QP: One last kick at the can for 2016

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While the PM was present for caucus in the morning, and was slated to be at his caucus Xmas party later in the day, he was not, however, present for QP. Go figure. Rona Ambrose led off with lamentations about tax raises, to which Bill Morneau reminded her that they reduced taxes for the middle class, and gave them an enhanced child benefit. Ambrose then worried that Trudeau was spending too much time with the “out-of-touch elite” with fundraisers and not those out of work. Bardish Chagger recited the new talking points about being focused on working for the middle class. Ambrose worried about the billionaires — especially Chinese billionaires — looking for favours from fundraising, but Chagger responded with a combination of the hard work talking point with the one about the rules. Ambrose refereed to the PM as a bagman for the party, and Chagger returned to the talking point about working for the middle class. Ambrose demanded an end to cash-for-access fundraisers, and Chagger returned to the rules talking points. Thomas Mulcair was up next, asking about Canada 2020 being a wing of the Liberal Party, but Chagger stuck with her talking points about the middle class. After another round of the same, Nathan Cullen stood up to moan about electoral reform, and Maryam Monsef said they were proud to hear from Canadians before coming up with legislation, and there was another round of the same.

Round two started with Luc Berthold lamenting repeated answers on fundraising (Chagger: Since you like it, I’ll repeat it), Rachael Harder worried about youth losing hope (Mihychuk: We have a youth strategy), Jacques Gourde, Blaine Calkins and Marilyn Gladu worried about fundraising (Chagger: Look at our record helping the middle class!). Matthew Dubé asked about CSIS not confirming if they had journalists under surveillance (Goodale: All safeguards are in place are being reviewed to ensure that they are effective), and Hélène Laverdière asked about Saudi arms sales (Dion: We condemn the attacks against Yemen). Pierre Poilievre asked about household debt (Morneau: We cut taxes for the middle class; Duclos: Middle class families are the top of our priorities), and Gérard Deltell worried about taxing health and dental plans (Morneau: We cut taxes for the middle class). Anne Quach asked about Phoenix pay delays for summer students (Foote: There are only three students still waiting for pay), and Niki Ashton asked about performance bonuses for Phoenix executives (Foote: Here are the measures we’ve taken).

Round three saw questions on a peacekeeping mission, use of a particular anti-malarial drug, court cases involving residential schools, CETA as a vanguard of foreign takeovers, First Nations transparency, the vote against the bill on Crimean Tatars, a Quebec project, tax evasion by a company that rents office space to the CRA, and banning asbestos.

Shortly after QP, the Commons rose for the Christmas break, and in case you missed it, here is Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner’s 2016 Christmas poem, a proud Commons tradition.

Overall, it was a repetitive day with no real fireworks, no good exchanges, and basically demonstrating that yes, it really was time for them all to go home. Normally I’d offer a more comprehensive breakdown, but really, there wasn’t much to see. Time to send them home for six weeks and hope that they can come up with some new questions and maybe a few actual answers (with the caveat that while repetitive, the government answers are largely a step above what they were under the Harper years, for what it’s worth, which isn’t a whole lot right now).

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Chrystia Freeland for her short-sleeved black dress and to Pierre Paul-Hus for a tailored dark grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a lavender tie. Style citations go out to Wayne Stetski for a bright red shirt with a black shirt and black patterned tie (honestly, MPs, just burn those bright red dress shirts that some of you like – they’re eyesores, all of them), and to Niki Ashton for a leopard print top with an off-white sweater and black skirt.

7 thoughts on “QP: One last kick at the can for 2016”

  1. In the new year I would like to see Chagger sent back to the back bench and Monsef too. Maybe PMJT can promote some competent people, repeating lines written by your staff is beyond obscene to the taxpayers. One wonders if any real work is being done. Where was young Justin today? Is he just avoiding QP because he is tired of the sameness? Sad!

    • Young Justin, a continuing euphemism for inexperienced, callow and just a drama teacher with nice hair. I thought with the acceptance of PM Trudeau by the world community as a positive leader as opposed to the flim flam man the Americans have just elected would have caused you to find more complimentary language. If you can’t offer a pertinent criticism without using language of the Tories who spent millions using it and lost, please refrain from posting comments like this one and I promise if you do, I’ll stop complaining about it here.

      • My oh My, no need to get your knickers in a twist. You know it’s a free country complain away, I will not stop you. Did you parents call you by this long name btw?

        • Figured you would have a more intelligent reply but hope grows eternal. Try to spell correctly too. Also keep my parents out of this thank you. Now…… coalitionforchangecanada is an organization of Canadians who work to try and bring some propriety to the political processes at work in our Country. We talk to representatives at all levels of government to attempt to bring changes to the process. We suggest policy. We always are interested in people who have ideas to join us. It is easy to be negative. It takes real effort to act and speak in positive ways.

  2. I thought that larrymuffin’s criticism was quite pertinent: he (young Justin) has promoted people to the front bench that are in his (young Larry’s) opinion, not competent. References to Mr. Trump as a flim-flam man… now that might be thought to be not pertinent to Canadian politics. Just sayin’.

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