QP: A smarmy thanks for their concern

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Both Erin O’Toole and Yves-François Blanchet claimed to have been recovered from COVID, though neither has stated that they have received two negative tests to prove that fact, and they were in the Commons to make their debut in the new session — O’Toole his first as party leader. To that end, he led off, with a mini-lectern and script in front of him, and he thanked everyone for their thoughts and prayers for him and his wife when they were diagnosed, before he launched into a demand for why there has been slow progress on the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Justin Trudeau started off with well-wishes to both O’Toole and Blanchet, before he thanked the Conservatives for taking interest in reconciliation and stated that they have been making progress over the past five years. O’Toole repeated the question in French, and Trudeau gave a more expansive answer on the progress that has been made. O’Toole pivoted to the approval of rapid testing, to which Trudeau picked up a script to list the steps taken, and that one test was just approved this afternoon. O’Toole tried to insist that Canada not approving the same tests that were approved in the EU was a violation of CETA, and Trudeau noted that approvals had been granted in the spring in other jurisdictions that later had to be rescinded. O’Toole switched to French to lament the lack of availability for rapid testing, and Trudeau reiterated his previous response on the approval of a test, saying that they respected science. Blanchet was up next, and he led off by first giving a nod to O’Toole for his new role, before he offered the usual demand for higher health care transfers. Trudeau gave his usual response about working with provinces and having already given higher transfers. Blanchet tried to demand to know how many doctors and nurses the federal government was paying, to which Trudeau listed the places where the federal government does have jurisdiction for healthcare delivery. Jagmeet Singh raised the case of the First Nations woman who taped her racist nurses shortly before she died, and decried systemic racism, to which Trudeau offered a script about his condolences and his concerns over the racism on display. Singh then decried that there are still Indigenous communities that have no clean drinking water, and Trudeau listed the progress that they have made to date, and stated that they are still working toward their May 2021 goal of eliminating all long-term advisories.

Round two, and Richard Martel demanded unconditional health transfers to Quebec (Trudeau: We did increase transfers and have committed to sitting down with premiers to discuss further steps), Michelle Rempel Garner demanded details on when rapid testing would be made available (Trudeau: You should check with your Ontario colleagues about the test they took, and the ones we signed a deal for yesterday will be available in the coming weeks), and Pierre Paul-Hus reiterated the question in French (Trudeau: It will be in the coming weeks). Blanchet was back up to repeat his demand for unconditional health transfers (Trudeau: We already increased transfers, and we gave support to Quebec’s long-term care homes with troops), and Christine Normandin repeated the demand (Trudeau: Same answer). Michael Chong praised the imposition of sanctions on Belarus, before demanding the same on Chinese leadership (Trudeau: We have continued to press China on human rights, their treatment of Uyghurs, and we work with the international community around Hong Kong), and Alain Rayes worried about small business (Trudeau, with script: Here are all of the measures we have taken), and Michael Barrett railed about compensation for supply managed farmers (Trudeau: We will be there as we promised to be). Rachel Blaney demanded action on First Nations housing (Trudeau: We have made progress and we are doing more), and Charlie Angus railed about the legal process for the survivors of the St. Anne’s residential school (Trudeau: We will continue to work to resolve the terrible events of the past).

Round three saw questions on the production of WE Imbroglio documents (Trudeau: We are focused on helping Canadians), the inquiry into the Nova Scotia shootings (Trudeau: We agreed to the national public inquiry, and they have all the tools they need — but did not offer details on when we would see details or the terms of reference), a demand for a plan for the aerospace sector (Trudeau: A number of sectors were hit by the pandemic, and we have plenty of programmes to help them), the March 2021 deadline for drinking water on First Nations (Trudeau: We made the commitment and we working hard to reach that deadline, but COVID has created some delays), rural broadband (Trudeau, with script: We are working toward one million new connections), the RCMP’s beard policy affecting Sikh Mounties (Trudeau: We have stated that this is unacceptable and have asked the RCMP reviews this policy), the opioid crisis (Trudeau: We have made it easier to get new medications and to set up overdose prevention sites), and crime in the GTA (Trudeau: We have committed to stepping up on gun control).

Overall, the first proto-Prime Minister’s Questions of the new session was fairly standard, with no real moments of drama in anyone’s favour. The fact that it was Orange Shirt Day did give the Conservatives and NDP leave to put more emphasis on Indigenous issues, and I will say that Trudeau was fairly smarmy in the way he thanked the Conservatives for their interest in the reconciliation file, when he had just as much room to be sharper to remind them that they did nothing about boil-water advisories or advancing reconciliation in any meaningful way when they were in power for nine years after they killed the Kelowna Accords. O’Toole’s debut was nothing too spectacular, and I’m only surprised that he didn’t punctuate his questions with laments about “Communist China!” given how it pervades all of his other messaging. The fact that the Conservatives also adopted the Bloc line of “Give Quebec unconditional transfers” shows how grasping they have become for votes in that province, and maybe it’s just me, but I have a hard time seeing the tactical value of trying to out-Bloc the Bloc, especially if you’re a federalist party.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Christine Normandin for a long-sleeved black dress, and to Michael Barrett for a tailored navy suit and matching tie with a crisp white shirt). Style citations go out to Kenny Chiu for a navy jacket with a pinky-orange shirt, red and navy striped tie and tan slacks, and to Diane Lebouthillier for a long brown sweater with a blue, brown, and dull orange scarf.

One thought on “QP: A smarmy thanks for their concern”

  1. There has been slow progress on reconciliation because you can’t undo 500 years of systemic oppression in half a decade. Meanwhile, the Cons insist that WeGhazi is the absolute most pressing matter to deal with NOW NOW NOW. I hope the Liberals are able to find a way to stall and roadblock this nonsense, because there are a LOT more important things to be dealt with that don’t involve dragging the entire government before yet another round of star chambers just to grandstand for television and polling numbers.

    I will say I’ve noticed that a few of the articles written about it say that “they” (CPC) view the matter as unfinished, while the NDP have been quiet so far. They have some really twisted priorities if this is what they think should still be an issue as people are being treated for a deadly virus that’s picking up a far worse wave. Then again, they did try to blow dead air into SNC when the pandemic first broke out, while their GOP inbred cousins are still investigating Hillary Clinton even as 200,000 people are dead of a virus they’re skeptical is even real (unless they can blame “Ghina!” for it). I really don’t expect anything better from the party of anti-science and rabid hate, and I’m sick of it. This time around, I hope the Liberals either delay or stonewall or just outright tell them to f%ck off.

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