QP: Solidarity in the face of Trump – more or less

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Following the melodrama of the G7 summit over the weekend, the PM decided to take the day off from QP, but so did all of the other leaders, so make of that what you will. Candice Bergen led off, saying that they stood together with workers, and wanted to know what the PM’s plan was to resolve this impasse with the Americans. Dominic LeBlanc got up to respond, thanking Canadians for standing together to protect workers, and that there was no national security threat, and everyone gave hearty applause. Bergen then worried about whether the deficit took into account a potential aid package for these affected workers, and LeBlanc noted that any tariffs would also hurt American workers, and they were consulting on the sectors to see how they could help. Bergen said that they could immediately ratify the TPP, scrap the carbon tax, and eliminate trade barriers between provinces, and to invited them to work with Conservatives. François-Philippe Champagne said that they would have a TPP ratification bill tabled before the summer. Alain Rayes got up to repeat the deficit question in French, got the same response from LeBlanc in French, and then they went another round of the same. Ruth Ellen Brosseau led off for the NDP, asking the government to provide a unified response with all parties against Trump. LeBlanc said that obviously yes, they would work with all members to protect workers and ensure that retaliatory measures are proportionate. Brosseau then raise the leak from the existing Trans Mountain pipeline and that the government failed in its consultation of First Nations. Marc Garneau responded by reading that there were strong laws on pipelines on polluters paying for problems. Nathan Cullen repeated the question in English, with added sanctimony, to which Jim Carr noted that by repeating the polluter-pay principle in the Pipeline Safety Act. Cullen read a statement from a First Nations chief about the quality of the consultations, and Carr fumbled in his response about the NDP trying to speak on behalf of First Nations.

Round two, and Pierre Poilievre expounded upon storm clouds and not preparing for rainy days when it comes to deficits (Morneau: We focused on investing in Canadians, and we have record unemployment and improved growth), before he moved onto his usual question about the costs of a carbon tax on families (Wilkinson: A thoughtful plan includes a price on pollution), and Gérard Deltell reiterated the question in French (Wilkinson: Same answer), and when the budget would be balanced (Morneau: Our approach is good for Canadian families). Tracey Ramsey worried about a potential attack on the auto industry by Trump (LeBlanc: We stands behind workers, and we aren’t a national security threat). Marilyn Gladu, Jamie Schmale, David Sweet, and John Brassard returned to Friday’s tactic of pointing out that Doug Ford won the election and demanding the carbon tax be scrapped (Wilkinson: A thoughtful plan includes a price on carbon, and sixty percent of voters supported a party that included carbon pricing). Alistair MacGregor and Brigitte Sansoucy railed about Supply Management (MacAulay & Bibeau: We introduced Supply Management system, and we support it).

Round three saw questions on irregular border crossers (Garneau: We’re glad the opposition leader finally visited the crossing to see what’s going on; Hussen: Why did your party cut millions from CBSA), the Iranian regime (LeBlanc and DeCourcey: We will always hold Iran to account for its actions, and our priority is the return of a Canadian citizen and an explanation in the death of her husband), single-use plastics (Wilkinson: We are working with partners to come up with a plan), the Canada Summer Jobs Grant and an Iranian group who got funds calling for genocide (Hajdu: If they haven’t fulfilled their obligations, they won’t get their funding), LGBT refugees funding being made permanent (Hussen: We have funded the Rainbow Refugee Society for two years, and our record speaks for itself), arms exports to the US not being tracked (DeCourcey: C-47 is a great bill!), the Arctic surf clam fishery (LeBlanc: We opened it up to Indigenous communities), Senate amendments on the cannabis bill Petitpas Taylor: We are studying these amendments), Supply Management (Bibeau: We support it), and funding for mental health support in Nunavut (Philpott: We are working with the territorial government and ITK).

Overall, there was an attempt at showing a united front in the face of the Trumpocalypse’s meltdown on the weekend over the G7 meeting and the tariff question, which was met with some added discomfort by the Conservatives as they tried to still find ways of picking apart the government’s position (along with the decidedly unhelpful suggestion that they immediately lower inter-provincial trade barriers, as though the past 151 years were just playing pretend at attempts to lower them), as well as using this situation to push forward their own agenda of trying to get rid of the carbon tax, and concern trolling about the size of the deficit. The Conservatives also carried forward some of their Friday tactic of getting a number of Ontario MPs to get up to pronounce that the Ford win in Ontario was proof that Ontarians are opposed to carbon pricing – something that the government had a response for when it comes to 60 percent of Ontarians voting for parties in favour of it. So there’s that. I just can’t wait for two more weeks of this particular tactic, which is a clear sign of over-reading the election results. The NDP, meanwhile, continued to offer their usual Supply Management virtue signalling, because they have to show their Quebec voters that they’re taking action about this.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Raj Grewal for a tailored black three-piece suit with a light blue shirt and a red turban and tie, and to Sherry Romanado for a white collared shirt with a black suit. Style citations go out to Linda Duncan for an orange and black striped dress with random florals across it, and to Mark Holland for a light grey jacket with thin black stripes, with black slacks, a white shirt and bright red tie.