Trudeau, O'Toole exchange barbs over hot topics in first question period in months
Facing off for the first question period in five months, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced down a barrage of questions from his opposition counterparts over pressing issues from the ongoing B.C. flooding disaster, Indigenous reconciliation, inflation, and climate change.
In a series of, at times testy, partisan exchanges, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh questioned where the federal government has been, and what it intends to do, to address issues they said have been simmering over the two months between the 2021 federal election and the opening of the 44th Parliament.
“Monthly grocery bills have already gone up hundreds of dollars. The speech from the throne mentioned inflation once, just once. Is the prime minister having trouble understanding the concerns of Canadian families? Or does he just not care?” asked O’Toole.
“Inflation is a challenge that countries around the world are facing right now because of disrupted supply chains, because of the recovery of our economies after COVID, but we are extremely concerned about the rising cost of living brought to people by inflation,” Trudeau responded.
There was a full house for the first post-election question period, with recently re-elected House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota having to remind the hecklers to be mindful of their colleagues wanting to hear the cross-aisle exchanges.
“We are in a climate crisis and we need to act urgently. This climate crisis also presents an opportunity to create good jobs for workers… So why did this prime minister abandon workers, without a plan to create good-paying jobs that help us fight the climate crisis?” asked Singh.
“Mr. Speaker, just a few months ago all parties had an opportunity to put forward their plans to fight climate change and to grow a Canadian economy and I was extremely pleased to see that the support for the Liberal plan… was recognized as the strongest plan for the economy and to fight climate change by all experts,” Trudeau replied.
QUESTIONING PRIORITIES, VACCINATION RULES
In a prequel to question period, Trudeau and O’Toole exchanged attacks, asserting their opponents’ priorities in the new Parliament were out of line with Canadians’ concerns.
In a speech to his caucus Wednesday morning, O’Toole took direct aim at the prime minister, accusing him of not caring about the rising cost of living and leaving out key issues in Tuesday’s speech from the throne.
“Instead of standing up for Canadians, we have a prime minister who always puts his own needs ahead of yours,” O’Toole said.
“Other countries are launching ambitious plans to unleash innovation, lower taxes, and slash red tape to get their economies surging, and we see nothing from Justin Trudeau… It took him two months to get us back to work in Ottawa after his unnecessary pandemic election,” he said.
O’Toole’s caucus-rousing speech came one week after party infighting hit a fever pitch with the removal of Sen. Denise Batters from the Conservative national caucus over publicly challenging his leadership future by initiating a petition calling for an expedited membership vote on whether O’Toole should keep his job.
In it, he vowed his party will be the “professional, ethical, and experienced,” team representing Canadians in this Parliament, harkening back to issues and messaging he’s used in the past to rally the Conservative base.
Responding to the Official Opposition leader’s remarks on his way into a Liberal caucus meeting, Trudeau said that his government is focused on the economy and affordability, as well as reconciliation and climate change, while his opponent is concentrated on challenging the House of Commons’ vaccine mandate.
“The kinds of things Mr. O’Toole should be focused on. Instead, he's focused on getting exemptions for his MPs, that doesn’t make much sense,” Trudeau said, referencing the questions over how many of his MPs may be unvaccinated, but have submitted medical exemptions.
'MPS ARE ESSENTIAL': MP
Inside the door of the Conservative caucus meeting Wednesday was a basket full of rapid testing kits and masks that the party said was there for any MP to access if they wanted to take a test as an additional precaution regardless of vaccination status.
“Our caucus chair did make some rapid tests available, and they are there if caucus members wanted to use them really, if anybody needs needs or wants to have a rapid test, I'm sure they'd be accessible to anybody on the Hill who would like a rapid test,” Deputy Conservative Leader Candice Bergen said during a scrum in West Block.
Still, other parties whose MPs are all fully vaccinated, continue to express their discomfort with the Conservative’s handling of the vaccine mandate and public health guidance.
“Nobody seems to control this caucus, and nobody seems to abide to the rules,” Blanchet told reporters after his caucus meeting, referring to the Conservatives.
“I believe that the Conservatives should be more transparent about what's going on in their caucus and about their vaccination status,” said Singh.
Wednesday afternoon the House will be debating a government motion proposing to re-establish the hybrid sitting structure that would see physical distancing and virtual proceedings return to the House through until June 2022.
“A Conservative MP tested positive, he should be able to contribute. When anyone tests positive, it's a way of making sure that parliamentarians speak for their citizens,” Trudeau told reporters on his way into question period.
As part of this motion, the Liberals are looking to beef up the language around what would qualify as a valid medical exemption under the Board of Internal Economy’s vaccine mandate which the Conservatives have presented a procedural challenge to.
The Conservatives are against both proposals, saying that Canadians elected them to show up, in-person to do their jobs and all MPs should be doing so, as the Conservatives intend to do.
“MPs are essential,” Bergen said.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
8 dead, at least 40 injured as farmworkers' bus overturns in central Florida
A bus carrying farmworkers in central Florida overturned on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring about 40 other passengers, authorities said.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
Local Spotlight
Thieves caught on camera stealing pet chicken from North Vancouver backyard
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Adopted daughter in the Netherlands reunited with sister in Montreal and mother in Colombia, 40 years later
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
'Reimagining Mother's Day': Toronto woman creates Motherless Day event after losing mom
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
Chris Hadfield inspires youth musical in Sudbury
YES Theatre Young Company opened its acclaimed kids’ show, One Small Step, at Sudbury Theatre Centre on Saturday.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Toronto-area dessert shop featured by Keith Lee forced to move after zoning complaint
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.