With the PM in Calgary for his big MOU signing with Danielle Smith, and his resource minister along with him for the photos, it was a real question as to who would be answering for this issue in QP today. Pierre Poilievre led off in English, and with a smug grin on his face, asked what year construction would begin on a pipeline to the Pacific. Steve MacKinnon stood up and read a statement about how the economy changed after the “rupture” with the U.S., and that was why this MOU was so great and so important. Poilievre then asked in what decade construction would begin on a pipeline, to which Julie Dabrusin listed the things Alberta agreed to. Poilievre mocked Dabrusin for not answering his question, and then lamented that this was all process to ensure that a pipeline would be built in the year…never. MacKinnon read a list of superlatives about the agreement. Poilievre insisted this was about keeping his own caucus quiet, and hands an unconstitutional veto to David Eby, and MacKinnon lamented that Poilievre wasn’t being a serious leader, because there was a duty to consult with the duly elected premier and the affected First Nations. Poilievre insisted that constitutionally, the premier minister is the only barrier to a pipeline, and he exhorted him to get out of the way. Dabrusin spoke about how great it was that they could move ahead and work cooperatively with Alberta. Poilievre zeroed in on the portion of the agreement regarding an industrial carbon price, lied about what effect it would have, and said that if they were in charge, they would approve the pipeline immediately (because who cares about the Coastal First Nations?) MacKinnon again listed things that were in this agreement and how great they were.
Yves-François Blanchet got up for the Bloc, and lamented that this agreement meant the government was abandoning its climate goals. MacKinnon in turn lamented that the leader of the Bloc only looks to sow division when the agreement was about working together for more clean energy. Blanchet said the document was pretty clear that they want a single Canadian economy that belongs to Calgary, ignoring BC or Quebec or First Nations. Dabrusin insisted that they would need an agreement with BC and the First Nations, and that Alberta has agreed to significant action on carbon pricing and methane emissions. Blanchet needled Dabrusin that it was terrible that she could endorse this document, and accused MacKinnon of saying things that are the “opposite of the truth,” and MacKinnon responded with more praise for what is in the agreement.
Round two, and Pierre Paul-Hus tried once again to ask about a Liberal MP’s involvement in the Quebec Liberal leadership scandal, and got warned by the Speaker. Paul-Hus tried again, and this time MacKinnon got ip to insist that all members follow the Conflict of Interest Code. Harb Gill returned to yesterday’s script about Brookfield conspiracy theories (Zerucelli: If Conservatives cared, they wouldn’t have voted against the budget and the jobs it will create), Jacques Gourde gave a shouter version of the same script in French (Lightbound: You have remarkable histrionic qualities but you make no sense), and Glen Motz read the script yet again (Hajdu: Our announcement is about building the economy).
How dare the prime minister send money overseas to secure investments in our space sector? How very dare he?! #QP
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-11-27T19:35:32.182Z
Patrick Bonin declared that the prime minister’s “green façade” was crumbling (Dabrusin: Alberta is working with us on an industrial carbon price, methane emissions and clean electricity; We got elected to Build Canada Strong™).
Eric Lefebvre read the French version the Brookfield script (Claude Grey: Hooray for our budget), Roman Baber read a script demanding a trade deal (Hajdu: The affected sectors are excited about our support and our Buy Canada policies), Vincent Ho returned to the Brookfield script (Zerucelli: You voted against infrastructure investment in the budget), Matt Strauss repeated the same script (Sidhu: Two-thirds of our economy is tied to trade, and we have been focused on opening new doors and opportunities), and Dean Allison read the same script yet again with some added snark (Long: Canadians decided on a vision of hope and leadership versus slogans and division).
Round three saw questions on the industrial carbon price (MacKinnon: It’s perplexing why you keep talking about a supposed veto but won’t talk about the signature of Danielle Smith; We are taking carbon out of the air and putting it into the ground), the supposed connection between Brookfield and Pathways (MacKinnon: The owners of Pathways are six oil companies), demanding a pipeline (Zerucelli: You voted against the budget; Are you suggesting that the people in your province should have no say about a piece of infrastructure that crosses it, or not getting First Nations onboard?; Do you question the wisdom of your own premier?; Fraser: You didn’t read the whole section of the constitution you keep citing, and the existence of Section 35), the Cowichan Tribes decision in BC and the moral panic over property rights (Alty: Canada disagreed with the ruling and appealed it, and all options are on the table as we get legal clarity while upholding the principles of reconciliation; another story about a criminal non-citizen (Sahota: There are provisions in place if a non-citizen commits a crime and serves a sentence, they are removed), and the tanker ban and Coastal First Nations (Dabrusin: Any project needs the agreement of First Nations; MacKinnon: This is a visionary agreement that sets the course for Western Canada).
Apparently the Conservatives are now against carbon capture, and invented a connection to Brookfield to denounce Pathways. #QP
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-11-27T19:52:40.478Z
They signed the MOU in public with cameras present. It wasn’t signed in “secret,” or “behind closed doors.” #QP
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-11-27T20:09:45.209Z
Overall, it was a bit of a weird day, as Poilievre didn’t lead off in French, or ask any questions in French—but he also knows that there would be no traction for him in Quebec on any clips of these pipeline questions, so he didn’t bother at all. It’s certainly a choice to see that calculation being made out in the open like that. The government largely relied on half-heartedly reading scripts about how great this MOU was going to be, which gave a weird vibe around how they didn’t seem to be putting much effort into defending this, or trying to rub the Conservatives’ faces in it other than pointing out that Danielle Smith signed it. I will also note that amid all of the noise today, that Mandy Gull-Masty was heckling a lot about “What about Section 35?” every time Poilievre or one of his MPs gave a jejune constitutional lesson about the prime minister’s powers, and at one point was incredulously asking “Are you blaming First Nations?” So yeah, it would be great if we got more of that energy from the government in their responses, particularly after the Conservatives put out a press release that essentially promised they would bulldoze past any First Nations’ objections to approve a pipeline (and Sean Fraser was the only minister who actually raised Section 35 in a response).
Otherwise, the government needs to come up with a better response on the moral panic over the Cowichan Tribes decision in BC. Rebecca Alty reading the same statement about appealing decision over and over again is not only ineffective, it looks amateurish, particularly when the Cowichan tribes themselves have stated that private property is not at risk by this decision, and that people need to calm the fuck down. While a minister may not be able to use said language in the Chamber, the sentiment should be expressed rather than just reading the same verbose statement over and over and over.
Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Maggie Chi for a dark brown jacket over a dark black v-necked top and matching slacks, and to John-Paul Danko for a dark blue three-piece suit with a crisp white shirt and a blue paisley tie and pocket square. Style citations go out to Scott Reid for a tan-green jacket signing a red grid pattern over a dark blue shirt, a pale grey waistcoat and blue jeans with no tie, and to Alana Hirtle for a black top with grey and burgundy floral, a matching overshirt of the same, and black slacks. Dishonourable mention goes out to Rebecca Alty for a black collared top with yellow and white florals under a black jacket with black slacks.