QP: Calling out O’Toole’s vaccine misinformation

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The Speaker accidentally called out “quarrel questions” instead of oral questions, and that set the stage for the day. Erin O’Toole led off, script in hand, and tried to poke holes in differing statements that different ministers have made on vaccines. Justin Trudeau, appearing by video from home, reminded him that nothing has been approved to date, and that Canada has the most comprehensive portfolio of vaccines. O’Toole then tried to proffer his theory that the government was relying on the CanSino vaccine candidate, and Trudeau told him that he shouldn’t make stuff up. O’Toole pressed on the CanSino theory, and Trudeau repeated that this was not true. O’Toole switched to French to demand a vaccine plan, to which Trudeau stated that they were working with the provinces and experts. O’Toole then raised the CNN reports on China hiding early COVID data before returning to his CanSino theory, and Trudeau repeated that nobody has an approved vaccine to date. Yves-François Blanchet was up next for the Bloc, and he demanded increased health transfers for provinces, to which Trudeau reminded that they have been working with provinces throughout the pandemic and have transferred billions of dollars to them because of it, but he would be speaking with premiers and not the leaders of other parties. Blanchet raised the Quebec government’s objections to new federal programmes, for which Trudeau gave the well-worn line that there is no jurisdiction for the dignity and security of seniors. Jagmeet Singh then led off for the NDP, and he demanded to know which seniors would get the vaccine first, for which Trudeau said they were working with experts to determine who is prioritised on the rollout, with healthcare workers and the most vulnerable. Singh then raised a Manitoba First Nation dealing with a COVID outbreak, and that the Chief has asked for military assistance, to which Trudeau reminded him that they have been working with Indigenous leadership, and that they would continue to do so — but did not really answer the question.

Round two, and Pierre Poilievre worried about the “national credit card” (Freeland: The leader of the opposition claims to care about unions, so here is the head of the Teamsters praising our plan; Freeland: The leader of the opposition has misconstrued my comments, which is becoming a bad habit), and Luc Berthold demanded a vaccine plan (Freeland: When will the Conservatives have a coherent financial plan?; Our plan has created jobs), and Michelle Rempel Garner again misconstrued Freeland’s comments on vaccines (Hajdu: We have worked with the provinces to get vaccines and we have a plan; I invite you to get a briefing on vaccines, and your question seems to indicate you don’t understand how many moving parts there are in this). Andréanne Larouche lamented that seniors were not mentioned in the economic update (Freeland: From the outset, we have worked with provinces to protect the most vulnerable; Schulte: We have unveiled new supports for seniors). Pierre Paul-Hus demanded proof that they planned to have 70 percent of Canadians by September (Hajdu: We are working with provinces on a distribution plan; Rodriguez: You are playing partisan games with vaccines and trying to make people afraid, which is unacceptable), and James Bezan demanded specifics on the plan (Hajdu: You should expect the same level of excellence from the Canadian Forces that you have come to know; Immunisation is the jurisdiction of the provinces and we have been stepping up to help them). Don Davies and Jenny Kwan didn’t feel the vaccine rollout plans were happening fast enough (Hajdu: We are waiting for approvals, but Moderna said we are near the front of the line).

Round three saw questions on the UK trade deal (Ng: We are readying the agreement for signing), due diligence on the WE deal (Duclos: Treasury Board has processes), the lack of an official languages analysis on the WE deal (Joly: We respect the Official Languages Act), the lack of an aerospace plan in the fiscal update (Freeland: We promised $206 million for regional air transport, plus airport assistance and we are in discussions with large airlines), hospitals being asked to pilot rapid tests — which is provincial jurisdiction (Hajdu: We have been there to support provinces), the increased use of plastic in the pandemic and its upcoming labelling (Wilkinson: Plastics are a challenge that need to be managed, and the bulk of our announcement was about enhancing recycling), new businesses that can’t access aid programmes (Freeland: The rent support programme is open now, and for those who can’t access it, talk to your local regional development agency), Manitobans who would get healthcare across the border (Blair: I have had conversations with my counterpart in Manitoba, and they can get their healthcare but they are subject to a quarantine), the clean fuel standard (Wilkinson: The clean fuel standard will produce innovations), the energy sector (Freeland: We have been working closely with the energy sector to reach net zero emissions by 2050), student loan repayments (Kusmierczyk: We unveiled a suite of measures), and demands for a national disability strategy (Kusmierczyk: We are building a new Canadian disability action plan).

Overall, there were encouraging signs today in both Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland calling out Erin O’Toole for his lies and mischaracterisation, as well as to Pablo Rodriguez for calling out the attempt to sow fear by way of misinformation in his reply in French, but it was only a first step for what they should be doing, which is providing more candour about the vaccine situation than just the happy-clappy pabulum about the size of our vaccine portfolio. We got a tiny bit more candour from Freeland when she hit back at Michelle Rempel Garner and said that she obviously doesn’t understand how many moving parts there are in the situation – which would have been great for her to say weeks ago, and for her to reiterate instead of just “we have a great vaccine portfolio.” It is complex. The government shouldn’t be afraid to say something to the effect of “This is a complex undertaking with a lot of moving parts, including the fact that distribution is done by the provinces, but we have expert guidance,” or similar – much of which they tend to only allude to amid mush of the pabulum they tend to couch everything in. It is one of the single-most frustrating elements of trying to take this government seriously.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Leona Alleslev for a black dress with a grey jacket with a black windowpane pattern, and to Peter Fragiskatos for a dark grey suit with a light purple shirt and a darker purple tie and pocket square. Style citations go out to Don Davies for a navy jacket with a subtle windowpane pattern, with a white shirt with a blue grid pattern and a grey patterned tie, and to Marilène Gill for a black dress with dull florals under a black sweater. I will make the note that despite it being World AIDS Day, only Patty Hajdu was sporting a red ribbon, which was very disappointing. 

2 thoughts on “QP: Calling out O’Toole’s vaccine misinformation”

  1. O’Toole was wearing his red ribbon on his face….red being the signature color of a liar. Rempel didn’t need anything red other than the pink flush of ignorance which wears constantly. For Pierre Poilievre no color could illuminate that pasty face. Even it has lost its ability having housed a mouth so versed in the art of the lie. What a shame it is for all of Canada to have a “major party” so steeped in misinformation, fearmongering and paucity of policy and cogent argument. I think the only solution is to see them soundly defeated in the upcoming election.

  2. Their vaccine trutherism is falling flat so they’re back to WE-Ghazi again. Lying, fearmongering and manufacturing smear campaigns in a pandemic to own the Libs. I hope Trudeau, Freeland and co do call their bluff and let them force an election in hopes it shuts them up once and for all.

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