QP: The menace of millionaires

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Despite it being Thursday, there were no leaders present in the Commons today (save Elizabeth May), Justin Trudeau at an Amazon fulfilment centre opening in the GTA, and the others, well, elsewhere. Denis Lebel led off for the opposition, decrying the government not respecting provincial jurisdiction regarding healthcare, and Jane Philpott immediately hit back that the previous government didn’t much care for the file and they were making investments. Lebel asked again in English, and Philpott noted that previous investments did not transform the system as was necessary, which they were engaged in. Lebel then moved onto that Bill Morneau fundraiser in Halifax, and Bardish Chagger stood to take that bullet, assuring him that all rules were obeyed. Candice Bergen took over, decrying the appointment to the Port Authority one of the attendees. Chagger repeated her answer in English, and Bergen took her through one more round of the same. Murray Rankin led off for the NDP, his first time as their new House Leader, and he carried on the same line of questioning. Chagger’s answer didn’t change, leaving it for Brigitte Sansoucy to ask again in French, no avail. Sansoucy moved onto the investments in mental health, to which Philpott insisted that this was not a political issue but one of a responsibility to Canadians and ensuring that the investments translated in better access to care. Rankin asked the same again in English, and Philpott responded with an edge in her tone, assuring him that she does not play politics with mental health.

Round two, and Shannon Stubbs, Jacques Gourde and Blaine Calkins returned to the Morneau fundraiser with the added menace of the wealthy (Chagger: We followed the rules, and it was an open event; Champagne: Look at the great things we’ve done!) Nathan Cullen and Alexandre Boulerice complained about electoral reform (Monsef: We are waiting for the committee report). Peter Kent and Michelle Rempel raised the issue of Yazidi refugees (McCallum: We are very aware and doing what we can, and our staff just returned from the region). Georgina Jolibois asked about funding First Nations post-secondary funding (Bennett: We are committed, and pursuing a whole-of-government approach), and Roméo Saganash raised the $2 billion needed to fix First Nations schools (Bennett: We are working on it).

Round three saw questions on financial consultations with entrepreneurs, mortgage rules, that bill on more women in elections, First Nations fisheries, the Supreme Court nominee committee appearance, rail safety, healthcare transfers, and broken promises.

Overall, it was a decent on the one hand, but we were back to the constant repetition of questions that are dubiously the business of the government, namely fundraising, which is really more of a party matter. Add to that, there is this desperate attempt to try and call these fundraisers “cash for access,” trying to piggy-back on the issue of political financing in Ontario, when the scale and scope are nothing alike, and the federal rules are quite strict. As well, considering these to be “secret” fundraisers is again utterly disingenuous, as they are all on the party website under “Events.” That’s certainly more open than the way the Conservatives ran their fundraisers, and the last thing we would want to see this constant attention make the Liberals stop posting the events. I will also give some additional props to Michelle Rempel for being able to deliver questions that were off-the-cuff and playing in direct response to the minister’s previous answers, which so few MPs are apparently capable of doing with their scripted questions.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Scott Brison for a finely tailored black suit with a crisp white shirt and black patterned tie, and to Jody Wilson-Raybould for a black dress with a grey mesh pattern with a black jacket. Style citations go out to Kelly Block for a tan brown blouse with a black vest and dark brown trousers, and to Martin Shields for a tan jacket with a black shirt and a red patterned tie.