As the final sitting week of the spring sitting began, the PM was yet again absent, this time off in Evian, France, for the G7 meeting. Pierre Poilievre was also absent, leaving it up to Rhonda Kirkland to lead off, bafflingly, and she read the tired script about the country supposedly being in recession (we’re not), and the prime minister’s in-flight catering. Steven MacKinnon rose to point out that the Conservatives merely vote against any assistance for Canadians while Mark Carney brings back trade deals. Kirkland recited the scripted line that these were just “illusions,” and MacKinnon says that success looks like Canada creating twice as many jobs per capital than the U.S., high-speed rail, and the MOU with Alberta. John Brassard took over to sanctimoniously to cite the CFIB’s press release this morning on small businesses feeling uncertain, before moving onto the “recession”talking points. Tim Hodgson dismissed this, and listed project that are being built. Brassard tied again, demanding the government scrap their policies over the past six years, and Hodgson said the Conservatives are trying to fight the election from six years ago, and cited Danielle Smith’s optimism (not that it’s worth anything). Luc Berthold took over in French to cite the same reports and talking points, to which Joël Lightbound pointed out that the Conservatives voted against any measure to help Canadians. Berthold tried again, citing more newspaper stories, and Lightbound pointed to the tens of thousands of people in Berthold’s riding benefitting from government programmes.

Christine Normandin led for the Bloc, and she listed the ways in which Carney capitulated to the Americans and abandoned Europe to do it. MacKinnon said that there is another European phenomenon which they should sign onto, being high-speed rail. Normandin listed more sins of Carney’s in betraying Europe, and MacKinnon continued to praise high-speed rail. Martin Champoux took over to give the same condemnation of “abandoning” the EU, particularly around streaming levies and the digital services tax. Lightbound got back up to point out that the Bloc hasn’t spoken about culture with the budget.

Round two, and Rosemarie Falk read a script about the PM’s in-flight catering (Belanger: We stood up for Saskatchewan while you didn’t do anything), Gabriel Hardy read the “recession” script en français (Provost: We delivered the enhanced GST credit last week; Our food strategy will help lower prices), Rachael Thomas read the “recession”/in-flight catering script again (Hajdu: You voted against supports for people in your riding), and Tamara Kronis tried again (McKnight: The PM delivers from those trips).

Oh noes! Not braised beef! #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-06-15T18:37:16.608Z

Marie-Hélène Gaudreau demanded the government end their “obsession” with oil as another wildfire season begins (Dabrusin: We are putting in the work on climate change), and Sébastien Lemire read the same question again (Provost: Climate change is a reality we are not ignoring, and we have a nature strategy).

Anna Roberts worried about the changes for the New Horizons for Seniors programme (Church: We are proud of this programme, and we are increasing the value this year while the changes strengthen the integrity of the programme; We have worked with organisations to ensure these changes are welcomed), Dominique Vien read the same script en français (Gainey: We will ensure the programme reaches out to organisations and these changes are important), as well as access to information changes (Ali: I don’t know what the question was, but I support the Access to Information system and we launched our review last March), and Tamara Jansen tried again (Ali: I have been in consultation with the Information Commissioner).

Condescending applause from the Liberals and sarcastic applause from the Conservatives over the incompetence of the Treasury Board minister. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-06-15T18:50:53.510Z

The Conservatives shouted down notes heckler John-Paul Danko when he tried to ask a backbench suck-up question about digital asbestos. Time to send MPs home. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-06-15T18:53:08.007Z

Round three saw questions on OpenText investing in Ireland and not Canada (Long: Your leader never worked in the economy; Bardeesy: We have promising results with new investment), the “recession”/in-flight catering scripts (Solomon: Hooray the jobs numbers; MacKinnon: You guys referred to defending Canada as a hissy fit; Chartrand: How do you vote against help for people), trolling for support for a bill on cutting taxes on used vehicles (Long: We have cut taxes already; Lightbound: Support our help for people; Blois: Where have you been on affordability measures for seven years?); bail (Fraser: We will make changes to the Criminal Code; Anandasangaree: We are taking action and we expect these bills to pass this week; Sahota: You didn’t support our crime bills), and passing Bill S-2 before summer (Gull-Masty: The bill is undergoing study at committee).

The very masculine Jacob Mantle squeakily wonders why OpenText invested in Ireland and not Canada. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-06-15T18:54:01.183Z

The prices of used cars went up because there were fewer new cars thanks to the semiconductor shortage, not because of “inflationary Liberal policies.” Christ, this is so fucking stupid. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-06-15T19:02:42.108Z

On a bullshit bail question, a Liberal backbencher heckles “Tell Doug Ford that! Jails are full!” #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-06-15T19:08:47.032Z

“Homelessness, addiction and crime have turned our cities into war zones.” Those are provincial issues, bub. #QP

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-06-15T19:13:01.115Z

Overall, the mood is reaching exhaustion, and MPs are getting punchy as they’re ready to go home for the summer. Most of the questions today were beyond stupid—the faux-recession accusations, the nonsense about in-flight catering (oh noes! Braised beef! You know what braising means, right?), and onto the incredibly ridiculous accusations that “inflationary Liberal policies” are why used cars became so much more expensive (as a way to try and harvest clips on their latest private member’s bill). The reality, which no member of the government benches pointed out, was that used cars became more valuable because there were fewer new cars thanks to the semiconductor shortage—simple market economics. Why can’t anyone point this out?

I will also note that I am absolutely livid that the questions on bail are still getting no actual pushback from the government. Apparently nobody wants to defend due process, Charter rights, or to all out provincial governments for continually underfunding their justice systems which is where the actual breakdowns in bail start (to say nothing of police not monitoring compliance, which, again, is a provincial responsibility). No, instead the government gets up to complain that the Conservatives aren’t cooperating enough on their tough-on-crime bills, which are themselves a problem. The government has been abdicating their responsibilities on this file for the sake of theatrical legislation that is unlikely to be constitutional in the long run, because Mark Carney decided he needed to pretend to be “tough on crime” in the face if disingenuous accusations.

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Eric Melillo for a tailored light grey suit with a crisp white shirt and a light pink tie, and to Julie Dzerowicz for a long oatmeal-coloured jacket over an off-white scoop-necked and black skirt. Style citations go out to Rosemarie Falk for a dark teal pleated dress with big florals, and to Garnett Genuis for a powder blue suit over a white shirt and a red tie. Dishonourable mention goes out to Rebecca Alty for a black jacket and slacks over a black, white and yellow collared top.