QP: French and feminism

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After yesterday’s own-goal by the Conservatives, it was an open question as to whether we’d get more of the same for proto-PMQs. And just before things got underway, news broke that Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes decided to leave caucus to sit as an independent, so that got everyone salivating. Andrew Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, and he started off by reading how shocked and appalled Canadians were about the justice committee shutting down the Double-Hyphen Affair hearings, but rather than blast Trudeau, he asked the chair of the Ethics committee — one of his own MPs — if they would look into the matter. Bob Zimmer rose to say that he had received a request that was in order, and members were invited to submit proposed witnesses. Scheer then turned to Trudeau say that they had “just learned” the Ethics Committee would look I to the matter (which isn’t actually true – a letter does not mean there is an investigation until the whole committee votes on it, and the Liberals hold the majority on said committee), and wanted him to appear before it. Trudeau first noted International Day of the Francophonie, then stated that committees make their own decision. Scheer scoffed at that in French, demanding that key witnesses be allowed to appear, and Trudeau repeated his response in French. Scheer tried again in English, and Trudeau repeated his response in French, accusing the Conservatives of playing petty politics over things like the economy. Jagmeet Singh got up next and read a demand that all witnesses be heard before the next election. Trudeau again noted the Day of the Francophonie and reminded Singh that committees were masters of their own destiny, not the vehicles of party leaders. Singh then turned to rail about the inadequate pharmacare provisions in the budget, and Trudeau read a script about the pharmacare proposals. Singh, in French, read some condemnation of the housing provisions in the budget, and Trudeau again picked up a script to read all of the things they are doing for housing. Singh returned to English to demand more housing units, and Trudeau reiterated his points sans-script.

Round two, and Candice Bergen and Michelle Rempel tried to make a feminist issue out of the Double-Hyphen Affair (Trudeau: It’s rich for you to talk about the rights of women when we have a better record). Tracey Ramsey and Charlie Angus accused the government of misleading the public on the jobs at stake from SNC-Lavalin based on a recent statement by the CEO (Trudeau: Look at how we are investing in Canadians!). Alain Rayes and Gérard Deltell wanted Trudeau to appear at the Ethics committee (Trudeau: Committees choose who they want to call and I will respect their decisions, but hey, here are some budget items). Jenny Kwan and Alexandre Boulerice raised the climate “strike” last week (Trudeau: We put a price on pollution and an ocean protections plan, and are investing in green technology).

Round three saw questions on Trudeau going to Ethics committee (Trudeau: Committees make their own decisions and I respect that, while you refuse to talk about the budget because you have no ideas), demanding the elimination of interest on student loans (Trudeau, with script: Hooray young Canadians! We are making their education easier), EI sick benefits (Trudeau, with script: Here are some other budget measures), the veracity of the SNC-Lavalin job figures (Trudeau: That’s false), another demand for a public inquiry on the Double-Hyphen Affair (Trudeau: We had the committee do its work and the Ethics Commissioner will do his), health transfers for Quebec (Trudeau: Here’s how we’re supporting Quebec).

Overall, there was a lot unusual today. First of all, Trudeau answered everything in French because of International Day of the Francophonie, which is all well and good, but it does have the perverse side-effect of denying suitable clips for English news media (which may not be a bad thing for Trudeau given some of the exchanges). Second of all, Scheer was being completely disingenuous regarding the Ethics committee, and all subsequent Conservative questions on it were similarly based on a false premise. As explained, just because the committee chair got a letter from opposition members, it doesn’t mean that they will actually hold hearings or do an investigation of their own, because it’s up to the committee as a whole to vote on it, and the Liberals have the majority. They will almost certainly vote it down, and Scheer will bellow “cover up!” some more, and Trudeau will respond that they simply don’t want to talk about the economy. But once again, Scheer completely distorted the truth, as he does so often. Also, this so-called “policing” of Trudeau’s feminism is beyond tiresome. I get that they think they’re being clever about it, but it’s reductive and based on a facile version of feminism that seems to be based on Trudeau treating women as fragile objects rather than equals. Meanwhile, Jagmeet Singh’s framing all questions about the Liberals helping their “well-heeled friends” and “cronies” is cartoonish, and isn’t helping with his credibility.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Maryam Monsef for a black dress with a dark blue jacket, and to Justin Trudeau for a tailored navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a pale purple tie. Style citations go out to Martin Shields for a black suit with a terra cotta shirt and a purple tie and pocket square, and to Ruby Sahota for a long-sleeved tan top with a black vest and slacks.

3 thoughts on “QP: French and feminism”

  1. Where is the scandal here? JWR made a decision on SNC Lavelin (the wong decision in my view) as Attorney-general. It remains in place today. Government lobbied her as Minister of Justice (member of cabinet and an inherently political posion) to consider alternatives and get outside legal opinions. She didn’t. She was subsequently given a new cabinet portfolio which she willingly accepted. Two weeks later, she resigned from cabinet citing undue pressure (ten contacts in four months?) and has wreaked havoc on her own party. In my view, she’s the scandal.

    • The scandal is that various actors within the PMO and elsewhere in government pressured the Attorney General to overrule the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions to take SNC-Lavalin to trial for fraud and corruption. This was in contravention of the constitutional convention that “Attorneys General of this country must act independently of partisan concerns when exercising their delegated sovereign authority to initiate, continue or terminate prosecutions.” [Krieger v. Law Society of Alberta, 2002 SCC 65]

  2. Excellent point Sue, I my riding of Chilliwack-Hope the incumbent MP Mark Strahl wrote a letter in the Chilliwack Progress where he stated that the Liberal had a program of gutting the oil and gas industry in Alberta and Canada. You could go on e news Chilliwack Progress to see the rebuttal printed in Readers Write in today’s edition.

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