QP: Demanding details of a deal not done

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Another busy day on the hill, and while Trudeau had been in the Commons first thing to make another statement on the Fort McMurray situation, he was back for more as QP got underway. Rona Ambrose led off, mini-lectern on neighbouring desk, and asked for reassurance that infrastructure funding to rebuild Fort McMurray would be top priority. Trudeau assured her that yes, this was indeed a priority. Ambrose read the exact same question again in French, got the same answer, and then asked about the details for a bailout for Bombardier. Trudeau reminded her that the negotiations were ongoing, and that they expected a strong long-term business case. Denis Lebel then repeated the question in French, got the same answer, and for his final question, Lebel demanded that they government allow the Billy Bishop airport expand to let Porter also buy C-Series jets. Trudeau responded that they were not going to re-open the tripartite agreement around the Toronto waterfront. Thomas Mulcair was up next, and demanded criminal prosecutions for KPMG tax havens, and Trudeau reminded him that they were working to combat tax evasion. Mulcair repeated the question, got the same answer, before Mulcair moved onto the Canada Post review and not immediately restoring home mail delivery. Trudeau said that they committed to studying the issue and understanding how to give Canadians a better level of service. Mulcair asked the same again in English, skirting the rules around the use of the word “lying” in the chamber. Trudeau reiterated that they were putting in the time that the previous government didn’t in order to ensure Canadians got the right level of delivery.

Round two, and Lisa Raitt asked the finance minister which of his broken promises he was most proud of (Morneau: You want to balance the budget on the backs of Canadians), Alice Wong demanded lower small business tax cuts (Hutchings: There are people using these rates as a loophole), Diane Watts and Luc Berthold asked about PPP Canada and reducing the P3 screen on new projects (Sohi: We are giving local governments more autonomy and greater access to federal funds). Ruth Ellen Brosseau and Tracey Ramsay worried the TPP would undermine our sovereignty (Freeland: We are consulting like we committed to doing). Kelly Block and Alain Reyes wanted answers on how C-10 makes Air Canada more competitive (Garneau: They need more flexibility in their competitive environment). Richard Cannings and Anne Quach raised the PBO report on post-secondary education (Morneau: We are helping 250,000 lower-income students with higher grants).

Round three saw questions on Chrystia Freeland’s travel, a committee on electoral reform (Trudeau: I’m sorry for my remarks, and I look forward to getting moving on this committee), homelessness funding, lifting visa restrictions on Mexicans, sanctions against Iran, a mine disaster in BC, the northern shrimp fishery, and regions receiving additional EI coverage.

Overall, there was a much more blatant repetition of questions between French and English today, which is so very tiresome. You can alternate languages for questions and follow-ups. It’s great if you can. But for the love of all the gods on Olympus and in the underworld, stop asking the exact same question. Likewise, if you get an answer, don’t read the repeated question on your script. Think your feet, MPs. I know you can do it!

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Catherine McKenna for a grey dress with a black fine grid pattern with a black jacket, and to Michel Picard for a black three-piece suit with a lavender striped shirt and a lavender tie and pocket square. Style citations go out to Robert Sopuck for his terrible brown corduroy jacket with a darker brown waistcoat, light blue shirt and bright teal tie, and to Anita Vandenbeld for a boxy jacket with horizontal multicoloured stripes and three-quarter sleeves.