QP: Misrepresenting the Fraser Institute

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It being caucus day, all of the leaders were present, and what a day of proto-PMQs it would be.  Andrew Scheer led off, worrying about how much carbon taxes would cost Canadians, and he demanded to know how much it would cost families. Justin Trudeau said he would respond to that in a moment, but first wanted to thank the leader of the opposition, all MPs, and all Canadians for their solidarity in the face of trade difficulties with the US. Scheer said that Conservatives would always support measures to keeping markets open, and then began the smug crowing about Ford’s win in Ontario as a demand to cut carbon taxes. Trudeau reached for a script to decry that the Conservatives didn’t learn anything after ten failed years. Scheer insisted that a growing number of provinces are standing up to carbon taxes, to which Trudeau reminded him that Canadians rejected that approach two-and-a-half years ago, where they did nothing about the environment while having no economic growth to show for it, which contrasted his government’s approach. Scheer switched topics to the irregular border crossers, and Trudeau assured him that the system was working, that all rules were enforced, and didn’t want people to be subject to Conservative fear-mongering. Scheer concern trolled that the government was putting one group of refugees against another — doing exactly the same in his framing — and Trudeau called him out on it, while noting that the previous government cut CBSA and refugee healthcare, and created backlogs that they were still dealing with. Guy Caron led for the NDP, raising the concerns of a BC First Nation that wants to  built a solar farm instead of a pipeline, to which Trudeau took up a script to say that the NDP only listen to those who agree with them, while his government listened and included that particular band. Caron repeated the question in French, and Trudeau read the same response in French. Alexandre Boulerice cited a Cambridge study that cited that the oil bubble would burst between now and 2050, and demanded investments in renewable energy. Trudeau took up a new script to say that they can create jobs while protecting the environment, and listed programmes they have invested in. Murray Rankin reiterated the question on renewables in English, and Trudeau didn’t need a script to retread his usual talking points about creating jobs while protecting the environment. 

Round two, and Scheer got back up to demand that retaliatory tariffs be put in place immediately (Trudeau, with script: These American tariffs will harm Americans to, and Canadians can count on their government), that it was reported that the Americans waived the five-year sunset clause (Trudeau: They have not waived it), was the waiving offered? (Trudeau: No, it wasn’t), why he was waiting to implement TPP (Trudeau: Let me reiterate that the Americans have not waived it), listing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation  (Trudeau, with script: We have been strong on Iran), and the Clerk of the Privy Council dismissing the Auditor General’s report on Phoenix (Trudeau, with script: We are changing the culture of the public service after ten years of muzzling, and partisan spending). Jenny Kwan and Ruth Ellen Brosseau railed about Kinder Morgan making reporting violations (Trudeau, with script: The Conservatives failed to get access to markets other than the US, and the NDP are good with us losing $15 billion a year). Lisa Raitt accused the government of interfering with the CPP when it comes to interest in buying the Trans Mountain pipeline (Trudeau, with script: The CPP Investment Board is arm’s length; You don’t have confidence in our workers or industry while we have Alberta’s back), and Alain Rayes demanded that Quebec and First Nations pass their own laws around cannabis (Trudeau: We consulted with experts and the best way to protect Canadians is with our bill). Karine Trudel and Tracey Ramsey worried that support for steel and aluminium workers wouldn’t be sufficient (Trudeau: We have their backs, and we will impose dollar-for-dollar retaliation). 

Round three saw questions on carbon tax costs (Trudeau: You’re misrepresenting the report), the parental reunification lottery system (Trudeau: We inherited a system that had increasing wait times, and we cut them but it is taking more work), visa talks with Ukraine (Trudeau: We will continue to support Ukraine — but nothing about visas), the Islamic Humanitarian Organisation’s hateful comments (Trudeau: We oppose all hate speech), the summer jobs grant (Trudeau: We won’t refund job funds to organisations who violate rights), visas being abused by organised crime in Romania (Trudeau: We are very engaged on this topic), a Quebec observatory in trouble (Trudeau: We invested historic amounts in science, and we are in talks with them), Supply Management (Trudeau: We will continue to defend the system), and Quebec rejecting cannabis home growth (Trudeau: The current system: isn’t working).

Overall, the day was far too scripted, and what was especially obvious was the way in which Scheer, who dominated the Conservative spots for the day, kept moving onto his scripted questions rather than staying at issues that the PM didn’t really answer on, or right off the top, said he’s get to but wanted to make his remarks first. Scheer didn’t really follow-up or repeat the question, moving on instead to the absurd crowing about Ford’s victory in Ontario that far over-reads what actually happened in that election, nor did Scheer follow-up on the TPP implementation question after Trudeau digressed to clarify his previous response. As for the Poilievre exchanges, it was yet more examples of disingenuous rhetoric being used in the framing of issues – Poilievre citing the PBO saying carbon taxes would cost $10 billion out of the economy (not true – it cites that it would only cost that if revenues were not recycled properly into things like income tax cuts), or that the Fraser Institute report showed that income taxes went up for Canadians (again, that report did not take into account that tax credits were replaced by the Canada Child Benefit), and Trudeau at least called him out on that. But as with any PMQ Wednesday, we got few actual responses and mostly canned talking points from the PM, with a few instances where he made direct reference to his talks with Trump and where he stood firm on issues (like, of course, Supply Management).

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Rob Oliphant for a tailored black suit with a crisp white shirt and a striped navy tie, and to Marie-Claude Bibeau for a collarless blue jacket with a black top and slacks. Style citations go out to Sylvie Boucher for a brown and red floral poncho top with light grey slacks, and to Randall Garrison for a taupe suit with a pale yellow shirt and a brown tie. Dishonourable mention goes out to Candice Bergen for a black and yellow short-sleeve top with an off-white and black skirt.