QP: The Bank of Canada disputes the narrative

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The prime minister was present today, while his deputy was not, but all other leaders were. After a couple of standing ovations for Yvonne Jones for her return to the Commons from cancer treatment, things got underway.

Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and worried about the number of RCMP investigations into foreign interference, and that the former national security advisor was aware of this, before demanding a “genuine” public inquiry. Justin Trudeau said that he tasked Dominic LeBlanc with the task of next steps. Poilievre switched to English to recite his usual illiterate nonsense around deficits and inflation, to which Trudeau quoted the Governor of the Bank of Canada who said that government spending was not standing in the way of taming inflation. Poilievre haltingly tried to return to misquoting Freeland on deficits and inflation, and Trudeau insisted that the budget was responsible and fiscally sound, before reminding him of our enviable economic position. Poilievre then misdiagnosed why housing costs doubled, and this time, Trudeau took up a script to accuse Poilievre of standing in the way of action on housing and looking only to pick fights with mayors rather than doing something about housing. Poilievre returned to French to repeat the same accusation, and Trudeau read a list of measures they are taking on housing.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and he demanded public inquiry once again. Trudeau thanked him for submitting prospective candidates to lead said inquiry, and insisted this was too important for partisanship. Blanchet demanded that there be an inquiry and that its leader must be independent of government, and before the end of the sitting. Trudeau agree that they need to move forward quickly, but lamented how toxic this has become.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and in French, he recounted working three jobs in university to make ends meet, and lamented the state of student housing. Trudeau insisted that they have been investing in housing for many years, including programmes to build more, as well as supports for students. Singh witched to English to recount the CBC of the state of student housing in Windsor, and demanded “concrete steps” for the cost of rent for students—which is provincial jurisdictions. Trudeau patted himself on the back for investments made so far.

Round two, and Michael Barrett engaged in some slander before demanding a public inquiry (LeBlanc: We are looking forward to a collaborative conversation; Your leader did nothing on foreign interference when he was minister), Larry Block blustered in his demands for an inquiry (Mendocino: Stop with the partisan attacks and get to work; Holland: When we were in opposition, we asked for an opportunity to look into security briefings and the Conservative minister said no, but we created NISCOP), and Luc Berthold gave some French bluster accusing the government of avoiding a public inquiry (Mendicino: I would like to thank the RCMP Commissioner for briefing the committee and we need to stop picking fights; LeBlanc: It’s a bit rich when you are accusing us of being partisan when you did it).

René Villemure noted the names they submitted to be the commissioner and demanded an inquiry (LeBlanc: We appreciate your suggestions), and Marie-Hélène Gaudreau repeated the same demand (Mendicino: Thanks for your suggestions, but we have other decisions to make as well).

Colin Carrie worried about home ownership and falsely blamed the deficit (Boissonnault: If you want to help housing, stop grandstanding and support the budget), Dominique Vien blamed the federal government for rising rents—which is provincial jurisdiction (Martinez Ferrada: We have built half a million housing units), and Jacques Gourde yelled about the same (St-Onge: You keep voting against our measures to help people).

Don Davies pretended he was going to do something about pharmacare with a private members’ bill (Duclos: We will have federal legislation later in the year), and Jenny Kwan demanded support for that doomed bill (Duclos: Yay dental care).

Round three saw questions on misleading nonsense around deficits and inflation (Boissonnault: What would you cut? Inflation is a global phenomenon, and here is a quote from Tiff Macklem; Fraser: Your argument to deal with the cost of living is to help families less; Gould: What services and benefits would you cut?; Wilkinson: The country is burning and you are out of touch), employment insurance criteria (Gould: Service Canada will accept applications for workers impacted by fires even if they don’t meet the usual threshold), carbon prices and the clean fuel standard (Drouin: Rage farming is not an agricultural policy), Lametti allegedly threatening Frank Caputo (Lametti: I was disappointed you were attacking a former Supreme Court justice), automating a federally-regulated port (Sheehan: The parties are negotiating with the help of a federal mediator), and the Disability Benefit bill (Kusmierczyk: It is on the calendar for debate tomorrow).

Overall, there wasn’t much to say that wasn’t said yesterday, because it was largely the same—a couple of questions/demands around the public inquiry, followed my more economically-illiterate nonsense about deficits and inflation. At least Trudeau did read a quote from the Bank of Canada governor that disputed this notion, which flustered Poilievre for a few moments before he was back on stride with the same nonsense, but rather than hammering this point home, the Liberals returned to their usual back-patting over their measures to date. And on and on it goes.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Anju Dhillon for a fuchsia wrap top over a metallic silver and purple skirt, and to Jeremy Patzer for a dark grey suit over a black shirt and a dark grey tie. Style citations go out to Darren Fisher for his hateful brown corduroy jacket over a blue shirt, purple tie (which was soon removed) and blue jeans, and to Marie-Hélène Gaudreau for a boxy white double breasted jacket over a white top with black and gold florals.

2 thoughts on “QP: The Bank of Canada disputes the narrative”

  1. That damned jurisdiction ignorance again.Why doesn’t a Liberal Minister stand up and set the ignorance of the opposition and Singh and Poilievre in particular straight? Easy as pie?

    • Every now and again Ahmed Hussen will actually say it…before patting himself on the back for all of the hard work he’s done on the file.

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