On Parliament Hill

Earlier this past week, I had the opportunity to question the Liberal Government at the Special Committee on COVID-19.

Here are some of the questions I had for Justin Trudeau – questions the Government House Leader couldn’t handle.

• In 2015, while in opposition, Justin Trudeau said “For Parliament to work best, its members must be free to do what they have been elected to do – represent their communities in Parliament and hold the government to account,” How does the Prime Minister explain to Canadians how we have more openness when he has shut down parliament for months on end?
• If the Prime Minster believes “Parliament works best” when elected officials hold the government to account, why did he work with the NDP to avoid parliamentary accountability?
• If the Prime Minister believes in his 2015 platform that government “should be open by default,” what did the Prime Minister give the NDP to get them to agree to shut down full parliamentary sittings?
• Does the Prime Minister believe that COVID-19 excuses him from regular parliamentary accountability?
• If not, then why did he move to suspend Parliament?
• This Prime Minister doesn’t seem to respect our parliamentary system. That seems to be in line with his stated admiration of China’s basic dictatorship. Speaking of being above the rules, is it true that the Prime Minister has (twice) been found guilty of contravening federal ethics laws?

I also asked if it was true that no other sitting Prime Minister has ever been found guilty of breaking ethics laws.

Well, Mr. Trudeau promised to do things differently, at least he kept that promise.

• During this time of COVID-19, Prime Minister Trudeau said “Go home and STAY home. This is what we all need to be doing and we’re going to make sure it happens.” Did the Prime Minister really say that?
• Did the Prime Minister disregard not only provincial regulations, but his own directives when he crossed provincial boundaries for his weekend trip to the Quebec cottage?
• For months, Prime Minister Trudeau has been telling us to listen to public health experts and not gather in large groups. Canadians have listened. They have not visited their dying loved ones. They haven’t gone to funerals.  The haven’t gone to church. And now Prime Minister Trudeau has decided that he can violate his own directives and attend a mass gathering of over 7000 young people in Ottawa. Can the Prime Minister tell us why, once again, the rules don’t apply to him?

The Minister answered with a convoluted mix of talking points and non-answers.

His responses were indicative of a government that can’t give a straight answer because to do so would incriminate their leader. No wonder they don’t want Parliament to sit. They have no answers for Justin Trudeau’s wanton disregard for the rules.

When will this Prime Minister and his team stop feeling entitled to be above the law?

As long as Parliament’s not sitting, not anytime soon.