Monday, another day in the interminable SNC-Lavalin/Wilson-Raybould Affair, and both Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer were present. Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, and in French, he read a particularly torqued version of Michael Wernick’s testimony last week. Trudeau stood up and rattled off his talking points about standing up for jobs while respecting the independence of the judiciary. Scheer was not impressed, and wanted to know what Trudeau ordered Wernick to tell Wilson-Raybould when he called her up, and go the same answer. Scheer switched to English, and he repeated his first question, but added the descriptors of “sleazy” to the affair, and Trudeau repeated the talking point in English. Scheer insisted that interfering in a criminal case is wrong, and demanded to know why he kept applying pressure. Trudeau picked up a script to say that Scheer didn’t know what he was talking about, and read about the Justice Department’s reasons to grant a deferred prosecution agreements. Scheer decried the sustained pressure to let Trudeau’s “well-connected friends off the hook,” to which Trudeau said that Wilson-Raybould could address the relevant matter at committee while the two cases were ongoing. Murray Rankin was up to lead for the NDP, wondering if the PM would let Wilson-Raybould speak, and Trudeau repeated his answer. Rankin laid out the timeline of events, and Trudeau repeated that it was never his call to make. Ruth Ellen Brosseau read Rankin’s first question over again in French, and Trudeau repeated his assurance that Wilson-Raybould would be able to speak. Brosseau read that the Liberals were just helping their friends, and Trudeau repeated the backgrounder on DPAs.
Category Archives: Question Period
QP: Scheer on repeat
Wednesday, caucus day, and still no real answers as to what actually happened in the SNC-Lavalin/Wilson-Raybould Affair. Andrew Scheer led off in French, asking about today’s Globe and Mail report that Trudeau had a meeting with Jody Wilson-Raybould about the SNC-Lavalin file after the Public Prosecution Service opted not to go for a remediation. Trudeau stood up to talk about standing up for jobs and all good things, but didn’t really answer. In English, Scheer wanted to know who asked for the meeting, but Trudeau deflected, saying there are processes underway, but they stood up for good jobs while respecting judicial independence. Scheer asked again, and this time Trudeau invoked Cabinet confidentiality, but Canadians could rest assured they were acting in the best interests of Canada. Scheer wanted to know if he was aware of the Public Prosecution Service’s decision when he had the meeting, but this time Trudeau reminded him that there are ongoing court cases that he couldn’t answer about. Scheer tried again, and Trudeau noted the thousands of jobs at stake while they were standing up for the independence of the judicial system and the processes that keep the county safe. Guy Caron got up next for the NDP, and in French, he too tried to put SNC-Lavalin lobbying on a timeline regarding that meeting, and Trudeau repeated that they defend jobs while respecting the system, and he read a quote from the Director of Public Prosecutions in order to back up his case. Caron demanded to hear from Wilson-Raybould, and Trudeau re-read the quote that the Attorney General exercises their powers apart from partisan considerations. Charlie Angus reiterated the question, with added melodrama and sanctimony, and Trudeau repeated the same answer and the English version of the quote. Angus wondered if Trudeau would testify before the justice committee, and Trudeau noted their independence, before praising Gerald Butts’ contributions.
QP: On Butts and Wilson-Raybould
The first day back after a week of bombshells and self-inflicted wounds, the House of Commons was buzzing for the show that was about to begin. Andrew Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, and he led off in French about Gerald Butts’ resignation, saying it was about the “bribery and corruption scandal,” and wondered why the resignation was accepted if nothing happened. Trudeau gave praise for Butts, and that his respect for the office was why he resigned. Scheer asked again in English, and Trudeau repeated his same point extemporaneously. Scheer tried again, and this Trudeau praised the institutions of Parliament including the independence of committee members, which resulted in a number of jeers. Scheer insisted that he allow Wilson-Raybould to speak (never mind that she’s the one who won’t speak, not that Trudeau hasn’t said that she can’t), and Trudeau noted the values of judicial independence and respect for the rule of law, and said that he was getting advice on waiving solicitor-client privilege so as to ensure there were no unintended consequences. Scheer changed tacks slightly and wondered how many times Butts met with Wilson-Raybould over SNC-Lavalin, and Trudeau noted that all ministers met on Tuesdays and that his staff was engaged with them. Guy Caron was up next, demanding that solicitor-client privilege be waived, and Trudeau reminded him they were getting advice on that. Caron demanded an independent inquiry — the subject of their Supply Day motion, to which Trudeau said they had confidence in the Ethics Commissioner and that he wouldn’t prejudge the work of the committee, which was the master of its own destiny. Charlie Angus was up next to repeat the question in English with added sanctimony, and Trudeau repeated both points. Angus demanded that he let Wilson-Raybould speak, and Trudeau reiterated that they welcomed any inquiry from the Ethics Commissioner.
QP: Lametti on repeat
Following a morning dominated by a salacious tale in the Globe and Mail, Justin Trudeau was off in the GTA (where he denied the allegations in the story), but Andrew Scheer deigned to show up to get some clips of him asking angry questions about that story. And when the time for oral questions was called, Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, and he read the allegation in French that the government was pressuring the Attorney General over SNC-Lavalin. David Lametti got up and categorically denied any pressure was applied. Scheer asked again in English, and Lametti stood up to say the allegations were false. Scheer said that wasn’t the question, and asked again, and again Lametti repeated the response. Scheer then asked if the criminal prosecution questions came up as part of SNC lobbying, and Lametti said he wasn’t party to those meetings. Scheer read that SNC lobbied the government 14 times, and Lametti repeated that no directions were given to him or his predecessor. Guy Caron was up next, stated that SNC gave illegal donations to the Liberals in 2006, and now wanted help from the government, and Lametti repeated that the allegations were false. Caron tried again, linking this to Jody Wilson-Raybould being “fired,” and Lametti again repeated the allegations were false. Nathan Cullen got up to repeat the question in English with added sanctimony, and Lametti repeated again that he or his predecessor were not subjected to pressure. Cullen tried again, throwing everything he could manage at the topic, but got the same reply.
QP: Treating a gaffe as gospel
For caucus day, Andrew Scheer decided to show up for QP, and he led off in French, and he immediately zeroed in on yesterday’s verbal gaffe about low-income people not paying taxes, and Trudeau launched into a rant about the Conservatives gearing benefits to the wealthy while he was lowering taxes for the Middle Class™, enriching the Canada Child Benefit and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, all of which the Conservatives opposed. After they repeated the exchange in English, Scheer insisted that taxes were lower under the Conservatives, to which Trudeau said they were misleading the House, and that it was a fact they vote against the measures that would help Canadians. Scheer listed off tax credits that the Liberals cancelled, to which Trudeau slowly enunciate that non-refundable tax credits don’t help the low-income people who need the help. Scheer insisted that low-income people would have benefitted from those tax credits, but Trudeau shrugged off the attacks on his family fortune, before he talked about his choice to serve Canadians. Guy Caron was up next for the NDP, and in French, he railed about a pharmacare system that still lets private plans exist, to which Trudeau rattled off his talking points about their advisory council that was concerned with implementation. Caron insisted that a fully public system would provide economies of scale, and this time Trudeau picked up a script to list the “concrete steps” they took to make pharmaceuticals more affordable. Don Davies repeated Caron’s first question in English, and Trudeau repeated his first points in kind. Davies went again, and Trudeau replied with the English version of his script.
QP: A gaffe and a gotcha
A very a sloppy Tuesday in Ottawa, and the prime minister was present for QP; Andrew Scheer was again absent. Alain Rayes led off, and he launched into an attack against Justin Trudeau because he ruled out a single tax return for Quebec. Trudeau stated that they would defend Quebeckers, including the 5000 people working for CRA in the province. Rayes disputed that this was about jobs, but Trudeau did not let up on that point, and asserted that it meant that the Conservatives didn’t understand the issue. Pierre Poilievre led off with the usual attacks against the prime minister’s family fortune, before railing about the deficit, to which Trudeau reminded him that his assets are in a blind trust, and that it was noteworthy that the Conservatives didn’t ask the previous question in English, because it showed that they weren’t afraid to beggar certain provinces. Poilievre repeated “blind trust” and spun it into an attack that he wanted Canadians to blindly trust him while he ran up the deficit. Trudeau noted that the Conservatives were content to give benefits to millionaires while he was focused on the Middle Class™. Poilievre accused him of class warfare, to which Trudeau reminded him that low income families don’t pay taxes, which he quickly corrected to them not benefitting from non-refuneable tax credits when they don’t pay taxes, before he praised the Canada Child Benefit. Guy Caron was up next for the NDP, and demanded a national pharmacare plan, to which Trudeau picked up a script to read about their advisory council coming up with a report on implementation. Caron railed about private insurance and corporate profits, to which Trudeau reminded him that they didn’t have the report, so they were simply engaged in fear-mongering. Don Davies repeated the question in English, to which Trudeau read the English version of his script. Davies repeated the point about private profits, to which Trudeau accused him of grasping at straws.
This is your daily reminder that Quebec can go back to a single tax return like any other province whenever they like. #QP
— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) February 5, 2019
QP: Whacking and managing
Monday on the Hill, and the prime minister was present, but Andrew Scheer was not. Candice Bergen led off, and she demanded to know why Adam Vaughan was not fired from his parliamentary secretary role for his tweet about “whacking” premier Ford. Justin Trudeau said he would get to the question in a minute, but wanted to first pay tribute to the late Auditor General, Michael Ferguson. Bergen said that there would be time for that during ministerial statements, then reiterated the question. Trudeau said that Vaughan had apologised and they were endeavouring to keep debate civil. Bergen tried again, and got the same response. Gérard Deltell was up next to offer his usual questions about the deficit, and Trudeau dutifully recited his memorised talking points about investing in the Middle Class™ over Conservative cuts. Deltell tried again, and Trudeau reminded him they cut taxes. Guy Caron was up next for the NDP, and he demanded to know why oil and gas subsidies were not yet cut, and then railed about the Trans Mountain pipeline, repeating the misreading of the PBO report. Trudeau noted that they were honouring their commitment to cut those subsidies by 2025, and they were balancing the economy and the environment. Caron railed that the government wasn’t doing enough, and Trudeau rattled off the government’s many environmental measures. Murray Rankin took over in English to make the same environmental demand, and Trudeau reiterated his responses in English. Rankin tried again, and Trudeau lectured him that it was irresponsible not to get a proper price for oil while they needed to make investments in renewables.
QP: Lavish lifestyles or austerity
Thursday in the new Chamber, and neither the PM nor Andrew Scheer were present. Plus ça change… That left Candice Bergen to lead off with slams against the prime minister’s alleged lavish lifestyle before demanding to know whey they planned to raise taxes. Bill Morneau got up and noted that the first things they did was lower taxes on the Middle Class™. Bergen retorted that the Conservatives delivered a balanced budget (not really), and that today’s deficits were tomorrow’s higher taxes (not with a declining debt-to-GDP ratio), but Morneau noted that the facts didn’t match her rhetoric and that Canadians didn’t want to return to the “bad old days” of Conservative austerity. Bergen read more vitriol about Trudeau, to which Morneau listed off their tax cuts and Canada Child Benefit plans, and decried the Conservative legacy of debt. Gérard Deltell took over in French, and gave his usual demand to know when the budget would be balanced. Morneau state that their plan was clear to invest, and that the approach was working as witnessed by lowest unemployment in 40 years and people with more money in their pockets. Deltell asked a second time, and Morneau repeated his pabulum. Guy Caron was up next for the NDP, and said that the PBO reported that the government paid too much for the Trans Mountain pipeline. Morneau replied that he had it wrong — that they bought the pipeline because it was good for the economy. Caron wondered why they didn’t invest instead in transitioning to a clean economy, to which Morneau reminded him of the need to get access to international markets, which was why it was necessary to buy the pipeline. Nathan Cullen took over in English to repeat the question with added sanctimony, to which Morneau said that their purchase price of the pipeline was in the middle of the commercial range, which meant it was a good one. Cullen tried again, and got much the same response.
QP: China vs Brexit
Wednesday, and most but not all leaders were present, somewhat unusually. Andrew Scheer led off, mini-lectern on desk, and in French, he read some condemnation that the prime minister didn’t fire John McCallum soon enough Trudeau stood up and said that on China, they were working to freeing the imprisoned Canadians, and then took a shot at Scheer’s lack of foreign policy credibility given his support for Brexit. Scheer switched to English to read his litany of foreign policy sins by this government, and Trudeau reiterated that they were working to safeguard Canadians in China before repeating his shot at Scheer on Brexit. Scheer wondered why it took so long for Trudeau to fire McCallum, but Trudeau wouldn’t let up on Scheer’s Brexiteering. Scheer then switched to the carbon tax and said that the government planned to raise the price to $3/tonne before his benches reminded him that the talking point was $300. Trudeau responded that Scheer still hasn’t delivered his own climate plan, and when Scheer gave falsehoods about industrial exemptions and the apparent planned carbon tax hikes, Trudeau shrugged and noted that their rhetoric was empty if they were resorting to personal attacks, before talking about how people would be better off with carbon rebates. Peter Julian led off for the NDP, and in French, predictably raised the issue of housing, but this time name-dropped the riding of Outremont. Trudeau picked up a script to state that it was too bad if the NDP derided the plans to refit existing housing. Julian switched to English to ask the same, and Trudeau had a script in hand but didn’t actually read from it while he listed the investments being made in housing. Charlie Angus stood up to demand personal action on the housing emergency in Cat Lake, and Trudeau read that they were developing a long-term plan of action with its leadership, and noted they lifted the boil-water advisory in that community already. Angus took a couple of shots at Seamus O’Regan and the prime minister, and Trudeau listed the investments they have made with Indigenous communities.
Trudeau is responding to all of Scheer’s questions by reminding everyone that Scheer is a Brexit cheerleader. #QP
— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) January 30, 2019
QP: Demanding a tax pledge
Another snowy day in Ottawa, and things got back underway in the new Chamber, with numerous statements of remembrance for the Quebec City Mosque shooting two years ago. While Justin Trudeau was present today, Andrew Scheer was not, preferring to tweet instead about Google search results he didn’t like. That left Lisa Raitt to lead off, raising the case of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, and allegations that Scott Brison was withholding personal emails from the courts. Trudeau stood up to read that they were respecting judicial independence and would not comment. Raitt tried again, calling it a “concerning cover-up,” but Trudeau’s response did not change, only he recited the lines from memory. Raitt then moved on to a homily about affordability and wanted assurances that the government wouldn’t raise taxes. Trudeau assured her that they were cutting taxes for the Middle Class™ while they were growing the economy. Alain Rayes took over in French to demand a balanced budget with no tax hikes. Trudeau deployed his lines about growing the economy and helping the Middle Class™. Rayes tried again, and this time Trudeau insisted that they lowered taxes and would not raise them, while the Conservatives preferred tax cuts for the rich, when “trickle down economics doesn’t work.” Peter Julian led off for the NDP, accusing the PM of misleading the House on housing stats. Trudeau delivered some pat lines about their National Housing Strategy that has helped a million Canadians so far. Julian name-dropped the riding of Burnaby to demand new affordable housing, to which Trudeau cautioned him against maligning the refurbishment of existing housing which ensures Canadians have safe and affordable places to live, which is what they were ensuring. Brigitte Sansoucy went into a paean about personal debt and affordable housing, and Trudeau deployed more talking points about the investments they made. Sansoucy then said that he didn’t consider seniors in his response, to which Trudeau deployed his standard talking points about increasing the GIS.