From the Most Corrupt, Opaque and Bloc(k)-Headed Government Ever Re-Elected

People get the government they vote for and this is it:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday pushed back against a suggestion from the Bloc Québécois leader that he is acting like a king and lacks respect for Parliament amid the coronavirus pandemic.

(Sidebar: now, why would he say a thing like that?)

Earlier on Wednesday morning, BQ Leader Yves-François Blanchet argued reduced House of Commons sittings aren’t required any longer as more restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 are lifted.

“But we see that the Liberals are attempting to make the special rules last as long as they can in order to handle issues like if they were something between a majority government and the rule of a king,” Blanchet told reporters during a press conference.

“While, in fact, it will be basic respect for the needs of Quebec and Canada to have the parliament start working like parliament again.”

Let's pause right here.

Make note of how Blanchet how sees Canada. It is merely an entity to which Quebec is attached and from which it benefits. Why wouldn't he simply say "Canada" as opposed to "... Quebec and Canada ...". It's no wonder that Alberta has lost patience with its biggest welfare recipient.

If Trudeau is a king (perhaps King Louis XVI), then you, Mr. Blanchet, are the court jester, using Canada as a prop for your obscene comedy.


Also:

Singh’s NDP risks being seen as a junior partner to Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party, after striking a pact last month on the resumption of Parliament. Singh had a good hand when he opened negotiations with the Liberals. The Liberal government was keen to avoid the return of Parliament and the inconvenience of having to defend its COVID spending in detail.

In the minority setting, Trudeau needed the support of the New Democrats or the Bloc Québécois to give himself a free hand. Singh obliged, in return for a vague promise to deliver 10 days paid sick leave to workers — a commitment that requires provincial backing. Singh claimed he had “secured two weeks of paid sick leave for every worker in Canada.” But if he has, it is not yet apparent. ...

Jean-Yves Duclos, president of the Treasury Board, said only $6 billion of the $87 billion is new funding, with the bulk having been “discussed, debated and agreed upon by this House,” in previous legislation. Yet, the spending in the COVID-19 Emergency Act did not receive anywhere near the scrutiny it might have done in other circumstances.

So much money is flowing through these supplementary estimates that ministers had trouble answering what it was all for.

“This is a serious amount of money with zero specifics,” said Conservative MP Dan Albas. He was talking about a measure on student work experience but, in truth, it could have been any of the dozens of initiatives.

“You’ll get stronger data at a later date,” said Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough. Presumably she meant long after MPs have approved the measures in front of them.

Or we can get them now because that is what taxpayers are paying for.




It's just money:

The Parliamentary Budget Office yesterday formally cited Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna for “missing” details on thousands of subsidized public works projects. Of more than 52,000 projects claimed, analysts could find addresses and details of only 32,566 that received funding: ‘We’re just looking for proof.’ 

**

The federal debt is a trillion dollars, the Parliamentary Budget Office said yesterday. Unprecedented spending on pandemic relief programs follows twelve years of deficits: “The government’s total liabilities reached $1,514 billion.”

It's just corruption:

Public cynicism is an “ongoing challenge” for federal institutions, Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion said yesterday. The Commissioner noted Canada dropped rank in a global corruption index since the SNC-Lavalin Group scandal: “Safeguarding democratic institutions is a perpetual endeavour.”