QP: Swagger around the Trump election

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In the wake of the U.S. election results, the prime minister was present today to answer all questions, while his deputy was away. All of the other leaders were present, and Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and claimed that Trudeau had previously caved to Trump on softwood lumber and claimed he would do so again. Justin Trudeau dismissed this and noted how they successfully renegotiated NAFTA, and stood up to other tariffs. Poilievre’s tried this again in English, and Trudeau repeated his same points with the added note that Poilievre wouldn’t get his security clearance. Poilievre went on about what is “dumb” and claimed the carbon levy was driving jobs and investment in the U.S., and Trudeau said that they were going to grow the economy together, and said that that government takes defence and security seriously, and pointed to the defence cuts under the Conservatives and his refusal to get His clearance. Poilievre patted himself on the back for the Conservatives “crushing the Taliban and ISIS,” claimed Trudeau couldn’t shoot down a Chinese weather balloon. Trudeau accused Poilievre of talking down the Canadian Forces, and called him out for not committing to their two percent NATO timeline. Poilievre returned to French to claim that Trudeau has destroyed the economy, and Trudeau listed ways in which they have stood up for Canadian workers and took defence seriously, before one more swipe at the security clearance. 

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and worried about the crush of Americans heading for the border to avoid Trump. Trudeau noted that they have been making preparations before some economic back-patting. Blanchet felt that was too vague, and Trudeau again offered some bland assurances that they are protecting the border, and the steps taken to better distribute refugees around the country.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and worried about the American tariffs would raise prices in Canada. (Huh? How?) Trudeau listed the workers they stood up for workers the last time and will do so again. Singh said was “cold comfort” before repeating the question in French, and Trudeau, related his same back-patting.

Round two, and Poilievre stayed in French to again accuse the government of capitulating to Trump the last time (Trudeau: You didn’t contribute to our efforts and was just sulking; You refuse to commit to our NATO timeline and you won’t get your security clearance), claimed that “radical obstacles” were reducing wealth in the country (Trudeau: I know Trump well enough to know he would be confused by why you won’t get your security clearance), and he returned to English to decry the carbon levy (Trudeau: Foreign direct investment has increased sixty percent since we formed government, and you need your security clearance; Your party dropped defence spending to less than one percent of GDP, and get your security clearance), and said Trump would appreciate the carbon levy still going up (Trudeau: You have no understanding of how to build a strong economy, and hooray for the rebate).

Blanchet got back up to worry that Supply Management would be on the chopping block if their bill wasn’t passed by the Senate (Trudeau: We agreed with the bill and are encouraging Senators to pass it), and demanded the government enrich OAS (Trudeau: We tamed inflation and let rates come down faster than anywhere in the world thanks to our sound fiscal management).

Poilievre demanded support for his GST cut on new homes (Trudeau: You would cut needed programmes because you only care about your political career), trashed the Housing Accelerator Fund (Trudeau: Eighteen of your own MPs asked for these funds, and you should get your security clearance), claimed his MPs were just asking where the houses were (Trudeau: Read the letters asking for the funds), and then complained that houses hadn’t sprung up overnight (Trudeau: The only plan you have is for cuts and austerity, and you need to get your security clearance).

Singh got back up demand the government eliminate the marriage after 60 clause for veterans’ pensions (Trudeau: We have invested $11 billion in veterans), and Lori Idlout worried about Indigenous deaths at the hands of police (Trudeau: We have tripled investments in Indigenous communities, and there is more to do including partnerships with Indigenous policing).

Round three saw more questions from Poilievre on the GST plan (Trudeau: You just want to cut programmes people rely on), the emissions cap and producing more gas (Trudeau: This was a distraction from the fact the Harper government couldn’t get any projects built, and the cap is on emissions, not production; Trudeau: You just admitted you wouldn’t have put a penny into TMX, which matters to Alberta; Renewables are an important part of the future but we need to be able to pay for them), demanding an election (Trudeau: When we stood up for Canadian jobs, you called it “dumb” and you need a security clearance), some lies about Mark Carney and Brookfield (Trudeau: You are treating national security like a dodgeball game), SDTC allegations (Trudeau: We still live in a country where police and judiciary are independent and the RCMP doesn’t want the documents you are freezing Parliament over; Get your security clearance), the New York condo purchase (Trudeau: Security clearance). There were also questions about climate change and the green economy (Trudeau: It’s ironic that you approved oil drilling in sensitive area when you were provincial environment minister, while we are creating jobs and protecting the environment), and defence spending (Trudeau: Thanks for getting your security clearance, while Poilievre should), youth unemployment (Trudeau: Youth should be concerned that you have backed down on supporting carbon pricing and are letting the Conservatives filibuster rather than passing the capital gains changes), and international treaties on climate action (Trudeau: You need to have a climate plan if you want an economic plan).

Overall, Question Period continues to somehow get worse, which should’t be possible, and yet here we are. Poilievre came in, full of swagger, and focused on this utterly false narrative about how Trudeau had somehow “capitulated” to Trump on things like softwood tariffs and other trade, which is complete horseshit (industry objected to the softwood agreement the Harper government put into place the agreement expired, it was not ripped up by Trump), but Trudeau didn’t really argue the points. He recited a few lines about standing up for workers, but didn’t point to the Harper and the Conservatives telling them to capitulate to Trump on NAFTA renegotiations, or to correct any of Poilievre’s falsehoods, but instead kept going back to the security clearance issue. If you were playing the “security clearance” drinking game, you would have died of alcohol poisoning. It’s utterly mind-numbing, where I felt myself getting dumber the longer it went on, and I cannot understand why they think this kind of behaviour is some kind of winner.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Ben Carr for a grey suit with a lavender shirt and purple tie, and to Melissa Lantsman for a burgundy jacket over a white collared shirt and black slacks. Style citations go out to Anna Roberts for her terrible mustard yellow sweater with fringes along the bottom over a dark blue top and fuchsia slacks, and to Steven Guilbeault for a dark green jacket over a white shirt, yellow tie, and tan-yellow slacks. Special mention goes out to Darren Fisher for a metallic purple jacket over a white shirt and a dark purple tie (and I can’t decide if I love or hate this).