QP: Eight questions later…

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With so much news going on, and so many balls to juggle, it was a question as to whether the Conservatives would carry on the tactics they’ve been pursuing the past week or so. Andrew Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, and he immediately led off with the falsehood that small and medium-sized business would bear the brunt of the new carbon taxes. Justin Trudeau stated how proud he was of his plan, and they had lowered small business taxes. Scheer tried again, and Trudeau accused the Conservatives of having no plan. Scheer waved around the background documents to claim that the industrial sector is exempt from the same costs as SMEs — deliberately omitting that the rebates are only for trade-exposed sectors — but Trudeau didn’t correct the record. Scheer dug into that same line of questioning, and Trudeau went into a bit of high dudgeon about how Canadians wanted more than opposition but wanted their plan. Scheer tried one last time, and Trudeau again avoided calling bullshit on it, but simply lamented that the Conservatives were unwilling to take climate action. Guy Caron was up next for the NDP, who raised the concerns of BC First Nations opposed to the Trans Mountain pipeline who claim the new process remained rigged. Trudeau picked up a script to read about how the we’re getting the job done. Caron then raised the lack of movement on steel and aluminium tariffs, and Trudeau took up another script to read about how great the New NAFTA was. Tracey Ramsey took over to lament that polling showed people being disappointed with the agreement, and Trudeau assured her that he met with workers in her area who were pleased with the deal. Nathan Cullen returned to the TMX review’s timelines, and Trudeau picked up a script to say that the old process was why the previous government couldn’t get pipelines built.

Round two, and Scheer was back up to read the concerns of the CFIB over the carbon tax, and kept demanding the same “exemptions” for large emitters for SMEs (Trudeau: They like that we lowered small business taxes, and we are taking real action on climate), he demanded the documents for the “true costs” of the carbon tax (Trudeau: You demand documents when you won’t present your plan), and Pierre Poilievre reiterated the large emitters question with added smarm, time after time (Trudeau: They are factually wrong, and they have their own targets). Murray Rankin demanded criminal charges for opioid manufacturers (Trudeau, with script: We have a comprehensive, compassionate and evidence-based approach), and Don Davies demanded the government join BC’s lawsuit to recoup costs from drug companies for the opioid crisis (Trudeau: We will work with provinces to help them with what they need). Scheer returned to the weeks-old questions on the murderer who got veteran’s benefits given that the victim’s parents were on the Hill (Trudeau, with script: We have done a review of the system to prevent future such occurrences), and Todd Doherty, Blaine Calkins, and Phil McColeman repeated the question (Trudeau: ibid). Cheryl Hardcastle asked about the promised ombudsman for Canadian corporate activities abroad (Trudeau: We are moving forward on a process), and Charlie Angus asked about Grassy Narrows First Nation not seeing funds for mercury clean-up (Trudeau, with script: We are actively engaged with community, and determining their needs and priorities).

Round three saw questions on the James Cudmore/Mark Norman issue (Trudeau: His employment details were already provided, and it’s not appropriate to comment on a matter before the courts), reviving Energy East via accusations of corporate donors (Trudeau: We have open and transparent fundraisers, you don’t; We have a concrete plan to reduce GHGs), Supply Management (Trudeau, with script: The agreement preserves and maintains Supply Management and we will compensate farmers), sulphuric acid spills (Trudeau: We take this situation seriously, and Transport Canada is looking into it), Thalidomide survivors compensation (Trudeau: We want to do right by them, and we are working with them), and Saskatchewan’s participation in the carbon plan (Trudeau We tried to work with them and they refused).

Overall, it was a bit of a ridiculous day, and the fact that it took Trudeau eight questions to counter the falsehoods that Andrew Scheer and Pierre Poilievre were putting forward about the differences between the climate plans for large emitters versus others, and they have different rebates, but Scheer’s plan is to create this false narrative that large emitters get special treatment when they don’t – certain trade-exposed industries get differing rebates to ensure competitiveness, but they still pay the carbon price, because the point is to create a fiscal incentive for them to reduce emissions, and it took Trudeau eight questions before he even approached a counter to that. Un-freaking-believable. Especially if this is how he plans to sell his plan to Canadians. Cripes.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Julie Dzerowicz for a pink collared shirt with a black suit, and to Arif Virani for a black suit with a light blueberry shirt and a purple tie and pocket square. Style citations go out to Colin Carrie for a dark grey jacket with an eggplant shirt, tan slacks, and a yellow and black striped tie, and to Sheri Benson for an oversized long red collared shirt with a black and white vest with different patterned blocks. Dishonourable mention goes out to Filomena Tassi for a black and yellow checked jacket with black dress.

One thought on “QP: Eight questions later…”

  1. You are absolutely correct when you call out Trudeau and his ministers as well for not plainly and sharply rebutting the nonsense that the conservatives come to QP with. They had better spend some time practicing more biting answers to the baiters questions.

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