QP: Focusing on the May 14th timeline

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For a second day in a row, a skeletal sitting of the Commons convened, and we were treated to a proper Question Period once again. Andrew Scheer led off, mini-lectern in front of him, and read his concern that the government allegedly sat on the report from the Armed Forces on the conditions in long-term care facilities for nearly two weeks. Trudeau clarified that the full report was brought forward on Thursday, and they passed it along to Ontario the following day. Scheer changed to French to pass along that a second report was being prepared on the Quebec homes, and Trudeau reiterated that they received that report on Thursday and passed it along. Scheer worried about what happened between May 14th and Thursday, and Trudeau said that Thursday was when the Chief of Defence Staff passed it along. Scheer then brought up the question from this morning’s prime ministerial presser about Joyce Murray supporting a fundraiser to sue a journalist, and Trudeau said that the staffer who posted it was not working for them. Scheer tried to tie this to the Chinese government, and Trudeau repeated the previous response before he read some support for Hong Kong. Yves-François Blanchet was up next, and he railed about political parties accessing the wage subsidy, and Trudeau spoke about the aims of the programme to help workers retain their jobs. Blanchet tried again, and got the same response. Jagmeet Singh then got his turn, and he demanded federal action to end the privatization of long-term care, and Trudeau replied that they can’t tell the provinces what to do in their areas of jurisdiction but that the federal government would be there to support them. Singh made a paean for national leadership in French, and Trudeau again reiterated that they have to respect provincial jurisdiction.

Round two, and James Bezan returned to the May 14th date around the report on long-term care facilities (Blair: That report was brought to me on Friday after we received it on Thursday), Gérard Deltell demanded to know the size of the deficit (Morneau: We need to spend in a time of crisis), and about government loans (Morneau: Emergency loans are one example of how we are ensuring companies can access them), and Candice Bergen gave an example of CERB abuse (Duclos: CRA has mechanisms to ensure good deployment of funds). Christine Normandin returned to parties getting the wage subsidy (Morneau: We are trying to protect all workers), and the processing of immigration applications for asylum seekers working in long term care homes (Blair: They will get full and fair hearings on their claims and we allow them to work in the meantime). Kevin Waugh accused the government of being too secrecy around the national emergency stockpile (Hajdu: We have learned a lot about this in the past months), Cathy McLeod railed the lack of equipment (Hajdu: We are working with provinces and territories to ensure we have enough equipment going forward), David Sweet demanded the government condemn China (Garneau: We are deeply concerned about the Hong Kong proposal), and Steven Blaney lamented the Canada-China committee was wound down (Rodriguez: We are dealing with this pandemic and committees have been able to sit). Lindsay Mathyssen demanded more help for people with disabilities (Duclos: We have been putting in new measures with rapid support for increased benefits), and Scott Duvall worried that workers were being denied supplemental benefits (Duclos: We have acted quickly on CERB in particular, and there is more to do).

Round three saw questions on support for farmers (Bibeau: We invested in new programmes to help farmers), the assault weapon ban (Blair: We prohibited weapons that were not designed for hunting and sport shooting), who pays for those ten additional days of sick leave (Duclos: We are in discussion with provinces), help for the tourism industry (Duclos: We will have help for them), the lack of feedback from EDC loans to businesses (Ng: I will get back to you on that), concern over plans to make it a crime to spread misinformation on the pandemic (Hajdu: We adjusted our advice but misinformation is something else), the lack of information on the Nova Scotia shooting investigation and the need for federal direction (Blair: Families need answers, and we are working with officials and the province and we are putting a system in place to ensure that information is made available), race-based data collection on data collection (Hussen: This is important to us, and we have required intermediaries to provide this data up front to us), and help for seasonal workers (Duclos: Programmes like CERB are available to them, and we are making EI available to them).

Overall, it seemed a little calmer than on Monday, but the Conservatives definitely had a script about those long-term care facility revelations, and no matter how many times the government gave them a response about when they received the report, the Conservatives insisted that no, they must be lying. So that went well. The question on Joyce Murray’s role in that fundraiser to sue a journalist may have been an appropriate question about ministerial responsibility, but then Scheer had to go full-meathead and try and tie this to some kind of conspiracy with the People’s Republic of China, and I’m sure that someone just put their head in their hands at that point and wept about how politically inept he continues to be. I will note that it was good to see Trudeau being a bit more forceful when it comes to delineating what is provincial jurisdiction when it comes to long-term care facilities and the demands that Jagmeet Singh was making (and I still can’t decide if he’s really clueless about jurisdictional issues, or if he’s cynical enough to confuse the issue to make it look like government inaction). Still no questions on the “urgent” matter of the Harrington Lake renovations and the faux concern that pandemic funds were being used on them. I guess Michael Barrett’s meltdown the other day was all for show.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Chrystia Freeland for a cream-coloured short-sleeved dress, and to Bill Morneau for a tailored navy suit with a light blue shirt and medium blue tie. Style citations go out to Angelo Iacono for a very seventies blue and grey windowpane jacket with a white shirt and pocket square, light blue slacks and a dark blue tie, and to Anita Vandenbeld for a tan top and a matching jacket with burgundy leaf patterns. Dishonourable mention goes out to Rachael Harder for a black jacket with a yellow top and grey skirt.

2 thoughts on “QP: Focusing on the May 14th timeline”

  1. Ford failed. No amount of cheesy cheesecake videos will cover for the fact that Ford made cuts to nursing home inspections, and then like Trump has the gall to say he inherited a bad situation. “Oh, Hillary made me do it, I mean Kathleen. Or maybe it was ‘Ghina’.” Mike Harris is making bank at Chartwell, so of course the ONPC deflects that nursing homes being cash-cow concentration camps has nothing to do with this. *hand wave* “These are not the boards of directors you’re looking for!”

    Shame on both of them, and shame on the federal Cons and NDP for again obfuscating jurisdictional issues just to dunk on Trudeau. The troops went to PMJT right up the chain of command because they knew the premiers would bury it. But I’m sure Blanchet will be raising more hackles to run interference for Legault when the next report about Quebec comes out. This is an outrage, and all these cynical personalities want to do is to point fingers and score points on the backs of vulnerable people’s lives.

  2. The CAF report was truly gut wrenching. Like the Covid crisis which has cast a spotlight on the conditions in LTCH this report actually mirrors other reports that highlighted extremely
    horrific conditions in thes homes over many years. It all comes down to a sad fact. Canadians have warehoused their parents in these facilities and they visit them there I’m sure, some more, some less, but if they were truthful they would tell you that the conditions outlined in this report are not really different than what has been occurring in many of these homes in the past. Where were the complaints if any sent by these relatives? Who got them? What actions were taken? In Canada we have allowed a for profit system of care to place our seniors in environments of risk. Underpaid workers with less than adequate training and supervision, working two or more jobs just to make ends meet, is that what Canadians want from their provinces for their seniors? Surely we are better than this. The onus however lies strictly on the parents of the very seniors who must reside in these places. Conditions like this have been rampant in the system for years. It will be interesting to see what actions provinces will take in this matter. While you wait, imagine what it will be like for you to be placed in homes like this if there are not wholesale changes. Imagine sleeping a urine soaked bed with bedsores not properly dressed. Imagine having food shoved down your throat by an impatient worker who because the facility is short staffed has many others to feed. Sounds gruesome doesn’t it? Overheard from a grandchild upon leaving a home, “I’m glad we are out of here, it smells like a latrine in here!” Off they go to nice homes that their relative used to live in with good food, clean beds and toilets, while their grandparents or parents have to undergo another day of wretchedness.
    Canada had better get its act together, before our leaders go around telling the world how great things are here. And don’t anyone dare blame Trudeau or the Feds. This is all on your province. In fact it is all on you! Get hold of your MLA. Tell them that you want changes and Now! If they don’r act, tell them not to stand for election ever again. They have betrayed you and the very builders of this land.

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