Category Archives: Question Period

Recaps from Question Period in the House of Commons

QP: Not reading the Johnston Report

Posted on by

While the prime minister was elsewhere in the building entertaining the president of Iceland, most of the other leaders were present today, as was the prime minister’s deputy. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and accused the government of using China to help them win two elections, and demanded they fire David Johnston and call a public inquiry. Dominic LeBlanc responded by pointing out that Poilievre refused a briefing in order to make outrageous comments rather than be serious. Poilievre insisted that he refused to be “silenced,” and repeated his demand. Marco Mendicino repeated the point that Poilievre refused briefings for partisan reasons. Poilievre moved onto the Chinese “police stations” in Montreal that got government funds, and were still active. Mendicino carried on with the retorts that Poilievre was closing his own eyes. Poilievre repeated the question in French, and Mendicino gave his same response. Poilievre then said that he can ask question of any member of the government, and tried to ask Jagmeet Singh demand a public inquiry or end his “coalition.” Mark Holland gave a sanctimonious speech about the Conservatives attacking Johnston, who Harper appointed as GG, for the sake of partisan games.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and he called Johnston’s inquiry a farce, and demanded a public inquiry. LeBlanc got back up to tell them that they should let NSICOP do their work rather than casting aspersions prematurely. Therrien repeated his demand for an inquiry, and LeBlanc urged him to speak to his leader and take the briefing on the evidence, along with NSICOP.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and he worried about the failing negotiations with Stellantis over their blackmail. Chrystia Freeland assured him they will ensure the deal goes forward and that the jobs stay in Canada, but also that Ontario pay its fair share. Singh switched to French to worry about rising rents in Montreal. Soraya Martinez Ferrada reminded him that they sent $5 billion to Quebec for housing.

Continue reading →

QP: Misquoting a bad report on fuel standards

Posted on by

The prime minister was in Japan for the G7, and his deputy was off in Brampton. Most of the other leaders were also absent, save the leader of the opposition, and Elizabeth May. Pierre Poilievre led off, and in French, he tried spin the upcoming fuel standard as a second carbon “tax” that will punish Quebeckers. Steven Guilbeault said that Quebeckers believe in climate change while the Conservatives don’t. Poilievre said that the federal government was preventing Quebec from building more green hydro, and demanded they scrap this “tax.” Guilbeault said that this wasn’t true, and that refineries who made record profits need to do their fair share. Poilievre switched to English to insist this was all according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer (it’s not), to which Guilbeault quoted from a separate section of the PBO report where he said that he was not looking at the environmental costs, which were real. Poilievre insisted that those costs would not be reduced with a tax, and repeated his overwrought math. Guilbeault said that emissions went down beyond the pandemic lockdowns. Poilievre then switched to his bullshit concern trolling on safe supply and demanded it be ended in favour of treatment. Carolyn Bennett said that the deaths are from poisoned supply, and the BC coroner has said there is no evidence that safe supply had led to any deaths.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and insisted that the government was hiding Chinese interference and demanded a public inquiry. Dominic LeBlanc said said that it was hard to consider a public CSIS report to be “hiding something,” and that they have taken measures to counter it. Therrien demanded an inquiry immediately, to which LeBlanc said that Johnston would make his recommendations around an inquiry next week.

Gord Johns rose for the NDP, and he railed about McKinsey and Company and tried to tie it to the opioid epidemic. Helena Jaczek said there are open fair and transparent procurement processes, and there is an integrity regime. Jenny Kwan railed about corporate landlords and demanded the federal government do something that as clearly in provincial jurisdiction, to which Ahmed Hussen recited his usual talking points on rental assistance.

Continue reading →

QP: The “sneaky” fuel standard the Conservatives also promised

Posted on by

The prime minister was still in South Korea, but his deputy was once again present for the debate. (It’s been a while since we’ve had three in a row), and all of the other leaders were present as well. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and spouts some nonsense about deficits before insisting that Chrystia Freeland was incompetent for not answering at committee the size of debt payments. Freeland insisted that the person who won’t answer questions is Poilievre and what he plans to cut (which is not her job to ask questions). Following an incident of a shouter in the Gallery bellowing out a manifesto as he was removed, Poilievre tried again in English, and Freeland this time straight up asserted that Poilievre plans to cut. Poilievre said he would cut the carbon price, and worried about a “sneaky” second carbon price known as the fuel standard. Freeland said that she was glad to hear the Conservatives talking about climate, because building a clean economy was where jobs are. Poilievre repeated the question, and Freeland said that he doesn’t understand that the need to plan for the green future, and regaled a meeting with an electrician who was excited about electrification. Poilievre tried to riff that this electrician would have to pay more because of the “taxes” of the government, and demanded again how much this second tax (which is not a tax) would cost. Freeland noted this electrician’s wife is an emergency room nurse who is benefitting from this government’s investments, because of course she is.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and raised an issue around contamination on Indigenous land in Quebec, and Freeland noted that Patty Hajdu responded yesterday that she is working with the local Indigenous leaders. Blanchet said that these people were living in fear, and Freeland agreed it was a serious situation that the government was engaged on.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and worried about skyrocketing rental prices, and Freeland praised the child care investments benefitting the single mother raised in the question. Singh switched to French to worry about rising grocery prices, and demanded the government fight it by taxing excessive profits. Freeland agreed that the wealthiest pay their fair share, which is why they raised their taxes and set up the grocery rebate.

Continue reading →

QP: Inflation and opioids

Posted on by

While the prime minister was away in South Korea, his deputy was present for the second day in a row, as were all other leaders. Pierre Poilievre led off, worrying that the deficit was fuelling inflation, and lo, it ticked up last month which was all this government’s fault. Chrystia Freeland noted that it is still coming down, it was 8 percent, it’s now 4.4 percent, and the Bank of Canada forecast it will be down to three percent by the end of the year. Poilievre continued to rail about inflation, noted increasing rent costs in Montreal, and demanded the deficit be slain. Freeland quoted that some good news economic points. Poilievre switched to English to repeat his first question, and this time, Freeland quoted the core inflation figures that were still falling. Poilievre insisted that the deficit was fuelling inflation (it’s not), and demanded it be defeated. Freeland first took a swipe at Poilievre’s cryptocurrency advice before repeating the core inflation measures. Poilievre insisted that the prime minister said his measure was CPI, which is up, and demanded she slay the deficit in order to bring housing prices down (again, not how this works). Freeland took some more swipes at Poilievre’s inability to understand finances, and repeated the core inflation measures falling.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and yet again railed about the “century initiative,” and its supposed plan to eliminate French and Quebec. Freeland said that they are committed to the Quebec Nation. Blanchet railed that the government couldn’t manage 500,000 new immigrants every year, but Freeland listed the investments in things that are priorities for Quebeckers.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and demanded the housing minister answer how much a single mother would have left if she earned an average salary and paid average rent in Toronto. Freeland patted herself on the back for the government’s measures to help people. Singh tried again for Vancouver, and Freeland repeated more back-patting on measures like childcare.

Continue reading →

QP: Freeland finally takes the budget questions

Posted on by

The prime minister was making a stop in Alberta to survey the wildfire situation before heading off to South Korea, but his deputy was present for a change, as were most of the other leaders. Before things got underway, the Speaker asked MPs to listen during Members’ Statements rather than talking amongst one another so that they don’t inadvertently laugh during sad statements, or anything like that.

Pierre Poilievre led off in English, and tried point to contradictions in things Chrystia Freeland said, and demanded they stop “inflationary” taxes and deficits. (Taxes actually fight inflation). Freeland got up to accuse the Conservatives of talking down the economy, and praised the country’s Aaa credit rating. Poilievre repeated the question in French, and Freeland said it’s important to understand the data, and listed items to show how well Canada is doing among the G7. Poilievre said that the prime minister had fled the country rather than defend the budgets and tried to call out Freeland as well. Freeland noted that she was with G7 finance ministers in Japan, and said that if Conservatives think that they shouldn’t go to these meetings, they should say so. Poilievre returned to English to mock the “important meetings with important people” rather than common people, and accused her again of fuelling inflation. Freeland took exception to the notion that government travel was somehow elitist. Poilievre hammered away at this, to which Freeland reminded him that he lives in Stornaway with a chef and driver and has only lived on taxpayer dollars his entire life.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and railed that the prime minister called by-elections rather than a public inquiry into foreign interference. Marco Mendicino recited the well-worn pabulum about measures they have taken and waiting for David Johnston. Therrien tried again, and this time Dominic LeBlanc says that he shares the concerns about protecting by-elections, and said that they have implemented measures.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and he blamed the government for Stellantis blackmailing them over a battery plant, and Freeland insisted that the government always fights for workers and jobs by things like the New NAFTA, the EV tax credit incentives in the US, and the Volkswagen plant. Singh switched to French to complain about rising rents in Quebec. Ahmed Hussen recited his housing benefit talking points in English.

Continue reading →

QP: More childish passport drama

Posted on by

The prime minister was in town, but meeting the president of Moldova, while his deputy was at G7 meetings in Japan. Most of the other leaders were also present, for what it’s worth. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, decrying the “wokeist” ideology of the prime minster taking photos of Terry Fox and Vimy Ridge out of the passport in lieu of “colouring book” pages and a supposed picture of the prime minster swimming at Herrington Lake (which is not true). Sean Fraser said that people don’t learn history from passport photos, but actual books, and talking to veterans. Poilievre went again in English, voting to “bring home” the old images and what they represent if he forms government. Fraser took a swipe that the Conservatives don’t have a monopoly on heroes like Terry Fox. Poilievre then pretended that the PM was present and too afraid to answer, before decrying a “second carbon tax.” Steven Guilbeault noted that the premier of New Brunswick just adopted the federal system at the urging of one of the Conservative MPs. Poilievre repeated his antics again, and Guilbeault tried to quote from the Conservative platform before he was shouted down, and after the Speaker demanded silence, Guilbeault went on a tear about if Poilievre considers him “woke,” then he provided his own wrong definition. Poilievre turned this around with a stream of bullshit about what he thinks “woke” means, and doesn’t. Karina Gould stood up this time to decry the Conservatives opposing government help to people who need it.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc and yet again decried the “century initiative” and demanded the government not increase immigration levels. Fraser said that the initiative is not a government policy and they are bringing in needed workers while still protecting French. Alain Therrien started screaming about nobody wanting this kind of immigration, and Dominic LeBlanc spoke about seeing all kinds of signs in Quebec about people needing workers and not finding them.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and in French, lamented that the Liberals  were all talk about protecting abortion but not doing anything to increase access (which is provincial jurisdiction). Jenna Sudds stood up to recite that the usual lines about Conservatives attacking abortion rights. Singh repeated the question in English, and this time, Mélanie Joly stood up to give a more vociferous denunciation of Conservatives and insisting that this a government was doing more to protect abortion.

Continue reading →

QP: Pretending to care about history

Posted on by

The prime minister was present today while his deputy was in Japan for G7 meetings. The other leaders were all present for another episode of the clown show. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and joked that the prime minister heard that there were problems with passports, but didn’t realise that it wasn’t the images but that people couldn’t get them, and then lamented that the image of Vimy Ridge was removed. Justin Trudeau said that the Conservatives used veterans as props when they need them while they cut their funding consistently. Poilievre went again in English, and Trudeau ramped up the dramatics for the same answer. Poilievre lamented other images removed, while Trudeau gave a paean about the measures in his budget. Poilievre pivoted to one of Trudeau’s favourite delis in Montreal closing and blaming food prices, before he railed about the carbon price, to which Trudeau recited his lines about fighting carbon change while sending rebates to Canadians. Poilievre blamed the prime minister for food prices increasing, used his “bring home” line, and railed about the carbon price, and Trudeau went on a tear about Poilievre’s social media and his uses of misogynistic hashtags on his YouTube channel, which was a completely bizarre non-sequitur to the question.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and he once again railed about the so-called “century plan,” and the impact on Quebec. Trudeau said that while Quebec controls its own immigration levels, the federal government sets the levels nationally, and they are ensuring economic growth. Blanchet railed that nobody in Quebec wants these levels, to which Trudeau quipped that the levels were released in November, and it took Quebec media until now to create this firestorm.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and raised the number of times pharmaceutical lobbyists met with the government and blamed them for not making changes on PMPRB. Trudeau read a script about the actions they have taken to lower drug prices. Singh read his question again in French, and Trudeau read the French version of his same script.

Continue reading →

QP: Closing those “police stations”

Posted on by

The prime minister was present today, while his deputy was not, and most of the leaders were present, save Pierre Poilievre. In other words, it was the reverse of yesterday’s attendance. Pierre Paul-Hus led off in French, and he noted that those two Chinese “police stations” in the Montreal area were still operating and wanted the government to account for this. Trudeau said that the RCMP were following up on these, before reading a statement in both languages about the situation in Alberta. Paul-Hus needled that the opposition parties all voted for their Supply Day motion yesterday, before returning to the demand to shut down those stations. Trudeau reminded him that police operate independently, before he read a list of actions taken to date. Melissa Lantsman took over in English, and demanded the government bring in a foreign agent registry, to which Trudeau accused her of being disingenuous because she knows that they are consulting on best way to do it. Lantsman raised those “police stations,” and Trudeau read a statement that the RCMP are currently investigating these two alleged stations. She reiterated her points more angrily, and Trudeau noted that in 2015 when they took office, they took actions that the previous government refused to, such as creating NSICOP and the election oversight panels.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and he accused McKinsey of meddling in Canadian affairs because of the “century initiative” and tried to spin a conspiracy theory around it. Trudeau noted that they are protecting French and Quebec already has the power to select its own immigrants. Blanchet railed more about this alleged conspiracy, and Trudeau insisted that they get the uniqueness of Quebec, and reiterate that Quebec sets their own immigration levels.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and he demanded a public inquiry for the sake of diasporic communities who face threats. Trudeau noted the appointment of David Johnston who may yet recommend a public inquiry. Singh repeated the question in French, and got the same response.

Continue reading →

QP: The “courage” to manufacture misleading clips

Posted on by

The prime minister was in town but elsewhere, while his deputy was present for a change. Most of the other leader were also absent, save the Leader of the Opposition. After the Speaker had to read a statement about decorum and calling one another liars, Pierre Poilievre led off, and stated—falsely—that the finance minister had said that the deficit was fuelling inflation, and raised the defeated policy motion at the Liberal convention on the weekend about balancing budgets. Chrystia Freeland said that what the party really said at the convention is that they’re the optimistic party, and the party that believes in Canada. Poilievre accused the prime minister of not having the courage to answer, when he’s not here, and praised the “courageous” Liberals who raised the policy proposal. Freeland said that Liberals were courageous for doing what needed to be done in the pandemic and raised the country’s Aaa credit rating. Poilievre insisted the prime minister stand up and be “courageous” in kicking out that Chinese diplomat who was involved in the Chong threats. Freeland insisted that it was beneath the dignity to say that nobody stands for threats against elected officials. Poilievre tried again, demanding to “bring home” security—because he has to get his new tag line in there—and demanded the diplomat be expelled. Marco Mendicino reminded him that the foreign minister summoned the ambassador last week and let it he know that interference will not be tolerated. Poilievre repeated the question in French, and got the same response from Mendicino.

Claude DeBellefeuille led for the Bloc, and raised the so-called “century initiative” to increase immigration by the end of the century, but didn’t have regard for Quebec or the status of French, and demanded to know if this is government policy. Sean Fraser said that they can bring in immigration and protect French, and noted the increased Francophone immigration last year. DeBellefeuille repeated her concerns, and Fraser said that the government makes policy, not Dominic Barton, before repeating his same points.

Peter Julian rose for the NDP, and demanded to know if any other MPs were being threatened like Michael Chong was. Marco Mendicino said that 49 parliamentarians had been briefed by CSIS. Alexandre Boulerice worried that big corporations want to introduce GMO foods into schools, and that voluntary compliance was not enough. Francis Drouin said that the government has been working with the organic food sector.

Continue reading →

QP: Not one but two MPs being censured

Posted on by

Both the prime minister and his deputy were away—Trudeau hobnobbing at the opening of the Liberal convention—while most of the other leaders were absent as well, and boy did the day start off in a raucous manner.

Michael Chong led off, and demanded the record be corrected that he had not been briefed about threats to him and his family two years ago, as two Liberal MPs had asserted in debate earlier in the day. Mendicino didn’t really correct the record, but praised the CSIS annual report being released. After an outburst from Chris Warkentin and an intervention from the Speaker, Chong said that he was informed from the National Security Advisor that the report about that Chinese diplomat who was involved in the threats against him did circulate to her two years ago in contradiction to what the prime minister said, and Mendicino thanked him for the update, but reiterated that they only found out on Monday, and took action then. Chong demanded to know why the government wasn’t following CSIS’ advice around the Chinese diplomat, and Mendicino recited that the ambassador had been summoned. Luc Berthold took over in French accused the government of spreading disinformation about their members, and Mendicino recited the lines about briefings being offered. Berthold called this disinformation, and repeated Chong’s update about the diplomat, and this time Mélanie Joly said that she empathises, and that they have summoned the Chinese ambassador.

Christine Normandin led for the Bloc, and quoted Richard Fadden’s belief that ministers did get the briefing about Chong, and Mendicino insisted that they only learned about it on Monday. Normandin accused the government of blaming CSIS for their failures, and raised the alleged warning ahead of the 2019 election about Han Dong. Mendicino called on all MPs to stand in solidarity against foreign interference. 

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, raised the fact that the prime minster has been Liberal leader for ten years, and blamed him for the housing crisis. Soraya Martinez Ferrada recited taking points about the their plans to help increase supply. Singh repeated the accusation in French, and got much the same reply.

Continue reading →