After a number of members’ statements dedicated to both the anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting and #BellLetsTalk, and a moment of silence for the mosque shooting, things got down to business with all of the leaders present. Andrew Scheer led off, and he railed about MasterCard getting government funding. Trudeau responded with some bland platitudes about growing the Middle Class™. Scheer tried again, got much the same response, and then Scheer demanded that the Teck Frontier Mine be approved. Trudeau said that railing about activists and celebrities didn’t help the energy sector, but working in partnership with all sectors and Indigenous people was the path forward. Scheer then switched to French to ask about a parole case, to which Trudeau picked up a script to read that they had ordered an investigation into the Parole Board’s decision. Scheer switched to English to lie about Trudeau apparently opposing mandatory minimum sentences for violent murderers, and Trudeau repeated his answer in English. Yves-François Blanchet was up for the Bloc, to get back to his usual complaints about aluminium under the New NAFTA, and Trudeau gave his usual assurances that there are new content guarantees that don’t exist currently. Blanchet threatened to vote against the Ways and Means motion on the treaty, and Trudeau listed the good things about the agreement. Jagmeet Singh was up next for the NDP, and he worried about evacuating Canadians from China — something that was addressed in a press conference moments before QP began. Trudeau read a statement about their concern, and that they were working to assist the 160 Canadians who had contacted them. Singh then raised that MasterCard contract instead of giving that money to pharmacare, and Trudeau stood up to correct him as to the actions they have taken to make prescription drugs more affordable.
Round two, and Pierre Poilievre concern trolled about the deficit (Trudeau: We are investing in Canadians and communities, and they have created a million new jobs while we have lifted people out of poverty), Pat Kelly worried about the lack of a definition for Middle Class™ (Trudeau: We have seen the results of our investments), Richard Martel demanded action for the aluminium sector (Trudeau: Yay Canadian aluminium), Leona Alleslev and Randy Hoback demanded more economic analysis of the New NAFTA (Trudeau: We offered your briefings and will provide more materials as they are available). Mario Simard and Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe asked about aluminium (Trudeau, with script: This is a better agreement for the sector than status quo, and here are some quotes). Mark Strahl and Pierre-Paul Hus returned to the parole question (Trudeau: This is a tragedy, and we are pleased that there has been an inquiry launched), Cheryl Gallant compared the settlement to Omar Khadr to the lawsuit against veteran Sean Bruyea (Trudeau: We stopped the Conservatives’ shameful attacks on veterans), and James Bezan railed about the costs for the Mark Norman prosecution (Trudeau: Decisions around Norman were made independent of government). Laurel Collins worried about the Volkswagen settlement (Trudeau: Prosecution decisions are made independent of government), and Mumilaaq Qaqqaq asked about Nutrition North (Trudeau: We have made improvements to the programme but there is more work to do).
Round three saw questions on the energy sector (Trudeau: We are ensuring that Trans Mountain is being built which Conservatives couldn’t do), the Canada Summer Jobs programme (Trudeau: It’ll be rolled out January 30th), an ageing sewer line that threatens the Fraser river (Trudeau: Our fisheries minister and provincial partners are working closely together), the Teck Frontier Mine (Trudeau: We will meet our emissions targets, and we are committed to net-zero by 2050), notifications for those on the flight that may have had coronavirus (Trudeau: We are using passenger manifests to notify them), a vote on Israel at the UN (Trudeau: We believe in a two-state solution, and a negotiated solution), the global corruption index (Trudeau: We have stayed focused on creating a better future for Canadians), observer status for Taiwan at the WHO (Trudeau, with script: We support Taiwan’s meaningful participation), investments in seniors (Trudeau: We have made significant investments, and here are a bunch of them).
Overall, it was another fairly well-behaved day, which is still a bit unusual, but this parliament is still very new, and I’m sure they’ll be back to their usual shenanigans soon. Given that it was proto-PMQs today, Justin Trudeau was answering more questions extemporaneously today, which is good, but he didn’t have much of an answer for the questions off top (though surprisingly he had some more detailed answers as things progressed). Otherwise, the counter remains at zero for days where Andrew Scheer has not lied to the Chamber, which is not a good look. I’m still not sure what this MasterCard story is, and I’ve been checking and can’t find anything, but I would almost be assured that this outrage is entirely disingenuous, and that they are completely mischaracterizing the situation (as with the Loblaws comparison).
Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Justin Trudeau for a tailored medium grey suit with a white shirt and navy tie, and to Shannon Stubbs for a medium grey dress with a light grey jacket with three-quarter sleeves. Style citations go out to Mona Fortier for a navy dress with burgundy and gold florals and a navy jacket, and to Colin Carrie for a medium grey jacket with a black checkerboard pattern, and black trousers (but I wasn’t able to get a look at his shirt/tie combination given his back was to me the entire time).
The Conservatives don’t really care about Muslims or mental health. Otherwise they wouldn’t be getting cozy with the gun lobby or with hate groups and online troll/disinfo mediums like Rebel, Post Millennial, and True North that harass Omar Khadr and his family, broad-brush both Muslims and mental illness sufferers as a menace to society, and sh*tpost cruel and vulgar memes about Margaret Trudeau. A first responder who treated the mosque shooting victims is considered the seventh victim after she suicided due to PTSD. The Conservatives’ answer to all of this is “thoughts and prayers” (but not mosque prayers) and scapegoating to protect favored interests while pushing draconian measures to proclaim themselves “tough on crime.”
I laughed again as I saw Scheer’s brayer in chief standing behind his leader clapping like the trained seal he is, supporting every lie and tory trick. Strahl comes from arguably one of the richest ridings in Canada and certainly in BC. The Fraser Valley is home of the fastest growing city in BC, Chilliwack. Under a very conservative council this faith based community has the distinction of having the highest crime level in BC along with a serious homeless population and drug problem without a safe injection site not helped by having one of the lowest tax revenues from an area of wealth. Strahl’s newsletter received by voters here this very day talks about the BC economy, ethics and accountability and provincial unemployment as if this were Trudeau’s fault. BC has a surplus budget, increased business development, an infrastructure program for hospitals, roads and schools second to no other province. I ask myself, why is this craven, ignorant little man doing in the Parliament of Canada?