QP: For love of filibusters

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While the prime minister remains in COVID isolation, he didn’t join QP virtually today, and his deputy was in Toronto to give a big speech on the government’s affordability measures when it comes to dealing with inflation. Most of the other leaders didn’t bother to show up today either, though Candice Bergen did show up for votes after QP, for what it’s worth. Luc Berthold led off, and he declared that everything the Liberals touch “goes south,” and he complained about passports, line-ups at borders, and delays for EI cheques. Karina Gould got up and empathized with the frustration people face, and noted that in the face of high demand, the government was responding by changing processes and hiring more staff. Berthold insisted that the government’s management was “chaotic,” listing a number of alleged ministerial sins, accusing the prime minister of abandoning Canadians. Gould again recited her empathetic talking points, and repeated the answer. Berthold then called Marco Mendicino’s struggles the “Pinocchio Affair,” before demanding his resignation (and the Speaker did not cut him off for doing so, but after he finished warned against name-calling). Pablo Rodriguez took this one, stating the opposition is divided and they can’t agree on anything, and called out the Conservatives for their love of filibusters. Dan Albas took over in English to first raise the cheap outrage story about the GG’s flight, then panned Chrystia Freeland’s speech before demanding that the government adopt their plans to fight inflation. Randy Boissonnault insisted that the Conservatives only had bluster, while the government had a list of affordability measures. Albas raised the escalators in user fees tied to inflation and demanded they be halted, but Boissonnault reiterated his same response. 

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and raised the problems at passport offices before redeploying the talking point that the federal government should mind its own business rather than “meddling” in Quebec’s affairs. Karina Gould assured him that they had hired new staff and were hiring more. Therrien then pivoted to the Information Commissioner’s report on the record number of Access to Information complaints, and Mona Fortier assured him that they were working to increase transparency and proactive disclosures (which is pretty much famous last words from this government).

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and he worried that the increase in the GST credit would be $7, which was insufficient. Boissonnault listed the measures in the budget to help people. Singh repeated his question in French, and Boissonnault repeated his same response en français.

Round two, and Michael Barrett insisted the fees on the GG’s flight was somehow tied to the “Liberals,” which has nothing to do with them (Joly: Let’s recall when Stephen Harper took 348 bottles of alcohol go South Africa, so you should take back your fake outrage; Boissonnault: Where was your concern for Canadians when you were stalling our budget bills?), Alain Rayes demanded Marco Mendicino’s resignation (Mendicino: We will always protect Canadians, which is why we invoked the Emergencies Act after seeking police advice while you encouraged the blockades), and Jake Stewart repeated the demand in English (Mendicino: Same answer).

Monique Pauzé disputed the accounting of GHG gasses that don’t include exports (Guilbeault: We use the IPCC standard, which is that emissions are counted at point of use), and she decried the Bay du Nord project (Guilbeault: This is the first time we are imposing a carbon neutrality requirement on a project), Kristina Michaud repeated the same question (Guilbeault: We have an emissions cap that businesses must meet regardless of how much they produce).

Michelle Fererri insisted that there is no plan for tourism and blamed ArriveCan for border slowdowns (Boissonnault: We have a $20 million plan for tourism which you voted against), Shelby Kramer-Neuman demanded the government “stop slacking and start acting” on the borders (Boissonnault: Have you not been following the news?), Pat Kelly railed about passport services (Gould: We have hired new staff).

Lori Idlout demanded more healthcare access in the North (Vandal: We have agreements with the Territory to increase services), and Charlie Angus complained about oil profits versus gas prices (Boissonnault: We have taxed big banks and insurance companies).

Round three saw questions on cutting taxes on fuel (Boissonnault: We indexed our benefits to inflation; Gould: We have child care agreements with provinces and an indexed Canada Child Benefit), the IRPP report which panned the official languages bill (Petitpas Taylor: We have a bill with more teeth), Service Canada employees still working from home (Gould: When you’re working from home, you’re still working, but 90 percent of passport officers are in offices and the remainder work from home for medical reasons), the amendment-a-thon at heritage committee (Rodriguez: You did nothing but filibuster this bill rather than protect content creators), an isolated First Nation that needs an all-weather road (Hajdu: Climate change disproportionately affects Indigenous communities, and I am working with this community), and Elizabeth May wanted more transparency on the TMX expansion (Boissonnault: We will sell the project once it has been de-risked).

Overall, it was thankfully not the same repeat-fest that we had over the past couple of days, and it did get rowdy at times, where the Speaker did have to shout at one point because the noise had become so bad, when Mélanie Joly pointed out the Conservatives’ record about boozy flights. But in that vein, I would like to point out how very inappropriate the references to that particular cheap outrage story are, especially as they were framed about “Liberal” extravagance, when it has nothing to do with the Liberals or the government at all. While the government is responsible for the appointment, the prime minister does not sign off on the Governor General’s expenses. She flew the aircraft provided by the Canadian Forces, and they are the ones who arrange the in-flight meals and service, and trying to make hay that the “Liberals” are entitled elitists in the face of people suffering from inflation not only isn’t true, but this once again, this hairshirt parsimony is very bad for our democracy.

Otherwise, it’s becoming pretty clear how tired everything is at this point in the session, and how punchy the MPs are. Less than one week to go before they leave for the summer break, and it can’t come soon enough.

Sartorial speaking, snaps go out to Mélanie Joly for a dark blue suit other a yellow v-necked top, and to Greg Fergus for a tailored navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a blue and purple bow tie. Style citations go out to Martin Shields for a dark grey jacket with black shoulder panels, a peach-coloured shirt with a blue and terracotta print across it, a bolo tie and black jeans, and to Stephanie Kusie for a sleeveless bright orange dress, with ruffles along the right side. Dishonourable mention goes out to Julie Vignola for a dark yellow jacket over a black and grey patterned dress, and to Rachael Thomas for a black sweater and skirt over a dark yellow top.

One thought on “QP: For love of filibusters”

  1. You say tired, I say silly. Nothing justifies this nonsense and the Speaker sleeping on the job and doing nothing. Going on Holiday now for the Summer is a joke. They should work all Summer and get 2 weeks holiday like everyone else.

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