The PM was in the building, but was entertaining the King and Queen of Sweden, so he was not present for QP today. Pierre Poilievre was, however, and he led off in French, declaring that Canadians needed an “affordable budget,” but that the prime minster was “creating more inflation,” and cited the PBO on the size of the deficit—ignoring that that’s not what is driving inflation, and it’s really not what is causing food price inflation. Poilievre demanded the government account for the extra $5000 in inflation the budget would create (huh?), and François-Philippe Champagne said he was glad that Poilievre read the summary of the budget, but listed the things that they voted against. Poilievre rhetorically asked what Canadians were getting for the prime minister’s travel, listing places where tariffs had increased. Champagne retorted that Canadians were wondering how the Canadians dared to vote against Canada. Poilievre switched to English, repeated his lines about the size of the deficit and what the PBO said, and again wondered how single moms and seniors can pay another five grand in inflation (which, again, is not how inflation works). Champagne deployed his “take no lessons” line, and listed the things the Conservatives voted against. Poilievre mocked that he didn’t think anyone could cram that many slogans into an answer, and this was coming from him, before he listed the drop in housing starts. Gregor Robertson said that he was ignoring the year-to-date figures, which said that housing starts were up five percent (which is also pretty selective as the biggest markets are down). Poilievre then retired to the question about the trips Carney took and the tariffs that increased from those counties as a result. Maninder Sidhu got up to praise the good news of Germany buying a billion dollars in military equipment from Canada. Poilievre broke the prop rules to show a blank list of tariffs that were reduced, and Sidhu read a script about Poilievre referring to non-oil exports as “pixie dust.”
Christine Normandin rose for the Bloc, and worried about TVA and the layoffs they are facing, demanding federal actions. Steven Guilbeault said it was incomprehensible that the Bloc would raise this while they voted against the budget and the historic investments in culture therein. Normandin tried to play this as Ottawa not caring about their television, and Guilbeault again listed the cultural investments the Bloc voted against. Martin Champoux took over to say there was nothing for private broadcasters in the budget, and again demanded federal action. Steven MacKinnon gave a similar response about the investments in Quebec that the Bloc voted against.
Round two, and Jasraj Hallan read a script about the “credit card spending” the the PBO (Long: You should got to your lobby and reboot ChatCPC because it just spits out the same taking points; Your leader quotes the “Food Professor” so much you think he was his personal chef), John Brassard accused the government of cooking the books and accused the government of trying fire the PBO (Hajdu: Here is a quote from a parent; MacKinnon: There is a well a new PBO), Dominique Vien read the French version of the “credit card”/PBO script (Lightbound: We have the best fiscal position in the G7; This moment calls for ambition and serious work), and Billy Morim read the same script again in English (Long: The same line about the G7).
Hallan says that Wayne Long is trying to be a comedian, as if his own shtick isn’t a poor attempt at being an insult comic. #QP
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-11-18T19:33:02.415Z
Mario Simard raised forestry layoffs (Champagne: We have supports for and industry, but you voted against the budget), and Sébastien Lemire asked the same again (Champagne: Same answer).
Rob Moore returned to the same “credit card”/PBO script (Long: I believe in the budget we passed last night; MacKinnon: You were here for the river of Harper red ink, and you voted against the budget), Bernard Généroux read the French version of the same script (Gainey: Hooray for the good things in the budget), John Williamson read the same again (LeBlanc: You cut during the Harper years and voted against our investment budget), and Cathay Wagantall read the same yet again (McLean: Here are all the things you voted against).
I am so tired of hearing the same script being read out over and over and over again. #QP
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-11-18T19:46:59.023Z
Round three saw questions on the “hidden” taxes on food (MacDonald: Here are the agricultural wins in the budget; The Climate Institute’s latest report shows the industrial carbon price has no impact on food prices; Belanger: Saskatchewan is watching you vote against the budget; What would you cut in the budget from Saskatchewan?; Dabrusin: The industrial carbon price doesn’t apply in Quebec; There is no plastic packaging tax; Lightbound: You voted against help for the vulnerable; Hodgson: We are spending less to invest more; That agency is independent and they do good work), extortion (Sahota: Extortion with a firearms carries a maximum penalty of life, but you should give the police lawful access tools; Fraser: You should actually read the bills on the Order Paper), the fact that there is no new funding for pharmacare in the budget (Michel: We will protect pharmacare and dental care, and I am having conversations with all provinces), and search and rescue capabilities in the North (Chartrand: We have new Arctic infrastructure funding that are critical for search and rescue).
It’s quite something to watch Ruby Sahota morph into Vic Toews before our very eyes. #LawfulAccess #QP
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-11-18T20:02:49.171Z
Overall, it was another day where the repetition was worse than ever. They weren’t even changing up their scripts a little bit—they were the same script over, and over, and over, and over again. And of course, the Liberals can’t help themselves but to go through the rotation of ministers to read good news talking points instead of actually responding, or calling bullshit on the Conservatives’ claims, or any of it. They could especially have talked about the actual drivers of food price inflation, which have nothing to do with government spending, but of course they won’t. And so the lies fester, and people believe them, and blame the government, and the government can’t figure out why. It’s just so stupid.
Meanwhile, the Liberals are now trying to use the questions on extortion as the new reason to try and bully the Conservatives into supporting Lawful Access—you know, which has twice been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada, and which the Liberals spent over a decade fighting against until five months ago. I have to say, it’s quite something to watch Ruby Sahota morphing into Vic Toews in the way she’s trying to justify passing Lawful Access laws.
Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to John Williamson for a navy pinstriped suit with a crisp white shirt and a dark purple tie, and to Sandra Cobena for a plum suit over a white top. Style citations go out to Carol Anstey for a dusky rose suit over an off-white top, and to Gabriel Hardy for a light brown suit over a dark brown shirt and tie. Dishonourable mention goes out to Anna Roberts for a dark mustard jacket over a black too and slacks, and to Rebecca Alty for a light mustard jacket over a white v-necked top and black slacks; and to Buckley Belanger or a black jacket, white shirt, grey slacks, and a yellow striped tie.