{"id":10641,"date":"2022-06-08T18:40:35","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T22:40:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/?p=10641"},"modified":"2022-06-08T18:40:35","modified_gmt":"2022-06-08T22:40:35","slug":"qp-a-personal-tale-of-witnessing-injustice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/2022\/06\/08\/qp-a-personal-tale-of-witnessing-injustice\/","title":{"rendered":"QP: A personal tale of witnessing injustice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The prime minister was off to Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas, we had two other leaders present, plus the deputy prime minister, so that was something. Candice Bergen led off, script on her mini-lectern, decrying Canadians skipping meals, saying that they don\u2019t want a \u201ctop-up cheque\u201d but want prices to stop rising. (If only the Canadian federal government had the power to control the world price of oil and to stop droughts in food-producing regions). Chrystia Freeland praised her government\u2019s job-centred recovery and the record-low levels of unemployment. Bergen insisted that the government\u2019s fiscal policy was a mess, and raised Bill Morneau\u2019s revisionist concerns, to which Freeland listed the inflation-indexed benefits that families and seniors were getting. Bergen pivoted to rising gun crimes and accused the government of being soft on crime, and Freeland offered a personal story about her mother doing legal aid work for Indigenous clients in Northern Alberta, and she could see first-hand how the justice system treats them, which was why this government was making changes. Luc Berthold took over in French to decry the abolition of mandatory minimums, and Freeland repeated the same story in French. Berthold then pivoted to the cost of living concerns, complaining that their gimmick-laden Supply Day motion was defeated. Freeland wondered why the Conservatives didn\u2019t support their own \u201cconcrete\u201d assistance to low-income households.<\/p>\n<p>Yves-Fran\u00e7ois Blanchet led for the Bloc, and he insisted that a third of Quebec seniors were losing purchasing power because of rising inflation. Freeland said that she had good news\u2014that OAS was going up by ten percent this summer. Blanchet did not deviate from his question and insisted the same again, and Freeland reminded him that these benefits are already indexed to inflation.<\/p>\n<p>Peter Julian rose for the NDP, and in French, demanded the GST credit and Canada Child Benefit be doubled. Freeland stated that there were targeted measures already going out. Rachel Blaney repeated the question in English with added sanctimony, and Freeland insisted that they looked ahead and set five particular programmes in motion before this summer hits.<\/p>\n<p><!--more-->Round two, and Rob Moore demanded tougher mandatory minimums for gun crimes instead of having them lifted (Lametti: Serious crime always carries serious punishment, and the situations targeted in our bill are for issues where public safety is not an issue), Dane Lloyd was confused between \u201cadvice\u201d and \u201casked for\u201d around invoking the <i>Emergencies Act<\/i> (Mendicino: We had an unprecedented public order emergency, and we asked what law enforcement what tools they required, and here is the RCMP Commissioner praising those tools), and Raquel Dancho demanded to turn over Cabinet documents to the inquiry (Mendicino: We have stated all along that we will be cooperate with the inquiry).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Mendocino and Lametti did a little dance there as to which one of them was going to answer the bad faith question. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#QP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1534606634626043905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Dane Lloyd is confused between \u201cadvice\u201d and \u201crecommendations,\u201d and insists that Conservatives have \u201cclear memories\u201d of the occupation. <br \/>Does revisionist history count as \u201cclear memories\u201d? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#QP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1534607677745156097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Mario Beaulieu raised the record number of complaints that the Language Commissioner around the appointment of the GG (Petitpas Taylor: Let\u2019s pass our official languages bill passed quickly).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Mario Beaulieu declares that French is not a \u201csecondary language\u201d when complaining about Mary May Simon\u2019s appointment. <br \/>It would seem that he thinks Inuktitut is. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#QP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1534608809108328451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Dan Albas demanded action on gasoline prices (Wilkinson: We are working with partners to stabilise global supply), and Stephanie Kusie recited a one-act play about those prices (Wilkinson: We are doing what we need to in order to stabilise the market while fighting climate change).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Dan Albas knows that tax cuts fuel inflation, right? That it would be like trying to put out a fire with gasoline? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#QP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1534609524186701824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Natural Resources Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JonathanWNV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JonathanWNV<\/a> in in QP \u201cI thank the honourable member for the same question as yesterday.\u201d Surprised we don\u2019t hear that line more often. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Elizabeth Thompson (@LizT1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LizT1\/status\/1534609926449922048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Daniel Blaikie decried that the EI system is \u201cbroken\u201d (Qualtrough: We are trying to modernise the system as it has not kept up with the way Canadians work), and Alexandre Boulerice repeated the question in French (Qualtrough: Same answer).<\/p>\n<p>Round three saw questions on unvaccinated air travellers (van Koeverden: Wishing COVID away won\u2019t make it happen and 1700 people died of it in May; Your party has been promoting conspiracy theories about vaccination), the ArriveCan app (Mendicino: We have been working through the issues with CBSA), gun violence in Montreal and the guns not being covered in the new bill (Mendicino: We have to stop delaying the bill), demanding a registry of criminal organisations (Mendicino: The bill takes steps to target organised crime), removing mandatory minimums (Lametti: This does not touch serious offences), someone deported to Venezuela because he was not properly vaccinated (van Koeverden: If you want to discuss this particular case, give me a call), housing supply (Hussen: Your party has opposed our actions at every turn), the disability benefits legislation (Qualtrough: Details will be determined in consultation with the community), and global warming affecting oceans (Duguid: We have out ambitious emissions reduction plan).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Marilyn Gladu wants us to get back to \u201cpre-pandemic normal.\u201d <br \/>This after she was told 1700 people died of COVID last month. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#QP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1534611962679762944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Scott Aitchison got a question today, which is UNUSUAL for a leadership candidate. <br \/>That said, Leslyn Lewis got a conspiracy-laden question a couple of weeks ago. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#QP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1534614921488617475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Every time a minister thanks a backbencher for their \u201chard work\u201d during a suck-up question, the Conservatives have started loud sarcastic applause. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#QP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/journo_dale\/status\/1534616194526990337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Overall, it was a much rowdier day today than it has been for a while, and it was loudest during questions on the tough-on-crime issues where the Conservatives did not like the government\u2019s responses, particularly given that their own questions were being asked in a bad faith manner. It was more shitpost gathering, and they don\u2019t like to hear about systemic racism. I was surprised that Freeland took the opening questions on the mandatory minimums bill and offer the tale about accompanying her mother to court and First Nations reserves in Northern Alberta to see the problems up close (and then repeating it in French), but this aside, the government is really going to have to do more if they are going to push back against the kind of bad faith misinformation about the bill.<\/p>\n<p>I will also note that it was unusual that Scott Aitchison got a question today given that he\u2019s a leadership candidate and they tend not to want to give them this kind of platform and possible unfair advantage, particularly to candidates who don\u2019t have a seat (though Leslyn Lewis was afforded the opportunity to spout some conspiracy theories about the World Health Organization a few weeks ago). It was also interesting that the question, which was about housing, got Ahmed Hussen riled up, more than he tends to in answering questions typically. It made for a more dramatic exchange, and one where they could get good clips out of it (which may help Aitchison in his campaign).<\/p>\n<p>Sartorial speaking, snaps go out to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ourcommons.ca\/Members\/en\/peter-fragiskatos(88827)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Peter Fragiskatos<\/a> for a dark grey three-piece suit with a shire shirt and a purple tie and pocket square, and to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ourcommons.ca\/Members\/en\/candice-bergen(59110)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Candice Bergen<\/a> for a short-sleeved taupe-green dress.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>Style citations go out to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ourcommons.ca\/Members\/en\/brenda-shanahan(88442)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brenda Shanahan<\/a> for a black jacket with florals over a black top and slacks, and to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ourcommons.ca\/Members\/en\/david-lametti(88501)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">David Lametti<\/a> for a blue-grey suit over a salmon pink shirt and a grey striped tie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The prime minister was off to Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas, we had two other leaders present, plus the deputy prime minister, so that was something. Candice Bergen led off, script on her mini-lectern, decrying Canadians skipping &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/2022\/06\/08\/qp-a-personal-tale-of-witnessing-injustice\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[217,633,110,32,186,50,631,99,393,66],"class_list":["post-10641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-qp","tag-border","tag-budget-2022","tag-ei-reform","tag-environment","tag-gun-control","tag-immigration","tag-inflation","tag-official-languages","tag-public-health","tag-tough-on-crime"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2jJFQ-2LD","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10641"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10641\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10642,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10641\/revisions\/10642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.routineproceedings.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}