The prime minister was present today, the third day this week, but Andrew Scheer was elsewhere. That left Gérard Deltell to lead off, asking about the announced job losses at Bombardier, and he worried about the federal loan extended to the company. Justin Trudeau took up a script to say that their thoughts were with those affected, before reading praise about the Canadian aerospace sector. Deltell moved onto Di Iorio’s planned resignation, and worried it would be too late for a by-election. Trudeau read that the member intended to resign. Deltell asked about Di Iorio’s “special mission,” and Trudeau read a similar script about how MPs are expected to work on behalf of there constituents. Mark Strahl got up next to rail about Tori Stafford’s killer, and demanded an apology to Stafford’s family for forcing them to fight the government. Trudeau read that they reviewed the medium security transfer policies and they made improvements. Strahl railed about how that was an admission that they had the power to transfer her beforehand, and Trudeau didn’t use a script this time to reiterate the same response, with added empathy to the family. Guy Caron was up next, returning to the topic of Bombardier, but was particularly concerned about its executive bonuses. Trudeau picked his script back up to read about their thoughts with the workers and yay aerospace. Caron switched to English to Rae the question again, and Trudeau responded by reading the English version of his own script. Tracey Ramsey was incredulous that the prime minister said he wouldn’t have his photo taken signing the new NAFTA so long as the steel and aluminium tariffs were in place. Trudeau quipped that Ramsey’s region was in favour of the agreement before reading about his support for the industries affected. Alexandre Boulerice got up to repeat the question in French, to which Trudeau read Boulerice’s praise for the agreement.

You can tell it’s the Thursday before a break week because everyone is phoning in their scripted outrage today. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2018

That's the fourth time the Prime Minister's heart has gone out. It's like a Celine Dion song on repeat.

— John Ivison (@IvisonJ) November 8, 2018

Round two, and Peter Kent, Bernard Généroux, Sylvie Boucher, and Dan Albas brought back their StatsCan concern trolling (Bains: This is a pilot project, none of the data will be identifiable and no one can compel them to release this data). Karine Trudel and Scott Duvall railed about Sears pensions (Bains: Our government has been clear about supporting pensioners, and in this case, the CCAA process is working; Tassi: Consultations have been taking place because this is a difficult issue). Pierre Poilievre demanded confirmation that GST and HST will be charged on carbon taxes (Fraser: You’re trying to trick Canadians into believing life will be more expensive with our policies; You have spent weeks spinning falsehoods), and railed about the steel and aluminium tariffs (Leslie: Conservatives supported our agreement). Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet and Jenny Kwan demanded a national strategy for the opioid crisis and criminal prosecution of manufacturers (Petitpas Taylor: We have invested to ensure more services on the ground and public awareness).

Albas says that the Liberals will be able to access the StatsCan data and tie it to individuals.
Bains calls it a falsehood. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2018

Fraser makes a few jabs at Poilievre in the theme of the @macleans cover. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2018

Poilievre made a bizarre show of pretending to ask something of Donald Trump.
Speaker Regan says he’ll allow the use of second person this time. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2018

Round three saw questions on veterans’ benefits (Lauzon: We are improving services but there is more to do), Canada Post’s labour tactics (Hajdu: We have been working with the parties, and if they can’t get a deal soon, we will use all options to restore service; MacKinnon: When a strike occurs, the expiry of collective agreements affects some supplemental benefits), steel and aluminium tariffs (Leslie: We have taken measures to protect the industry), labour shortages (Hajdu: We are working hard to ensure Canadians have the skills they need to take advantage of these job opportunities and a robust immigration system is key), the Mark Norman case (Goodale: I don’t recall the defence engaging your services on the file), EI sickness benefits (Vaughan: EI reform is key, and we are seized with it), a bad corn crop in Ontario (Poissant: We are working with counterparts to solve the problem), Quebec demanding more control over immigration (Hussen: We will continue to work with the province to build on the record of collaboration; Rodriguez: The Bloc is trying to reopen divisions), and Davie shipyard contracts (MacKinnon: We recently announced the purchase of ice breakers and a maintenance contract).

Overall, it was a pretty lame day with little in the way of actual substance – mostly the lacklustre reading of scripts back and forth, with the prime minister being one of the worst offenders for that today. The questions were scattershot, but that’s almost a relief after weeks of repetitive outrage clip gathering, but much of the faux outrage today was still of the mendacious variety, and the Conservative demands for an apology on the Tori Stafford file continues to be utterly galling considering they were the ones reading the graphic details of her murder into the record. There were several mocking questions about the plans not to attend any photo ops of the New NAFTA signing until the steel and aluminium tariffs were lifted, but they all seemed to think that this was about the prime minister’s vanity when it’s really about attacking Trump’s vanity – he wants to have Trudeau and Peña Nieto there to sign with him so that he can declare the win, and if they don’t give him that, it that hurts him more than it hurts them, and if nobody can see that fact, you have to wonder how closely they’re paying attention. On the subject of Trump, Pierre Poilievre’s bizarre little show of “asking” a question to Trump directly on the floor of the Commons was mystifying and juvenile. I will also give some props to Sean Fraser for actually bringing a bit of wit and repartee back to QP, and Navdeep Bains for calling out falsehoods yet again. Would that the PM could do the same.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Scott Reid for a dark grey three-piece suit with a white shirt and pocket square and a white and white tie with black spots, and to Karen Ludwig for a dark grey suit with a white collared blouse. Style citations go out to Rosemarie Falk for a black jacket with bright pink florals and black slacks, and to Jean-Claude Poissant for a dark grey suit with a faded cranberry shirt and a burgundy striped tie. Dishonourable mention goes out to Cheryl Gallant for a short-sleeved mustard dress with black piping.