While neither the prime minister nor his deputy were present, Candice Bergen was back after a week of isolating while her husband had COVID. She led off, script on her mini-lectern, and she raised the of inflation, and worried that the government would spend “outrageously” rather than producing a “responsible” budget on Thursday. Randy Boissonnault, appearing by video, stated that the Conservatives have ignored the facts of the economic recovery from the pandemic. Bergen raised Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin, and John Manley to denounce the supposed “tax-and-spend” budget, because apparently it’s 1995 and will always be 1995. Boissonnault reminded Bergen that she campaigned on a higher deficit, and that their positions are all over the map, and called on the Conservatives to support Bill C-8 on the fiscal update measures. Bergen demanded a GST holiday on fuel and to scrap the price on carbon as “real measures” to give Canadians “a break,” and offered some childish epithets about the NDP. Boissonnault recited measures the government has taken for affordability, including their new plan on low-cost internet for low-income families. Luc Berthold took over in French, and repeated the claim that there were no fiscally-responsible Liberals left, and wondered what good the Liberal Party was if it sacrificed its values for the NDP agenda. Boisonnault repeated his good-news talking point about economic statistics, but in French. Berthold lamented inflation, and worried that the government would unveil new permanent spending in the budget, which apparently would make Chrétien and Martin embarrassed (though I’m not quite sure about that). Boissonnault thanked Berthold for saying that Liberals are fiscally responsible, and praised measures that helped children and seniors out of poverty.

Christine Normandin led for the Bloc, and she wanted unconditional health transfers and demanded a public summit to hear from premiers and health care providers. Jean-Yves Duclos praised providers, and noted that tens of thousands of lives, and tens of billions of dollars were saved thanks to their collaborations and efforts. Normandin repeated her demand for a public summit, and Duclos repeated his response. 

Alexandre Boulerice led for the NDP by video, and he cited the three-year warning of the IPCC on the pace of emissions cuts, demanding and end to fossil fuel subsidies, to which Steven Guilbeault recited that they are ahead of the rest of the G7 on ending subsidies and praised the investments in their emissions reduction plan. Laurel Collins repeated the question in English, to which Guilbeault cited environmental groups who praised the emissions reduction plan. 

Round two, Ed Fast wanted a plan to both fight inflation and grow the economy in the budget (Boissonnault: Here is what we are doing about affordability, which you voted against; Gould: Our child care plan helps with affordability and gets women in the workforce), Adam Chambers was concerned that deficit spending would fuel inflation (Boissonnault: Your campaign promise was to spend even more than our plan; Gould: You vote against the Canada Child Benefit), and Gérard Deltell complained the government wasn’t doing anything about inflation and that taxes went up on Friday (Boissonnault: Here are amounts people will get from their carbon rebates; Rodriguez: You keep pushing further right, but why do we need that when Maxime Bernier exists?)

Freeland isn’t here, and Ed Fast is doing that thing where he is pretending she is and just isn’t answering. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) April 4, 2022

Mario Simard returns to the demand for a public summit on healthcare and for higher unconditionally transfers (Duclos: We provided an additional $2 billion unconditionally to help reduce surgical wait times), and Luc Thériault repeated the demand (Duclos: Same answer).

Dan Albas demanded a “real” housing affordability plan—as though there are federal levers to force municipalities to approve projects (Hussen: Your colleague suggested we get out of housing affordability entirely, and you oppose every programme we offer), Matt Jeneroux quoted mortgage professionals in denouncing their first time home-buyers programme (Hussen: We will increase housing supply, and to turn more renters into home-buyers), and Melissa Lantsman also demanded a plan for housing affordability, taking a swipe at CHMC bonuses (Hussen: Your colleague suggested that the government shouldn’t help people, so maybe you should pick a lane).

https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt/status/1511058649791315973

Heather McPherson raised the massacre of civilians in Bucha, Ukraine, and demanded Russia be removed from the UN Human Rights Council (Oliphant: We are all reacting in horror, and we  will take every step possible to hold Russia to account at the International Criminal Court), and Niki Ashton complained that grocery giants are making profits (Boissonnault: Our platform called for higher taxes for banks and insurance companies and we are working to implement the global minimum tax).

Round three saw questions on fiscal policy discouraging new immigrants (Fraser: You don’t seem to be aware of our top fiscal ranking, and we remain the top destination of choice for newcomers), federal funds to rebuild BC after floods and fires (Blair: We have been there from the beginning, and have committed $5 billion as the work is ongoing), compensation for supply managed farmers (Bibeau: We have already committed $2 billion in compensation), the IPCC report on emissions reductions (Guilbeault: Our plan is serious and will achieve results), the Bay du Nord project (Guilbeault: Here are some quotes about our emissions reduction plan), a tax credit for carbon capture and storage (Boissonnault: Our plan is great; Guilbeault: We need all technologies available to tackle climate change, but we shouldn’t put all of our eggs in one basket; Dabrusin: The US is also working toward renewables like we are), a very tortured question on inflation (Qualtrough: We have a great programme to attract workers and we are making it faster to get temporary foreign workers; Fraser: We have invested $85 million for faster processing but measures in the fiscal update you are delaying), the excise tax on wineries (Boissonnault: The duty is adjusted to inflation, as it provides certainty and predictability), a fair transition plan for fisheries workers (Murray: I won’t say what’s in the budget, but we need sustainable stocks to grow the sector), and whether the government pledge to make vaccines available to the developing world (Sajjan: We are working with the WHO and COVAX to make sure the world gets vaccinated).

The #HoC held a moment of silence after #QP for the victims of the atrocities in Bucha, Ukraine.

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) April 4, 2022

Overall, we are now into the territory of most questions being about the upcoming budget, as though the government will leak anything now, or suddenly change their minds when it’s already gone to the printers. The “NDP-Liberal government” shtick is already tiresome, as are the childish epithets that come with it, but unfortunately this is the debased state of what passes for debate in the House of Commons these days. Between the questions that actively make you feel dumber, you get government talking points which are only vaguely connected to the question asked because they want to only speak in happy-clappy good-news terms, so we’re not getting much worthwhile out of this exchange at all.

It was also a bit disappointing to see that there wasn’t more about the situation in Bucha, beyond a couple of members’ statements just before QP, and the single NDP question during QP, which is usually a time when you have most of your media attention. Whether they are waiting for the PM before they try to raise it or not, it seems like a poor decision to be so silent on the issue.

#QP https://t.co/VyOSRjP4zD

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) April 4, 2022

Sartorial speaking, snaps go out to Eric Duncan for a blue-grey suit with a pink shirt and a lavender patterned tie, and to Julie Dabrusin for a short-sleeved black dress with banded collar. Style citations go out to Ruby Sahota for a sleeveless cream jacket over a blue patterned blouse, and to Warren Steinley for a navy suit over a red gingham shirt, and a red tie and pocket square. Dishonourable mentions go out to Brenda Shanahan for a yellow shawl over a black top and slacks, to Kristina Michaud for a pale yellow suit over a black top, and to Anju Dhillon for a bright yellow wrap top under a black leather jacket over black slacks.