QP: The perpetual call for lower taxes

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While the PM off in Houston, the benches were a little emptier today. Rona Ambrose led off, worrying that the government wasn’t doing enough to cut taxes in the face of the Trumpocalypse — assuming that anyone can actually decipher what signals are actually being given there. Scott Brison responded, citing the tax cuts and Canadian Child Benefit that have lifted children out of poverty. Ambrose demanded lower taxes and less red tape, to which Navdeep Bains listed the stats on job creation and the number of companies expanding investing or expanding in Canada. Ambrose asked for the same as it comes to small business, and Bardish Chagger relayed her government’s concern for those small businesses are looking to help them succeed. Alain Rayes worried about tax burden being passed onto his daughter with higher deficits, to which Scott Brison reiterated his previous comments in French. Rayes asked again about small businesses in French, and Chagger gave a more truncated version of her previous response in French. Matthew Dubé led off for the NDP, worrying about Quebeckers being turned away from the US border, to which Ahmed Hussen said that he couldn’t speak to individual cases, but they need to raise concerns with American authorities. Dubé changed to English to demand an end to the safe third country agreement, but Hussen reminded him that the UNHCR still considers the States a safe country. Tracey Ramsey worried about auto parts rules under NAFTA, which Chrystia Freeland assured her that it was her priority to fight those American rules. Ramsey demanded to know what the government planned to bring up in trade negotiations, but Freeland chastised Ramsey for trying to get her to negotiate in the media.

Round two, and James Bezan and Pierre Paul-Hus demanded a restoration of danger pay for soldiers in Kuwait (Sajjan: You changed those rules and cut defence spending under your watch), Pierre Poilievre demanded revenue projections from the carbon tax — which doesn’t exist (Petitpas Taylor: We lowered taxes and are supporting Canadians), and Dan Albas worried about the deficit (Petitpas Taylor: We’re focusing on economic growth and the middle class!). Georgina Jolibois wanted Senator Beyak’s comments condemned (Bennett: Those comments show we need more education), and Romeo Saganash wanted the minister to demand Beyak’s resignation (Bennett: Not for me to do). Kelly Block and Luc Berthold worried about privatizing airports (Garneau: We are focused on improving passenger experiences), and John Barlow and Shannon Stubbs were concerned Alberta was spending their infrastructure dollars on other projects (Miller: We are delivering for Albertans). Pierre-Luc Dusseault worried about CRA employees bailing for the private sector (Lebouthillier: We have rigorous policies and they have strict conditions when they leave the Agency), and Nathan Cullen railed about KPMG (Lebouthillier: We are investigating tax cheats).

Round three saw questions on appointments, those nursing homes sold to a Chinese firm, advanced directives for assisted dying, judicial appointments, marijuana edibles, RESPs, oil spill response, softwood lumber, and KPMG.

Overall, it was a fairly pedestrian day, where the questions about taxes and red tape are getting a bit tired, but also I continue to boggle at the demands that the government “adjust” their plans to deal with the Trumpocalypse, as though we had many idea what that actually means at this point, because anyone paying the slightest bit of attention knows that the signals coming out of Washington are all over the map. Trump saying he’s going to slash red tape means nothing because a) it’s far easier said than done, and b) massive deregulation can lead to more uncertainty for business because they no longer have a predictable investment situation as things will wind up being litigated far more often, and they would be dissuaded from taking the risk. Simply following Trump’s example is probably not advice that we should be demanding. Meanwhile, I fail to see how those NDP questions on Senator Beyak’s comments were at all allowed given that the Senate is not a government department, and the minister can’t demand her resignation. I get that they’re performing some outrage, but come on.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Francis Drouin for a dark grey suit with a light purple shirt and dark purple tie, and to Rachael Harder for a pale green pattern e jacket with a white top and black slacks. Style citations go out to Kirsty Duncan for a pink jacket with a black blouse with a pussy bow, and to Vance Badawey for a black suit with a creamsicle orange shirt and orange and grey striped tie. Special mention goes out to Rona Ambrose for her dark leopard print jacket with a black dress, which was a fairly bold, cougarific choice.

2 thoughts on “QP: The perpetual call for lower taxes”

  1. Cutting taxes has become a fixation in Canada. Maybe the Government should announced abolishing all taxation and going back to the days prior to 1914. This way people could find out how many services they would be without. A hard lesson to learn but worthwhile exercise.

  2. When you listen to the bafflegab from the opposition parties in QP you realize that they are bankrupt of any cogent policy and use the smallest excuse to try to undermine the agenda of the majority party. When was the last time we saw anyone of importance from the side opposite get up and really support the positive things the governing party was doing. With all due respect, I read your post everyday. I often wonder how you put up with having to make the same complaints every time you write it?
    Most questions asked are either self serving, specious or disingenuous.
    Last week it was so bad that members opposite laughed when a minister offered that he had driven a cab to feed his family. Some of them have nice hair though.

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