The Nation’s Capital was under a rainfall warning as MPs gathered in the West Block for QP, with the PM still in South Korea. Pierre Poilievre was absent, leaving it to Andrew Scheer to lead off, and he declared that elites have never had it so good while people are being asked to make sacrifices. To illustrate, he noted that CMHC paid out $30 million in executive bonuses rather than providing down payments for young Canadians. Rechie Valdez responded by reading the good news about cutting the GST on houses for first-time homebuyers, along with other housing programmes. Scheer insisted that if flushing billions through big bureaucracies worked, they would not be in this situation, and again went to the notion that they are just funding big bonuses while youth have nothing left to give. Patty Hajdu praised the investments they have been making in skills training for youth. Jasraj Hallan took over to peevishly push the same narrative that “insiders” are getting rich while youth are being asked to sacrifice, and Valdez got back up to mouth the falsehood that Poilievre only built six houses as he was minister responsible. Hallan got back up to proclaim that the only people who have it good now are the prime minister and his elitist insiders. Hajdu got back up to talk about her meeting with her PEI counterpart to deliver for Canadians. Luc Berthold then took over to deliver the same script in French, and this time Joël Lightbound delivered the indignant response that the the Conservatives just vote against help for Canadians. Berthold raised a news story about pregnant women cutting back on protein, and Lightbound repeated that it was astounding that the Conservatives vote against programmes that people need.

Christine Normandin led for the Bloc, and raised the anniversary of the 1995 referendum, and decried the federal Clarity Act preventing a democratic decision (which his not true), and asked it to be repealed. Steven Guilbeault said that Quebec elected twice as many Liberals as Bloc, and that they don’t want another referendum, but rather to build the country with their upcoming budget. Normandin again dared the government to repeal the Clarity Act, and Guilbeault again insisted that nobody is talking about another referendum. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe took over to again make the same demand, and Guilbeault noted it was interesting that the Quebec government was tabling legislation with no Indigenous consultation, which is not reconciliation. 

Round two, and Pierre Paul-Hus, still in French, raised the appointment of a Bay Street banker to fill the top position at the new defence procurement agency while young people are being asked to sacrifice (MacKinnon: Do you want to force the country into a Christmas election?), Tamara Kronis read the same script in English (Long: We have been listening to Canadians and we will table a generational budget; Zerucelli: Why don’t you apologise to the children who benefit from the School Food Programme for calling it “garbage”?), Kelly Block read another script of the same (Belanger: We reject the premise of your question), Michael Barrett tied lobbyists to ballooning costs with the benefits modernisation programme (MacKinnon: This from the member who didn’t answer media questions because he said he had a lozenge; We will out a budge before this house next week).

Mario Simard wanted more action for the softwood lumber sector (Guilbeault: We met with mayors in the region last week and we will be there to support them; Guay: The tariffs are unwarranted and we want to work together to help the industry).

Scott Aitchison decried executive bonuses at CMHC in a housing crisis (Solomon: You talk down everyone rather than build up the country), Dan Albas raised the bonuses paid at the Canadian Infrastructure Bank after the China ferry scandal (MacKinnon: Because you are the transport critic, you will be pleased to hear we will have a budget measure about labour standards in the trucking industry; Tell your leader to support the budget and not have a Christmas election), and Jacques Gourde screamed about the bonuses at BDC and EDC (Lightbound: Your side is hypocritical if you want to sacrifice dental care, schools food, and raises for the military, while your leader sacrificed one of his own MPs to get a seat).

Round three saw questions on waste at the CRA with a telephone contract (Lightbound: I will be happy to brief you on that contract, where we got good value for money; Olszewski: Affordable housing is key to combatting food insecurity, and we are not asking youth to sacrifice), food insecurity (Hajdu: I notice you stopped quoting from the Food Banks Canada report because they support our measures), the prime minister’s investments (MacKinnon: The PM has already exceeded his obligations for filings; Long: Canadians chose a leader with experience over one who doesn’t; the new tariffs from India and trying to blame the prime minister’s travel (Anand: It is important to diversity supply chains, and Pakistan is looking to import more Canadian canola; I raised potash, canola, beef and seafood in my trip to the Indo-Pacific, and there is interest; Chatel: We know China has imposed unfair tariffs, and the prime minister is working on it, but until then we have programmes to assist), executive bonuses (MacKinnon: Tell your leader you don’t want a Christmas election), healthcare as nation-building (Michel: I will always defend healthcare), and arts and culture funding (Guilbeault: We continue to fund the Canada Council for the Arts).

Overall, the day was somewhat odd because I couldn’t find any news stories about the executive bonuses, so I’m not sure what triggered it, but it was the frame by which the Conservatives asked nearly all of their questions, and you can bet that all of those indignant clips will be all over their social media channels by tonight. And the fact that most of the responses are devolving into “Tell your leader not to be a Grinch stealing Christmas and not have a Christmas election” is headache-inducing (not to mention the fact that you’re using Christmas framing and it’s not even Halloween yet. Come on, guys!). Also odd was the fact that they gave Michael Cooper four questions in a row to try and prosecute the absent Carney over his apparent investments in Bermuda, whose only possible tactic was to try and frame this on his socials as Carney being too afraid to answer the question when he’s halfway around the world. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Otherwise, the fact that the Bloc decided to re-litigate the 1995 referendum and give falsehoods about the Clarity Act was also just weird. I get that they want to do something to mark the 30th anniversary, but was this really the best use of your time and effort?

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Peter Fragiskatos for a tailored dark grey three-piece suit with a pale pink shirt, dark pink-toned paisley tie and a white pocket square, and to Christine Normandin for a dark grey suit with a white scoop-necked top. Style citations go out to Anna Roberts for an animal print top with a notched neckline under a bright green jacket and black slacks, and to Xavier Barsalou-Duval for a tan brown suit over a light blue shirt with a black tie. Dishonourable mention goes out to Juanita Nathan for a black suit with a bright yellow top.