QP: Memory-holing past indifference

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The prime minister was elsewhere, meeting with the president of the Slovak Republic, who is currently on a state visit to Canada, but his deputy was present for a second day in a row (which is a rarity these days). Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and mocked the prime minister saying that all spending has been absolutely necessary, but noted that a large percentage of consultants hired for ArriveCan resulted in no work done, and demanded the money be recovered. Chrystia Freeland said that Canadians understand that when Conservatives talk about spending, they want to cut things like dental care and child care. Poilievre said that the ArriveCan app was an example of “corruption,” and then railed that the Bloc did an “about face” on their support for Bill C-234, and demanded the government pass it in its original form. Freeland insisted that while she can’t speak for the Bloc, the nation of Quebec understands the need to combat climate change. Poilievre switched to English to repeat that number of ArriveCan contracts were not fulfilled and demanded the money be recouped. Freeland insisted that the Conservatives only want to cut services. Poilievre then pivoted to Trudeau’s vacations, and demanded to know if he paid the “full carbon tax” on each ton of emissions. Freeland asked if he knows how much the heating of Stornoway costs, and that the government was helping people with climate rebates. Poilievre insisted that he pays for his own vacations, and demanded that the government undo the amendments to Bill C-234 and pass it. Freeland pointed out that Poielivre also doesn’t pay rent on Stornoway, and that he wants to take away the climate rebates people rely on.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and decried Quebec’s settlement capacity for immigrants and refugees, and railed that this was impacting housing. Sean Fraser praised the agreement that they came to with Quebec to build more houses. Therrien railed that immigration levels were still going up, and demanded the targets be lowered. Marc Miller pointed out that they already have an agreement with Quebec to manage its immigration levels.

Jagmeet Singh blamed the Liberals for the housing crisis in Toronto, and demanded they capitulate to Olivia Chow’s blackmail. Freeland praised Toronto, and said they were having “constructive conversations” with the city and the provinces, and that they have given more than any previous government. Singh switched to French to decry that the government has called for another investigation into grocery chains rather than taking action. François-Philippe Champagne said that the best solution is for more competition, and that he has asked the Commissioner to use his new powers for this.

Round two, and Melissa Lantsman decried the supposed plan to rebrand the carbon price, and demanded they cut it (Freeland: It’s out of touch to say you want to take way climate rebates; Remember how much Candice Bergen charged taxpayers for linens?), Shannon Stubbs railed about the carbon price (Freeland: We will take no lessons from the austerity Conservatives about helping Canadians in need, because we cut poverty in half; Boissonnault: How many Conservatives gathered to watch Tucker Carlson last week, and your candidate in my riding was all over Twitter about it), and Lianne Rood read her own script on cutting the carbon price (MacAulay: As a farmer, I understand the need to protect the environment for the future).

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe demanded more money for Quebec for asylum seekers (Miller: I said there will be good news this week for Quebec; We have given money, and have not asked for accounting for it), and demanded more provinces accept asylum seekers than just Quebec (Miller: Two provinces are overwhelmed and we are working with other provinces).

Shelby Kramp-Neuman demanded the government address the “housing hell” in the country (Fraser: You are preying on the real anxieties of people, but keep voting against our programmes), and Gérard Deltell worried about student housing (Fraser: We just announced a policy in order to build more student housing; Martinez Ferrada: We brought in the first ever Canada Housing Strategy which put a roof over thousands of Canadians).

Rachel Blaney worried about seniors at grocery stores (O’Regan: We have been there for seniors), and Matthew Green railed that the Liberals have done nothing about Palestinian deaths in Gaza, and said Muslims in Canada are tired of “lies,” and got warned from the Speaker for it, and he withdrew the remark (Hussen: We announced $40 million today for more aid for Gaza through trusted international partners).

Round three saw yet more questions on housing (Rodriguez: Your leader is only insulting people; Lebouthillier: That’s not an apology for insulting my riding; Fraser: We have done more to ensure new houses get built than your ever did). It also saw questions on the Phoenix pay system (Duclos: We are working to ensure that people get the money they’ve earned), deficit spending (Freeland: Bitter experience has taught Canadians that Conservatives’ cuts hurt people), the ArriveCan procurement problems (O’Connell: This app was built to saves in the pandemic, and we expected the proper process to be followed, and those who didn’t follow it will face the consequences), the prime minister’s vacation (MacKinnon: The Commissioner was clear at committee that his office was consulted and that there was nothing further on the matter), Canadian Forces civilian workers’ strike (Blair: We support a resolution of the dispute at the bargaining table), and a school fire on a First Nation with no fire service (Hajdu: I spoke with the chief that we will work with them to get the new fire truck and a new school).

Overall, it wasn’t a terribly illuminating day, and it had its raucous moments, which the Speaker wasn’t very forceful in calling for order, but did make reference to yesterday’s point of privilege from a Bloc member about not being able to hear (though the Bloc were pretty raucous on a few occasions themselves, because of course they were). Once again, in spite of Conservative promises, they were not “relentless” about Bill C-234, and barely raised it as part of confused questions that both demanded that this pass, and that the carbon price be removed entirely, which would make passing the bill a moot point. But hey, who needs logic or consistency? Certainly not these guys!

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Blake Richards for a tailored black suit with a light blue shirt and a light purple tie, and to Jenna Sudds for a black lapel-less jacket and slacks over a light pink top. Style citations go out to Ruby Sahota for a black sleeveless jacket over a tan turtleneck and a tan and black diamond-patterned slacks, and to Alain Therrien for a dark blue jacket over a white shirt, dark blue tie and faded blue jeans. Dishonourable mention goes out to Anna Roberts for a mustard yellow jacket over a black top and slacks.

4 thoughts on “QP: Memory-holing past indifference”

  2. Did Ms Freeland really say the Nation of Quebec? It is still a province in law and in our constitution. Or was she trying to appeal to the Bloc gang?

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