The prime minister was present today, while his deputy was on her way to Winnipeg. All of the other leaders were present, and it remained to be seen in today would be as abysmal as the past week has been. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and he started off with a slam of the Bloc for voting with the government, claiming this was a new “coalition” and wondered what deal he offered them. Justin Trudeau said that he offered Quebeckers what he offered all Canadians, which was a plan to grow the economy with a plan to fight climate change. Poilievre decried that he mixed up the Bloc with all Quebeckers, and repeated his demand to know about the supposed deal. Trudeau noted that half a million Quebeckers still use home heating oil, particularly those in lower-incomes, which is why they were offering to replace them with heat pumps. Poilievre switched to English to mouth some slogans and again repeated the falsehood that there is a coalition with the Bloc, and his demand to know what he offered them. Trudeau said that the only division in the country was within the Conservative Party on the issue of climate change, and praised the rebates that the carbon price system offers. Poilievre raised the Environment Commissioner’s report that the government’s climate plan wasn’t going to reach its targets, and again claimed there was a coalition. Trudeau trotted out his line that while the country agreed to phase out coal, they are now doing the same with heating oil. Poilievre raised the premiers’ objections to the heating oil pause, and said that Trudeau was partnering with the separatists to divide the country. Trudeau went into a tear about about how the government was helping Canadians while the Conservative had no plan.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and he wanted the government to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. Trudeau recited his call for a “humanitarian pause” that can get aid in and Canadians out, while they support a two-state solution. Blanchet noted that Israel has broken the trust or the international community, and demanded stronger action from Canada in calling for a ceasefire. Trudeau said that they are working with partners around the world to protect civilians and restore peace in the region, but we also need to beware of the rise in hate seen in Canada.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and denounced the “Liberal and Conservative corporate coalition” before he demanded support for the NDP’s Supply Day motion on eliminating the GST on heating and imposing a windfall tax on oil companies. Trudeau noted his “confusion and consternation” the NDP’s incoherent position in the Conservative vote, and said that it disappointed progressives around the country. Singh declared that the government has missed all of their climate targets (not actually true), before repeating his question in French. Trudeau repeated his same response. 

Daniel Blaikie wanted the Speaker to put a stop to the Conservatives saying there is an NDP-Liberal coalition, when it doesn’t exist.
So today, Jagmeet Singh declared that the Liberals and Conservatives were a “corporate coalition.” #QP pic.twitter.com/j3DVqUe7Rd

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2023

Round two, and Poilievre got back up to demand the government allow the private members’ bill in the Senate on another carve-out for carbon prices on farm fuels be allowed to pass, and needled Steven Guilbeault over it (Trudeau: Hooray for our heat pump plan; Farmers know the costs of climate change, which is why our plan will work; Your only plan is cuts;  It is irresponsible for the Conservatives to deny that climate change is real; I am sometimes envious that you can hold so many contradictory positions).

Blanchet got back up, and this time raised the words of Adil Charkaoui at a Palestinian protest, and asked if those should count as criminal hate speech (Trudeau: Those words are unacceptable and we will stand up to antisemitism; We need to encourage people to listen and be compassionate, and to return to our basic values as Canadians, while police and relevant authorities decide on what counts as criminal).

Poilievre returned to his feet, and recited some slogans before raising Gudie Hutchings’ comments on electing more Liberals (Trudeau: Did you think phasing out coal was divisive, and is that why you object to phasing out home heating oil?; People on the prairies who heat with heating oil get the same pause; Who is really dividing Canadians when we stood with the vaccinated, women’s rights, and the LGBTQ community and you objected).

Poilievre says that the government is stating falsehoods about *their* position. #QP pic.twitter.com/0k8jnvZv4q

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2023

Singh got back up to claim that the government plan to build housing on federal land was for “luxury homes” (Trudeau: That isn’t true, and here is a script on our plans), and Heather McPherson denounced Danielle Smith’s healthcare plans (Trudeau: We expect provinces to follow the rule and will claw back transfers if they don’t).

Heather McPherson seems to think this is the Alberta Legislature, because this was a question about Danielle Smith.
Fergus sort of warned her, but Trudeau was going to answer anyway. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2023

Round three saw Poilievre ask questions on the ArriveCan investigation (Trudeau: How many millions would Canadians have lost if they followed your advice to buy Bitcoin; The reports are concerning and the respective authorities will take this seriously), the story about a KPMG contract on reducing contracts (Trudeau: We are looking to get more value for money but speaking of convictions I am committed to fighting climate change), the Sustainable Development Technology Canada investigation (Trudeau: When allegations were raised, we investigated and the Auditor General is now looking into it; There are established processes for situations like these, because we are a country of rules and laws), UK foreign office warnings of the risk of terror incidents in Canada (Trudeau: We do everything we can to keep Canadians safe and this is difficult time in the world right now; I can’t speak to how other countries make travel advisory determinations). There were other questions on the federal climate plan (Trudeau: We have done more than any government in history to reduce emissions over the past eight years but we need to do more; All you do is criticise but this is the time for action; It must have been difficult for you to vote with the Conservatives against the most effective tool to fight climate change), and the Governor General’ spending (Trudeau: The Governor General is an outstanding person who plays an important role, and we will see her spending is in line).

Trudeau: “That leader has no plan and no vision. Perhaps he should put his glasses back on.”
The Conservatives objected to this. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2023

When Poilievre says that Trudeau has two “convictions for breaking the law,” Blaikie calls our “How many convictions does your Diagolon pal have?” #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2023

When Poilievre wonders why the UK considers us at higher risk for a terror attack, someone chirps “You should get your security clearance.” #QP

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 8, 2023

Overall, there was the slightest bit of reprieve from the same repetitive clip-harvesting as the past week, but that didn’t mean that this wasn’t still the same level of futile nihilism that now pervades this exercise. Pierre Poilievre asserted that there was a fictional coalition with the Bloc, that the Prime Minister exercises control over the Senate when he doesn’t, and that he directly governs arm’s-length Crown corporations and agencies when that doesn’t happen either. It’s just more of the same dystopian world-building being used to undermine the objective reality that the rest of us live in, because that’s the game that they are playing. I will note that it’s also really weird that the question on the UK terrorism fears were at the very end of QP, by the time most people have tuned out, rather than at the very beginning, if he were actually seriously concerned that there was a genuine issue here.

As for the prime minister, his tendency to want to soliloquise in his responses is not helping him any. What he should be doing are sharp and candid responses that shut down what Poilievre is trying to do. Assert that there is a coalition for the Bloc? “Mr. Speaker, there is no coalition.” Sit down. Assert that he controls senators? “Mr. Speaker, the Senate is independent and I don’t tell them how to vote.” Sit down. Assert that he was personally directing the development of the ArriveCan app? “Mr. Speaker, the CBSA operates at arm’s length of government, and have their own procurement processes.” Sit down. It would be snappier, ensure that Trudeau doesn’t give more fodder for shitposts, and be direct rather than just feel-good pabulum. It won’t happen, but it should, and I can dream.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Peter Fragiskatos for a dark grey three-piece suit over a white shirt with a matching pocket square and dark blue tie, and to Marci Ien for a white half-sleeved draw with black squiggle patterns across it. Style citations go out to Rosemarie Falk for a black floral dress with long sleeves and a pleated skirt, and to Luc Desilets for a khaki jacket over a black shirt and tie with black slacks. Dishonourable mention goes out to Anna Roberts for a mustard yellow jacket over a black top and slacks.