QP: What about the sky in New York?

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While the prime minister was on the Hill earlier for the Pride flag raising, he was not in the Chamber for QP, nor was his deputy, or most of the other leaders. Melissa Lantsman led off worrying about the Bank of Canada raising interest rates, and blaming the prime minister for it, and demanded to know what the Department of Finance figure show about how much mortgages will go up as a result. Terry Beech pointed out the strength of the economy, that we have lower inflation and interest rates than comparator countries, and that we can get through global inflation by working together. Lantsman demanded to know how many people would lose their homes because of rising interest rates. Beech reiterated that the Conservative only want to cut instead of help people. Lantsman then pivoted to news that David Johnston fired Navigator and state that they had also been hired by Han Dong, and demanded to know what the hell is going on. Marco Mendicino got up do praise Johnston and demand that Pierre Poilievre take the security briefing. Gérard Deltell got up next to worry about Quebec families who may not be able to keep their homes because of rising interest rates, and demanded a balanced budget. Rachel Bendayan noted that Poilievre talked for hours last night and said nothing about an economic plan. Deltell insisted that they had a plan, and again demanded a balanced budget, to which Bendayan said they found a balance of helping people in need while being fiscally responsible. 

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and wanted agreement that hydrocarbons cause forest fires. Steven Guilbeault said there was an undeniable link between them, and that they would support the Bloc’s Supply Day motion. Blanchet demanded the government end all direct or indirect funding to oil companies and to send that money to provinces instead, and Guilbeault said that they can walk and chew gum at the same time, and that they are phasing out subsidies while investing.

Alexandre Boulerice rose for the NDP, worrying about the air quality in New York and that climate change has no borders and demanded action from this government. Guilbeault reminded him they are eliminating subsidies and have been commended as an example to follow. Boulerice railed about Trans Mountain and water bombers not being built in Canada, and demanded investments in renewable energy. Guilbeault reminded him that they already are.

Round two, and Jasraj Hallan gave his usual angry word salad (Beech: Inflation is coming down and we are lower than anyone else in the G7, while we help Canadians; Holland: They want to solve global by slashing supports to Canadians), Philip Lawrence read some nonsense about deficits leads to inflation (Holland: Yesterday you praised Ireland but this is the greatest country; Gould: Your only solution is to cut), and Joël Godin gave the same overwrought talking points in French (Bendayan: The Bank of Canada expects inflation to keep falling).

Monique Pauzé demanded the government ban all new oil projects (Guilbeault: We have one of the best carbon prices in the world and are taking action; Dabrusin: Those are only exploration permits offshore and no production permit has been proposed in a protected area and would likely be rejected), and Kristine Michaud repeated the concern both offshore oil exploration (Dabrusin: Same answer).

Michael Barrett and Luc Berthold railed about David Johnstone and Navigator (Mendicino: Your leader used to sing Johnston’s praise and he needs to take the briefing).

Charlie Angus appeared by video to demand a cap on oil (Dabrusin: We have been clear we are putting a cap on emissions and we are reducing combustion), and Laurel Collins appeared by video to decry oil subsidies (Guilbeault: We eliminated international subsidies already and are ending domestic subsidies this year).

Round three saw questions on deficits inflation (Beech: Inflation is coming down; Gould: We have spent money on things like the CERB which kept households afloat in the pandemic; Hussen: Your party is incoherent on housing policy; Khera: We have supported seniors; Virani: You keep voting against help for small businesses; Bendayan: Your priority is to filibuster the budget while the country burns; Vandal: We understand the needs of northerners and have introduced new money for Nutrition North), foreign interference in elections (Mendicino: We are taking this seriously), Punjabi students facing deportation as victims of fraud (Lalonde: We agree that this is unacceptable, and we are seized with this situation), trans-exclusionary policies in sports (St-Onge: We are ensuring that the rights of women will always be respected in sport), and action on climate change instead of loans to Trans Mountain (Guilbeault: We are phasing out all subsidies this year).

Overall, it was pretty dull and repetitive, and was a little more toned down for the same nonsense that we’ve had all week, on the same three topics, and the same back-patting responses. There’s not much else to say, really, because things are at given the deeply unserious point at which our Parliament is at.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Karina Gould for a fitted navy blazer over a white top and black slacks, and to Anthony Housefather for a dark grey suit over a white shirt and lavender tie. Style citations go out to René Arsenault for a dusky rose jacket over a white shirt, grey slacks, and black tie, and to Kristina Michaud for an oversized mint ice cream green jacket over a black top. Dishonourable mention goes out to Marie-Hélène Gaudreau for a dark yellow jacket with a black panel over a black top and slacks, to Denis Trudel for a dark grey suit over a black shirt and yellow tie, and to Gerald Soroka for a black suit with a pale yellow shirt and a brown striped tie.