaine Calkins, Karen Vecchio and Jacques Gourde asked about Liberal staffers’ relocation expenses (Chagger: Any expenses were appropriate and we have set a high bar for transparency). Roméo Saganash and Charlie Angus asked why the government authorised the Site C dam without adequate Indigenous consultation (Wilkinson: Projects are not revisited once reviewed but we will hold proponents to their responsibilities). Rob Nicholson and Michael Cooper demanded an Atlantic seat on the Supreme Court (Wilson-Raybould: I look forward to the panel’s recommendations), and Jason Kenney wanted tougher penalties on fentanyl traffickers (Philpott: We are working on a comprehensive solution to the opioid crisis). Erin Weir demanded action on the Phoenix pay system (Foote: We are working on it), and Ruth Ellen Brosseau worried about diafiltered milk (MacAulay: We will find a solution).

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Round three saw questions on smaller airlines not getting approvals, an increased tariff on drywall, the Port of Churchill, softwood lumber, the extradition treaty with China, cyber-security dialogue with China, refugee resettlement, foreign aid versus funding for First Nations, a shipwreck, a rail bypass near Lac Mégantic, and health user fees in Quebec.

Overall, it was a fairly dull day, but it was certainly noted that everyone seems to be reading their questions an answers a lot more than they were before the break, including ministers. I hope this is just them being out of practice and that they’ll get back to being able to respond by rote soon enough, but it is noticeable (and a little disappointing). Meanwhile, Blaine Calkins and the wannabe “Rat Pack” are back, with their questions about those senior staff moving expenses – all of which are doubtlessly justifiable (especially those relocating from Toronto) despite the big number, not that this matters. Bardish Chagger was dispatched to deflect those questions, and she did well enough, not getting rattled for what it’s worth. Also, can I just remind the Liberal backbenchers that their questions shouldn’t be so blatantly obsequious. Also, mentioning your newborn for sympathy applause? Really?

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Anju Dhillon for a white collared shirt with a cream jacket, and to Arif Virani for a charcoal suit with a crisp white shirt and pocket square and red tie. Style citations go out to Michel Picard for a bright pink jacket with a pale pink shirt and tie and grey trousers, and to Cheryl Gallant for a mustard top and skirt. Dishonourable mention goes out to Carol Hughes for a black jacket and skirt with a mustard yellow top.