QP: Investing in assets

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While the prime minister was away after this morning’s major announcement on the government decision to acquire the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, all other leaders were present — for a change. Andrew Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, and he railed about the Trans Mountain announcement, before demanding to know that it wouldn’t cost more than the $4.5 billion. Bill Morneau responded with a bit more fire than we usually get from him, decrying the audacity of the Conservatives for demanding the pipeline get built and then complaining when they assured it would be. Scheer offered some revisionist history when it comes to governments paying for pipelines (there is in fact a long history of it), and Morneau reiterated that the project was in the national interest. Scheer played the economic nationalist card in that $4.5 billion going to “Texas” shareholders, and Morneau repeated the points about jobs and the economy. Alain Rayes took over in French, and demanded to know how much it would cost taxpayers, and Morneau repeated that it was important to invest in the project, that their investment ensured it would be completed. After another round of the same, Guy Caron got up to rail that this investment was a betrayal, rather than investing in the clean economy. Morneau said gave the usual line about the environment and the economy going hand-in-hand, and that while they invested in clean energy, this project was still necessary. After another round of the very same, Nathan Cullen got up to ramble sanctimoniously about what was in the public interest, and Morneau reminded him that they went through a robust process, and that people need to respect the rule of law. Caron piled on more sanctimony, and Morneau made points about stepping in between provincial squabbling.

Round two, and Shannon Stubbs, Matt Jeneroux, Michelle Rempel, and Mark Strahl read some apocalyptic lines about the demise of private investment in the energy sector (Morneau: We stepped forward to de-risk this project that is in the national interest; I’m calling out fiction about your government getting pipelines built). Karine Trudel and Tracey Ramsey raised the Auditor General’s report on the Phoenix pay system, demanding a public inquiry (Qualtrough: We accept the report a recommendations, and reminds Canadians of the Conservatives’ mismanagement). Gérard Deltell and Pierre Poilievre returned to the Kinder Morgan announcement (Morneau: Your government didn’t get anything done and we have the strength and courage to invest). Brian Masse worried about bank hacks and equated it to EU privacy laws (Bains: We brought changes to update PIPEDA, which is our privacy legislation), and Robert Aubin raised the passenger bill of rights (Garneau: We intend to create a regime, but we need to consult Canadians first).

Round three saw questions on legal immigrants versus irregular migrants (Garneau: I’d like to know where you guys got the figure of 600 arrivals last weekend, because that’s not what we have and we know we should always tell the truth here), Supply Management (MacAulay and Leslie: We support it, unlike your party and chosen innovative critic), a possible CP Rail strike and demanding a promise not to bring in back-to-work legislation (Hajdu: Negotiations are ongoing — but wouldn’t make the promise), victims rights (Wilson-Raybould: We are not changing the sentencing regime but hybridisation offences go give prosecutors more tools), filling the post of Ombudsman for Victims of Crime (Wilson-Raybould: We are searching for a candidate and will fill it as soon as possible), shipwrecks not being in a coastal protection bill (Garneau: Yay this bill and let’s get it passed), Christopher Wylie’s testimony at committee — which wasn’t really a question for the government (Gould: Look at all the treat things in our elections bill), and the Kinder Morgan sale vis-à-vis court challenges (Carr: It’s not our role to speculate on these cases).

Overall, it was a pretty raucous day, so much so that I couldn’t clearly hear Morneau at several points. This having been said, it was probably a mixed blessing that the PM was not there, because it would have been utter pandemonium in the Chamber as he responded in platitudes (which has me worried that tomorrow is going to be unwatchable). This being said, the Conservative tactics of having Scheer only ask three questions and then divvying up the very same questions by as many other faces as possible means that this was another day of simply filling out their social media roster. So many clips to be generated in both official languages! Only the NDP asked anything about the Auditor General’s report, and even then only on the question of Phoenix, but rather than going hard after it, they demanded a public inquiry, which will do nothing at all about the situation, nor will it fix the culture of the civil service that the Auditor General called out. Meanwhile, I am boggled that it took Marc Garneau 24 hours to call out Lisa Raitt’s questions from yesterday about the border. This government’s inability to respond to issues within 24 hours is utterly mystifying. Cripes, you guys.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Kim Rudd for a black dress with pink spots and a pink jacket, and to Bill Morneau for a tailored black suit with a shirt shirt and eggplant tie. Style citations go out to Kevin Waugh for a red and blue checked jacket with a white shirt and a blue patterned tie, and to Marilyn Gladu for a black sleeveless dress with white and green florals.