QP: Uproar over calling out misinformation

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The prime minister was in the Bahamas for CARICOM meetings, and his deputy elsewhere, most of the other leaders were again away from the Chamber. Andrew Scheer led off, with a script in front of him, and he demanded the prime minister “take responsibility” for “waste and corruption” that caused inflation, which is utter bunkum. Ahmed Hussen chided the Conservatives for delaying and voting against rental supplements for two million Canadians. Scheer insisted that this was all about the Liberals giving contracts to friends—which is a bit rich considering how much he helped himself to party funds when he was leader. Mark Holland got up and praised their work in lowering poverty and reducing unemployment. Scheer railed about wage subsidies to profitable corporations, and then went on a tirade about Liberal ethics lapses. François-Philippe Champagne accused the Conservatives of talking down the country and gave a non sequitur of praise for an electric vehicle project. Pierre Paul-Hus took over in French and called out the Bloc for voting in favour of Bill C-5 on reducing some mandatory minimum sentences, which is very strange. David Lametti praised their supports for victims. Paul-Hus raised a particular sexual assault case, and repeated his accusations, and this time Lametti said he couldn’t comment on a particular case which could still be appealed, but reiterated that Bill C-5 was about tackling systemic racism in the justice system.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and he once again raised concerns about Liberals raising objections to the amendments to the official languages bill. Ginette Petitpas Taylor praised that the bill will given new powers to the Languages Commissioner. Therrien tried calling out individual Liberals, and this time Pablo Rodriguez said the Bloc were going to vote against it anyway, so what did it matter.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and he railed about rising rental prices, which is provincial jurisdiction. Hussen praised their housing measures. Singh repeated the question in French, and this time Randy Boissonnault acknowledged the NDP’s support in the measures they passed.

Round two, and Jasraj Hallan raised a survey that says that immigrations plan to leave the country because of the “triple, triple, triple” carbon price (Guilbeault: Remember when your New Brunswick MP said the province should sign onto federal plan so they can get rebates? The premier announced they were signing up this year; Emissions are down nine percent this year), Rachael Thomas gave her own triple recitation (Wilkinson: You should actually read the PBO report; Guilbeault: Emissions are down nine percent from 2005 levels), and Kyle Seeback insisted the emissions reductions were only because of economic contraction (Boissonnault: There is nothing so devastating for Conservatives than good economic facts getting the way of their narratives; Saks: You have amnesia about when your party cut cheques for millionaires, while we helped families with the Child Benefit).

Mario Beaulieu tried calling out Marc Garneau’s comments about Quebec’s language laws (Petitpas Taylor: Our bill is ambitious, and we need to protect all official languages minority communities), and Denis Trudel took over to thunder the same accusations (Rodriguez: You spent your Supply Day talking about the constitution).

Damian Kurek railed about the carbon price on farms (Bibeau: This is complete disinformation, and farmers are the first to be affected by climate change), and Philip Lawrence called the carbon price inflationary (Wilkinson: It would be great if had an opposition who believed in climate change).

Lori Idlout demanded more funds for housing in Nunavut (Duguid: We are making historic investment and collaborating with partners rather than imposing solutions), and Blake Desjarlais demanded more housing funds for his riding (Hussen: We have an Indigenous-led housing strategy that we are made an initial investment for).

Round three saw questions on Quebec concerns around Bill C-11 (Rodriguez: The bill was tabled over a year ago, and it has been studied hundreds of hours and only how you are taking notice?; While we’ve been debating, you’ve been sleeping in the House), concerns about the bill to reduce mandatory minimums (Lametti: We have been combatting systemic racism in the justice system, and we have a new Black justice strategy), McKinsey conspiracy theories (Lalonde: I hope you listened to the minister, who was clear that he has not met with McKinsey or been influenced by them), ethical lapses (Holland: You are good on rhetoric but not on action; Boissonnault: There were ten years of economic stagnation under your government while we lifted millions out of poverty), seniors in poverty (Fisher: We have been there for seniors), the backlog in commercial pilot licenses (Alghabra: You guys are ambulance chasers, while we are fixing this), underspending on funds for preventing violence (Hussen: Our fund is supporting the construction of shelters, and CHMC is moving ahead on 22 projects, with more announcements to come), and blaming random violence on pot (Mendicino: I share concerns around violence, and we have put money to social determinants).

Overall, amidst the usual talking point templates and utter nonsense, I will note the particular exchange between Damian Kurek and Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, where she called out his complete disinformation around carbon prices “bankrupting” farmers, only to have her use of misinformation cautioned by the Speaker both at the time, and be the subject of a point of order afterward. Yes, calling someone a liar is unparliamentary because the term is disruptive, but surely there needs to be some way to point out when someone is not being honest in their discourse, regardless of which side it’s on. There wasn’t the same outcry or caution from the Speaker yesterday when Lianne Rood said the Liberals were the “kings of misinformation.” It’s really frustrating to watch when you can have MPs outright lie to one another—and yes, the government does lie on occasion—and not have an ability to call it out. It just makes them all the more shameless in doing so, and that is poisonous to Parliament over the long term.

As well, I find it curious that the Bloc have tried to make “West Island Story” a rhetorical device in QP for the past couple of days, as though the divisions in the Liberal party over the (frankly out of bounds) amendments to the official languages bill in committee is some kind of soap opera. We’ve heard it from several of their MPs over the past couple of days, but it’s not clever, and they should grow up.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Arielle Kayabaga for a gold-trimmed black jacket over a black top and slacks, and to Mark Holland for a navy suit with a light blue shirt and bright pink bow tie. Style citations go out to Denis Trudel for a dark grey suit with a blue and yellow striped shirt and a brilliant blue tie, and to Jennifer O’Connell for a dusky rose sleeveless jacket over a black long-sleeved top. Dishonourable mention goes out to Cheryl Gallant for a mustard yellow dress with black piping under a black jacket. Special mentions to put to Andréanne Larouche and Soraya Martinez Ferrada for both wearing the same black top with bright yellow and red florals.