In the wake of the chaos of Chrystia Freeland’s grenade-esque departure from Cabinet, and the uncertainty around the fiscal update, QP eventually got underway at its usual time, with Trudeau absent but the other leaders mostly all present and salivating. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and decried how Trudeau is “clinging to power,” that he has “lost control” of his Cabinet, and with Freeland’s resignation, demanded an election. Karina Gould noted the Economic Statement was upcoming, and took a moment to thank Freeland for all the work she did for this government. Poilievre turned to English to repeat the same question, and Gould repeated the same again in English. Poilievre oh-so-cleverly said that he directed the question to the finance minister, and asked who Gould was. Gould plastered a smile on her face and recited the “good news” about the GST “holiday.” Poilievre returned to French, and demanded to know who the finance minister is, and said that after Freeland’s resignation, it should have been François-Philippe Champagne (per the Order-in-Council that lists back-ups to ministers) and that he apparently refused it (not sure that’s right), and noted that after him in the line of precedence was Randy Boissonnault, so again demanded to know who it was. Gould offered the standard line about the same line about the upcoming statement, and that while Poilievre was focused on them, they were in Canadians. Poilievre retuned to English, who repeated his same unserious claims about Champagne and Boissonnault, and demanded an immediate confidence vote. Gould recited that there were plenty of measures to help Canadians in the upcoming fiscal update. 

“Where’s Justin?!” Cooper screams. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2024-12-16T19:28:40.913Z

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, noted the resignations, and demanded an election. Gould repeated again that they are focused on Canadians. Therrien declared that Quebeckers don’t want the “political handouts” and demanded a vote rather than continued “sabotaging” of the economy. Gould recited how important the GST “holiday” was for Canadians.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, declared that people “literally” cannot afford groceries or homes, and that the PM was more focused on himself and infighting, and demanded his resignation. François-Philippe Champagne declared that this is not a time for slogans or jokes, but for standing up for Canadians. Singh repeated the same script in French, and got much the same response. 

Round two, and Poilievre got up to agree with Singh, listed his usual hyperbolic “doubled” woes, and demanded an immediate election, and the Speaker said that the question was not about government administration, so he moved onto Melissa Lantsman who started to police feminism (Gould: We are looking forward to presenting the Economic Statement; Fraser: I’m still here for now, and there are two kinds of people in politics—people who want to do something and people who want to be someone, and we want to do something), Michelle Rempel Garner also policed feminism (Gould: I didn’t think cinnamon buns were a gendered food, and that question says more about what that party thinks about women; You must be speaking of your own experiences, and when we want to help people, you vote against it), and Michael Chong, full of self-righteous indignation, invoked his god to demand an election (Gould: Just because a Conservative wishes something, it doesn’t actually happen, but we did just pass a confidence vote).

Fraser: There are two kinds of people in politics—people who want to do something, and people who want to be someone. We want to so something to help Canadians. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2024-12-16T19:41:01.549Z

Therrien got back up to demand an election (Champagne: Quebeckers expect us to work together to face the American administration; The statement will show we are there for workers and families).

Pierre Paul-Hus demanded an election in French (MacKinnon: Our plan will be revealed later today and it’s a good plan), and Gérard Deltell gave the same again (Champagne: We will present the statement later today). 

Lindsay Mathyssen decried this Canada Post temporary resolution (MacKinnon: The labour disruption lasted longer than a month, the Industrial Relations Board determined they were still too far apart, so we found a creative solution), and Lisa Marie Barron also denounced the Canada Post issue (MacKinnon: Indigenous and northern communities rely on the service for essentials, so we found a way forward).

Round three saw questions on Freeland’s resignation as a demand for an election (Fraser: Canadians want us to do more, and you voted against it and sling mud; If you are so concerned about women, you should ask your leader why he put misogynistic hashtags on his videos; You don’t believe in programmes like child care, which increased the participation of women in the work force; Champagne: Can you go beyond squabbles and allow this parliament to function for Quebeckers?; Hooray for our upcoming economic update, but what we saw in QP today was deplorable; Gould: Another day, another attack against Canadians by the Conservatives; We should be debating issues that matter, not attacks against someone who is not a sitting member of hits House; MacKinnon: We won’t move the country forward by shouting slogans). There were also questions about the marriage after sixty clause in veterans pensions (Petitpas Taylor: Some feel-good pablum), and the Paris Agreement targets (Guilbeault: We have reduced emissions to the lowest levels in 27 years, and our plan is working). 

If Hallan thinks Mark Carney demanded the deficit spending blow through fiscal guardrails, he should probably disclose what drugs he’s taking. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2024-12-16T19:57:16.260Z

According to Ferreri, there has never, ever been food insecurity like there is today, and the prime minister is “killing people.” #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2024-12-16T20:15:04.507Z

Overall, it was pretty much what we expected given what transpired earlier in the morning, and it was almost entirely singularly focused on demanding an election, and I will say that I am surprised that there was less misogynistic concern-trolling like there as last week, but some things didn’t change—the bizarre conspiracy theories about Mark Carney, the policing of feminism, or the doomsaying about the size of the deficit (which is actually small in the context of the size of our economy). And spare a thought for Karina Gould, who had to stand up and recite the trite messages as cheerfully as possible, once again being handed a shit sandwich and being forced to treat it like it’s palatable. The things that people need to do in politics in order to try and save face. Still, it’s all one big gong show, and it remains to be seen if the things can stay going on this way past the holidays.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Peter Fragiskatos for a tailored navy three piece suit over a crisp white shirt with a matching pocket square and a light blue tie, and to Marci Ien for a red-with-black-grid coverall-esque dress with leather straps over a black long-sleeved top. Style citations go out to Lindsay Mathyssen for a light grey caftan-esque top with a black fern pattern over black slacks, and to Gerald Soroka for a rumpled grey suit over a rumpled blueberry shirt with no tie.