QP: Is the PBO right or out of date?

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In spite of the fact that they are both in town, neither the prime minister nor his deputy were present for QP today, and most of the other leaders were absent as well. Andrew Scheer led off, and after rattling off slogans, he raised the story on the cost of the prime minister’s vacation, and got increasingly breathy as he demanded an election. François-Philippe Champagne said that Scheer had become the CIO of Canada—the Chief Inaction Officer, and that he was advocating inaction on climate change and clean growth. This earned him a warning from the Speaker. Scheer then railed about people not being able to afford food and blamed the carbon levy, and again demanded an election. Gudie Hutchings got up to recount the story of a senior in her riding who tracks his expenses, and what happy that he comes out ahead with the rebates. Scheer insisted this was just false, and claimed the PBO stated otherwise, and once again demanded an election. Hutchings recounted more stories from seniors in her riding. Luc Berthold took over in French, took some swipes at the Bloc, and demanded to know what the government promised them for support. Champagne said that it was clear that the Conservatives didn’t believe in climate change while the government takes action and grows the economy. Berthold tried to call out the Bloc on the upcoming vote, and and Steven Guilbeault reminded him that they ran on climate change in the last election, and that just behind him sits a former Quebec minister who brought in Quebec’s system. 

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and decried how much the government says no to Quebec, Pablo Rodriguez listed things they said yes to, and that the Bloc only wants to start fights. Therrien listed more things the government said no to, including the abolition of the monarchy, and Rodriguez gave much the same reply.

Peter Julian rose for the NDP, and in French, decried rent increases in Montreal—which is provincial jurisdiction—and wanted something for renters in the budget, Soraya Martinez Ferrada noted the investments in different types of housing, and their agreement with Quebec. Jenny Kwan appeared by video to give the same question with a BC lens, and Martinez Ferrada gave the English version of the same talking points.

Round two, and Melissa Lantsman gave misleading averages on the carbon price and demanded an election (Wilkinson: The PBO was clear that eight our of ten households get more money back), Shannon Stubbs recited some talking points about the carbon levy and food banks (Boissonnault: Cutting the rebate is what is cruel; It’s right in the PBO report), and Kyle Seeback recited some slogans, claimed the PBO report was two years old, and demanded an election (MacKinnon: You want to take people’s rebates away).

Claude DeBellefeuille demanded more federal action on asylum seekers (Miller: We have taken action on asylum seekers from Mexico, and you don’t like it when we work with the province), Christine Normandin said that police action at food banks is because of asylum seekers (Miller: We have accelerated work permit grants in Ontario, and we are working with the province to do that in Quebec), and Yves Perron worried about farmers not getting federal emergency supports (MacAulay: The application has been received and is being assessed).

John Barlow worried about farmers and the increasing carbon levy (MacAulay: You campaigned on a carbon price while we are delivering rebates), and Richard Lehoux tried to needle the Bloc while pretending ask what the government promised them (Guilbeault: Remember when you promised a carbon price and a clean fuel standard?).

Laurel Collins complained about oil and gas CEOs (Wilkinson: All sectors of the economy pay their fair share, and we are working with the sector to ensure that they make progress), and Lindsay Mathyssen demanded they deal with striking civilian members on military bases (Blair: We continue to encourage them to meet at the bargaining table).

Round three saw yet more questions about the carbon levy and demanding an election (Wilkinson: BC has their own system that predates ours; Emissions are down and the economy is growing; Hutchings: The carbon rebate puts more money in the pockets of eight out of ten families; Boissonnault: Here is the rebate for Alberta families). It also saw questions on slow judicial appointments (Virani: I have named 74 judges since then, and we are working twice as fast as the former government; We have taken steps to avoid partisan appointments), more needling of the Bloc (Rodriguez: It’s not nice to give that kind of spanking to the Bloc when they have enough to deal with, but climate inaction leads to forest fires and displaced people), ArriveCan and other dubious billing (Duclos: Fraudulent billing is unacceptable and we referred these cases to the RCMP), alleged Chinese “police stations” (LeBlanc: The RCMP has confirmed these issues are under investigation), the IRGC (LeBlanc: We have taken action on senior members while we take the advice of security agencies on terrorism listings), funding for HIV self-testing kits expiring (Naqvi: A lot of work has been done to provide solutions and we will continue to support communities), and convening a committee of the whole to hear from climate scientists (Wilkinson: We believe in climate change, and we are looking for ways to educate those who deny the reality).

Overall, it was a quieter day than yesterday, even if it did get off to a bit of a rowdier start but settled down fairly soon enough. It wasn’t surprising in the slightest that the Conservatives were stumping for their Supply Day motion, which was to declare non-confidence in the government because to the increase in the carbon levy, but if there was any debate to be had about it in QP, it certainly wasn’t edifying in the least. While it’s all well and good for Gudie Hutchings to recount the story of the seniors in her riding who come out ahead with the carbon rebate, they have yet to properly explain why the use of average figures from the PBO report are being used in a misleading way, or even to poke holes in their lack of consistency when it comes to relying on the PBO report and then saying five minutes later that it’s two years old and can’t possibly be right any longer. The Conservatives can’t pick a lane, and the government can’t point out that they won’t pick a lane. It doesn’t have to be this dumb, and yet it consistently is.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Dominique Vien for a fitted black suit over a white collared shirt, and to Peter Fragiskatos for a tailored navy suit with a matching tie over a lavender shirt with a matching pocket square. Style citations go out to Colin Carrie for a grey checkerboard jacket over a white shirt, black slacks, and a dull multicoloured tie, and to Anita Vandenbeld for a green paisley long smock top with incredibly wide wizard sleeves.