QP: In advance of the fiscal update

Posted on by

Just before the fall fiscal update was to be delivered – in the Commons for the first time in a decade, mind you – Justin Trudeau was elsewhere, despite all other leaders being present. Rona Ambrose led off, raising the forthcoming fiscal update and wondering why the government was doubling down on its failed plan. Bill Morneau said that he was looking forward to talking about the long-term impact of their measures. Ambrose noted that the infrastructure plan only got one project going, but Amarjit Sohi disputed that characterization and praised the agreements with the provinces. Ambrose decried tax increases, and Morneau retorted with the tax cuts they put through in the last year plus the implementation of the Canada Child Benefit. Ambrose then tried to equate Trudeau’s cabinet with Kathleen Wynne’s staffers facing provincial charges as a segue to fundraising issues, and Bardish Chagger read her standard response about the federal rules. Ambrose changed to French and raised the Chrétien-era staffer who was found guilty for Sponsorship-scandal related fraud charges, and Chagger simply repeated her response in French. Thomas Mulcair was up next, asking about police surveillance of a journalist in Quebec. Ralph Goodale responded about the gravity of the situation and the values of freedom of the press, which is spelled out in a ministerial directive. Mulcair pressed, and Goodale spelled out the Supreme Court five-part test. Mulcair moved onto fundraising, and Chagger repeated her standard response. Another round of the same got no different answer.

Round two started off with Denis Lebel decrying the efficacy of the government’s economic plan (Morneau: We are investing), Alex Nuttall decried carbon taxes killing manufacturing jobs (McKenna: The environment and the economy go together), Rachael Harder asked about “job churn” (Cuzner: We are investing in education and look at the changes to student loans and grants), and Pierre Poilevre decried job losses (Morneau: We have improved lives and have started down the path to prosperity). Romeo Saganash and Charlie Angus demanded more funds for First Nations child welfare (Bennett: These are the investments we’ve made). Mark Strahl and Jacques Gourde returned to fundraising questions (Chagger: There is no preferential access), and John Brassard brought up Kathleen Wynne’s staffers again (Chagger: We have stronger rules). Linda Duncan wanted the Canadian climate plan to be tabled before the UN summit at Marrakesh (McKenna: We have been working with the provinces), and Robert Aubin asked about the TSB’s outstanding recommendations (Garneau: We take these recommendations seriously and we are working to do better).

Round three saw questions on carbon pricing, closing the Vegreville immigration processing centre, fired GLBT soldiers, mandatory minimums, regional development ministers, Supply Management on dairy, TSB recommendations, and Muskrat Falls.

Overall, there was nothing particularly illuminating about the day, but the attempts by the Conservatives to tie the current fundraising non-issues to elections-related charges by the Ontario provincial Liberals was particularly irritating. If Stephen Harper is the talisman that the NDP wields, then it’s Kathleen Wynne that most Conservatives wield instead (Rachel Notley is of course the other, but her name is rarely ever mentioned in the Commons, unlike Wynne’s). If these Conservatives want to fight the Ontario provincial election, then perhaps they should run in it, or else do their jobs and deal with federal issues. As well, Ambrose switching to French to ask about that Sponsorship-era judgment was nakedly looking to tie the current Liberals to the Chrétien era, which again, is pretty tiresome. Scandal necromancy is an art that few people can do well, and this was completely ham-fisted.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Catherine McKenna for a short-sleeved grey dress with a line pattern, and to Raj Grewal for an impeccably tailored navy suit with a matching turban, light blue shirt with a white collar and white pocket square and a red tie. Style citations goes out to Thomas Mulcair for a dark grey suit with a dull orange shirt and an orange and brown striped tie, and to Judy Sgro for a bright red jacket with a white turtleneck.