QP: Demanding a technical briefing

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For a second day in a row, all leaders were present in the Commons, ready to go for QP after a morning of caucus meetings. Rona Ambrose led off, asking about the secrecy over whether our Forces were on the front lines in Iraq. Justin Trudeau said that their role in assisting and training was important and dangerous but necessary work. Ambrose worried that the lack of transparency with no technical briefings, and Trudeau noted the need for operational security. Ambrose asked again in French, got the same response. From there, Ambrose went onto fundraising and tried to link ministers going to fundraisers with the former system in Ontario, and Trudeau reminded her that there are strict and transparent rules. She pressed again, but Trudeau responded a bit more forcefully. Thomas Mulcair kept up the fundraising questions, calling activities “unethical” and wanted tougher rules into law. Trudeau reiterated the strict federal laws, and they went another round of the same in French. Mulcair then moved onto funding for First Nations children, demanding support for their Supply Day motion on the subject tomorrow. Trudeau spoke about respect and working in partnership and the noted the investments to date. Mulcair asked again in English, and got much the same response.

Round two, and Denis Lebel demanded that trade agreements get signed (Freeland: We did our job, and are waiting on the EU to be ready), and Pat Kelly, Shannon Stubbs, and Blaine Calkins returned to fundraising events that don’t show up on Google (Chagger: There are strict rules and we have complied). Karine Trudel and Karine Trudel wanted fixes to CETA and an end to TPP (Freeland: CETA has the support of socialist politicians across Europe). James Bezan and Pierre Paul-Hus worried there was no proper medical support for our troops in Iraq (McKay: Our troops are engaged in their mandate of advise and assist). Matthew Dubé asked about privatized infrastructure (Sohi: We are working with provinces and municipalities).

Round three saw questions on small business taxes, the plans for an infrastructure bank, unpaid summer students, the Phoenix pay system, LGBT veteran cases, veterans who faced medication testing, infrastructure projects in Alberta, rail safety, and the ISDS provisions in CET.

Overall, it was merely an okay day, but it was dreadfully repetitive, and we continued to get tortured questions about fundraising that was entirely hyperbolic to the point of conspiracy theory. Do the Conservatives honestly think that the government would fold on a lawsuit involving veterans who had medication tested on them because the current head of that company has helped organize a fundraiser? Really? They were in government not that long ago – did this kind of logic fly with them then? I highly doubt it. (And we all know how I feel about all of the pearl-clutching on this issue).

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Scott Brison for a tailored dark grey three-piece suit with a white shirt and dark blue tie, and to Bardish Chagger for a black dress with a red front panel and sleeve, those panels decorated in gold Indian patterns (and she did note that Diwali was coming up in her first response). Style citations go out to Candice Bergen for a red tent-like blouse with wide ruffles, and to Mel Arnold for a dark grey suit with a dark teal shirt and a multicoloured floral tie.