Fresh from his trips to Peru and Brazil, the prime minister was present for QP today, ready to respond to any and all questions, though his deputy was elsewhere. All of the other leaders were present, and just before QP started, it was announced that Randy Boissonnault was stepping away from Cabinet to “clear his name” from the various allegations against him. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and led off with the various salacious allegations against Boissonnault. Justin Trudeau noted that Boissonnault has left Cabinet to focus on the allegations, but the Conservatives only want to cut. Poilievre raised Jody Wilson-Raybould and tried to compare her to Boissonnault, and Trudeau noted that for a leader who claims to want the truth is muzzling his own caucus. Poilievre switched to English, gave a quip about doubling hosing prices and gun crimes, and up until a minute ago, had a minister with a “double identity,” and Trudeau again repeated the points about Poilievre muzzling his MPs rather than letting them advocate for their communities. Poilievre again tried compare Wilson-Raybould to Boissonnault, and Trudeau repeated that Poilievre won’t let his caucus talk because he’s afraid of what they are going to say about him. Poilievre retorted that twenty Liberals want Trudeau gone, and demanded an election. Trudeau said that MPs on his side were free to share their opinions unlike the other side.

That threw a wrench in a bunch of planned #QP questions.

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2024-11-20T19:32:28.061Z

He says, sitting in #QP. https://t.co/8C6EpVxf6Z

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 20, 2024

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, said this display proved why Quebec needs to be on its own, and then demanded that the government force the Senate to pass the Supply Management bill. Trudeau noted that his party was in favour of it, and demanded the prime minister personally meet with senators to get them to pass it, and Trudeau noted that he does meet with them often, but regardless, the government will protect the system.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, complained about the cost of living, and demanded the government support their economically illiterate GST cut plan. Trudeau said that if the NDP was so concerned about the cost of living, they would help the government break the Conservative obstruction in the Chamber. Singh repeated the demand in French, and Trudeau repeated his same response. 

Round two, and Poilievre got back up to very cleverly wondered which government issued permits and visas (Trudeau: There was a need for more labour support, and we delivered, our economy got back faster than anyone else, and now we are reducing numbers to let housing catch up because the situation changed; These little performances that he puts on aren’t fooling anyone; When you were Harper’s failed housing minister, you only built six units—which isn’t really true), burnished his record as “housing” minister (Trudeau: Your government got out of the business of housing, while we are changing the way housing gets built; You need to get your security clearance), and tried once more in French (Trudeau: There were labour market needs after the lockdowns and the situation has changed).

Blanchet got back up read some vague condemnation about the Senate (Trudeau: We are supporting Supply Management and we will protect it even if the bill fails), and again demanded they meet with senators (Trudeau: We will protect it regardless).

Poilievre got back on his feet to denounce the G20 trip and claim Trudeau was a hypocrite for it  (Trudeau: Global inflation and climate change requires us to work together, something he doesn’t do if he can’t even work with his own MPs), gave some falsehoods about food prices (Trudeau: I was talking exactly about putting affordability first even as we fight climate change, not whatever he invented), gave some outright lies about the carbon price (Trudeau: He’s not telling the truth, and he wants to sign up for the higher cost of climate change), and concern trolled about climate change performance (Trudeau: He is misrepresenting the facts for his own benefit).

Leah Gazan worried about increasing child poverty and demanded the government adopt the NDP’s GST plan (Trudeau: If you really want to support the school food programme, your party would help stop the Conservative obstruction), and clean water in Inuit communities (Trudeau: We need to move forward on this, which is why we need you to stop slow-walking the clean water bill).

Round three saw Poilievre give some complete nonsense about the deficit and inflation (Trudeau: The foundation of your entire economic argument is that help when people need it makes everyone worse, and you only want to cut; We have the best balance sheet in the G7; You only believe in cuts and austerity, and trickle-down that benefits the wealthy and no one else), gave some revisionist history of the last migrant wave under Trump (Trudeau: Protecting our system and our border has always been a priority, and the whole world is dealing with tough times which is why we took steps), funding bureaucracy (Trudeau: You have been attacking mayors and muzzling your MPs), housing (Trudeau: Your own MPs wanted these funds for their communities until you muzzled them; You are directly contradicted by at least 18 of your own MPs who want these funds), the Parole Board not letting victims families attend in person (Trudeau: They are independent, while your government cut funding and won’t get your security clearance; You are just instrumentalising the grief of families for your own personal gain). There were also questions about the potential border influx from the Americans (Trudeau: This is a responsibility we take seriously; We acknowledge that Quebec has done more than their fair share, which is why we are compensating them), the “bomb cyclone” versus oil companies (Trudeau: We cut subsidies ahead of everyone else, and are putting a cap on emissions), and a citizen’s assembly on electoral reform (Trudeau: Isn’t it terrible that Conservatives are muzzled?)

Poilievre is trying to be clever about the deficit, and I just can’t.

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2024-11-20T20:07:04.107Z

Poilievre blaming the government for the actions of the Parole Board is always ghoulish disinformation. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2024-11-20T20:18:39.191Z

Overall, the sudden resignation of Boissonnault basically put a wrench in what was likely a whole series of questions that Poilievre was planning to ask about this, all for the sake of more clips, so while Poilievre did still lead on this, he had to dress the questions up a bit more to make them fit the new reality. Trudeau himself was shaper in his responses, not only to Poilievre, where the retort was largely about the news report this morning about the level of caucus control that Poilievre was asserting, but also to the NDP, whom Trudeau called out at every opportunity for allowing the filibuster to continue which wasn’t helping Canadians like they were demanding (though I would have liked to see him explain why their GST cut plan is economically illiterate, but we all know that’s not going to happen). Trudeau was better in some of his responses to the immigration questions, given that he put out that contrition video over the weekend, but still, this was pretty lacklustre.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Peter Fragiskatos for a tailored navy three-piece suit with a crisp white shirt and matching pocket square with a lavender tie, and to Anita Anand for a pink jacket over a white button-up top and dark grey slacks. Style citations go out to Leah Gazan for a v-necked floral top with wizard sleeves and black leather slacks, and to Alain Therrien for a light blue jacket with a windowpane pattern over a white shirt, black tie, and faded blue jeans. Dishonourable mention goes out to Jagmeet Singh for a black suit and tie with a white shirt and a mustard yellow turban.