Parliament In Review: October 24, 2011

Monday, October 24 saw another day dedicated largely to discussion on the Canadian Wheat Board - with the Cons simultaneously declaring that there's nothing to debate and failing to respond to the concerns pointed out repeatedly by the opposition, while a few extra points against the bill found their way into the conversation.

The Big Issue

Perhaps the most noteworthy development in the debate was an observation as to one of the main contrasts between the Wheat Board as it stands and the shell the Cons want to leave to be demolished over the next few years, as Wayne Easter repeatedly questioned why the Cons' legislation would fire all of the directors actually elected by farmers while leaving their own anti-CWB appointees in place - particularly those with a direct stake in destroying the Wheat Board due to their interests in its competitors.

Meanwhile, Pat Martin slammed the complete lack of evidence, planning or competent management in the Cons' determination to trash the Wheat Board as quickly as possible before pointing out plenty of evidence that farmers benefit from the Wheat Board as it stands. Andrew Scheer rejected Wayne Easter's argument that the Cons' legislation violates the privilege of MPs. Yvon Godin repeatedly called for the Cons to keep their promise to allow farmers a vote on the fate of the Wheat Board. Kevin Lamoureux responded to the Cons' "count the seatzzzz!" rhetoric by pointing out how similar arrogance caused the Mulroney PCs to implode in Western Canada. Ryan Cleary noted that Newfoundland is moving toward its own marketing board for fish, while Gerry Byrne raised similar questions about an existing program for freshwater fish. In question period Ralph Goodale asked why the Cons are so eager to see all the most important decisions about Canada's farming industry made by U.S. agribusinesses, while querying whether the Cons would do anything to stop foreign takeovers in the grain industry. And Malcolm Allen pointed out how consistently the rhetoric of "trust the market!" has proven disastrous for ordinary people who end up paying the price for the errors of the corporate sector.

Screen Plays

The other bill discussed at some length was Con MP Patrick Brown's private member's bill to set up a national cancer screening strategy. But while there was little dispute on the substance of the bill, opposition MPs did raise a couple of noteworthy points as to how it fits with the Cons' normal view of health care: Anne Minh-Thu Quach pointed out the need for improvement in the wider health care system rather than the single issue alone, while Hedy Fry noted that the Cons' willingness to take steps toward direct action to combat breast cancer makes it implausible for them to claim they can't do anything about other health issues based on jurisdiction.

In Brief

Nycole Turmel slammed the Cons for bulling ahead with the purchase of F-35s with no regard for whether they'll function in the Arctic. Robert Chisholm again noted the Cons' incompetence in dealing with supposed friends and allies. Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe questioned the Cons' determination to direct the spoils of tax-free savings accounts to the people who need them least. And Jean Crowder questioned the Cons' spin that there's reason to cut Service Canada jobs as unnecessary at a time when EI claims are actually rising.