QP: Threats against an MP’s family taken seriously

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Both the prime minister and his deputy were present today, somewhat unusually for a Monday, but we’ll take it, and as a result, most of the other leaders were absent. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and he raised the Globe and Mail story that there was apparently a briefing prepared two years ago that started that Chinese officials were prepared to threaten Conservative MP Michael Chong’s family back in Hong Kong, and that they consider Canada an easy target for interference, though the story state that it wasn’t clear if the prime minister actually saw this briefing. With this in mind, he railed at the prime minister for allowing this to happen (though again, we don’t know if he saw this) and demanded to know why the implicated diplomat at the consulate in Calgary hasn’t been expelled. Justin Trudeau responded that these threats are unacceptable, and that when he read this story, he tasked officials to find out more about it, and that they would take action. Poilievre repeated in English with a bit more incredulity, and got much the same answer. Poilievre insisted that this couldn’t be the case because it happened two years ago, and demanded that the diplomat named in the piece be expelled immediately. Trudeau repeated again that they are following up and will take action. Poilievre went back again to the fact that this was two years ago, and then demanded to know the date when the foreign interference registry would be created. Trudeau said that they are consulting on the registry to do it the right way, after listing the measures they have taken. Poilievre called this “administrative mumbo-jumbo,” and then said that two of the so-called Chinese “police stations” are still allegedly in operation, and Trudeau noted that the RCMP are dealing with this.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and he railed about Morris Rosenberg’s alleged involvement in the Chinese donation to the Trudeau Foundation, to which Trudeau recited that he hasn’t been involved with the Foundation for ten years and the government has taken measures to deal with interference. Therrien tried to spin a conspiracy theory even harder, and Trudeau told him to wait for David Johnston’s recommendation. 

Peter Julian rose for the NDP, and in French, he returned to that Globe story said that China considers Canada uniquely vulnerable to interference, and demanded a public inquiry. Trudeau repeated that they are taking this seriously and have measures that are in place. Heather McPherson repeated the demand in English, and Trudeau replied that there is a variety of opinions on the value of a public inquiry which is why David Johnston has been tasked with the job.

Round two, and Poilievre got back up to return to the Chong allegations (Mendicino: We are taking this seriously, and I have instructed CSIS to provide him an update), and Poilievre demanded that Trudeau stand up for this country (Mendicino: We have been doing the work; Freeland: At a young age, I know what it was like to be targeted by a communist regime, and it makes it easier for them to interfere where we’re divided), Poilievre called out Trudeau again (Oliphant: What happened to Chong could have happened to any of us, but we are doing to the work of stopping foreign interference, and if a diplomat has broken the Vienna Convention, they will be expelled), and he returned to the Montreal “police stations” (Mendicino: The RCMP are taking action to undermining and close these stations; Holland: The PM answered, and minsters also answer, and we must stand in unison against this kind of interference).

René Villemure returned to the accusation is against Rosenberg (Holland: The Foundation is independent so if you have questions you should ask them; You are trying to create connections that don’t exist).

Adam Chambers, Bard Redekopp and Jacques Gourde asked about the CRA workers still on strike and demanded the deadline be extended (Fragiskatos: The process of collective bargaining is ongoing, and if the deadline is extended, benefits might be delayed; The majority have filed online and on a case-by-case basis there can be interest relief and penalties mitigated; Fortier: Hooray the agreements we signed with the other unions).

Niki Ashton appeared by video to demand the government capitulate to the CRA union demands (Fortier: Same answer as before), and Richard Cannings noted the number of graduate students who are off the job because of inadequate funding (Champagne: Talent is our greatest asset, and we are investing in science).

Round three saw questions on Trudeau Foundation conspiracy theories (Holland: We are at an inflection point in history with democracies under attack, and history will look back to this hour, when we were called to stand up against tyranny, who did the hard work and who played games?; The Foundation is independent so you should direct your questions to them), Mendicino: We have already taken action and we are investing further in the budget; Freeland: What Russia and China want is for Canada to be divided and we all need to work together), a demand to cut ties to the monarchy (Rodriguez: We could be discussing climate change or helping Canadians, but the Bloc would rather fight about the constitution), cost of living (St-Onge: We are meeting Canadians’ needs and building the economy of the future; Champagne: Hooray for our grocery rebate), rising crime (Lametti: We will take targeted measures while provinces are making their own improvements), the carbon price (Freeland: While you talk down the economy, while we are doing great; Hooray our grocery rebate; Kusmierczyk: You keep voting against our affordability measures), and delays to PMPRB regulations (Duclos: Prices are too high, but new guidelines were implemented).

Overall, it was another day where the Globe and Mail set the agenda, and lo, the faux outrage was dialled all the way up to eleven. Poilievre was trying to be a little more incisive than to play to his backbenches than usual, and he tried to be much more personal, particularly in the second round when he got back up but Trudeau let his other ministers and parliamentary take the questions (which was later interpreted as deflection rather than the usual rhythm of Question Period for the past seven years). And then others tried to take this Globe story and add it to the ongoing attempt to make a conspiracy theory around the Trudeau Foundation, which again, is ridiculous, but at least Mark Holland was much more explicit today in saying things like “They’re independent so you should direct questions to them,” or “You’re trying to find connections where there aren’t any.” Of course, Holland also gave some over-the-top sanctimony with his little speech about this being the inflection moment in history. But that’s one hundred percent Holland these days… 

But hoo boy, the screams and heckles from the Conservatives during the first two rounds were extremely over the top, but it was entirely fake and performative, and once again, the Speaker proved useless, because he didn’t take away any questions nor was he seriously in his threats to.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Dominique Vien for a black jacket over a high-necked black top and black jeans, and to René Arsenault for a dark maroon jacket over a light blue shirt and a dark grey bow tie. Style citations go out to Denis Trudel for a dark grey suit with a butterscotch shirt and black tie, and to Mona Fortier for an off-shire jacket with floral patterns over a white top with notched neckline and black slacks.