By Pepper Parr
December 17th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a hairdy hairy day in Ottawa.
When the Minister of Finance announced her resignation hours before she was to deliver a Financial Update you know the wheel have come off the wagon.
Minister of Finance on the day she released her letter of resignation
The resignation letter had several tough punches that may have been what sealed the fate of the Prime Minister.
With the resignation letter out, the House of Commons still had to meet.
When it was time for the Economic plan to be tabled, that is made available to the members of the House of Commons, Government House Leader Karina Gould had the clerks put a copy on the desks of each member – and at that point all the Liberals walked out and went to a caucus meeting.
Gould had said earlier in the day: “Mr. Speaker, our government looks forward to presenting the fall economic statement later this afternoon. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude for all that the member for University—Rosedale has accomplished for this country and will continue to do for this country. She has played an integral role in the government, first of all, by standing up for Canada in defending NAFTA, by bringing forward universal child care and by the incredible work she has done in defending Ukraine. We are very grateful for all that she has contributed to the government and to Canada.”
Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre stood and asked: Where is the Minister of Finance and followed that up with: “Is there a Minister of Finance?
Dominic Leblanc being sworn in as Minister of Finance
Well, there was – but Dominic Leblanc had yet to be sworn in. The Prime Minister and Leblanc had to hustle over to Rideau and get the Governor General to set up staff to take part in the Swearing In.
Media were clustered outside the Caucus meeting room waiting for embers of the House to come out. Few chose to talk to media.
Meanwhile Caucus met – Members were given an opportunity to speak and when the caucus was over they all left – few took the opportunity to speak to media who were clustered outside the Caucus meeting room.
The MP’s slipped through the cluster of media, lips sealed tight, not even a smile.
Oakville North Burlington member Pam Damoff looked a little grim as she eased her way to the stairway without saying a word.
Parliament will meet today – who knows what will happen. The opportunities for the Opposition to call for a Confidence vote are over.
The House will adjourn in the afternoon and return on January 27th.
Much more on where this could go and what the options are,
Pathetic, given Trump will be sworn in on January 20,2025. If politicians of all striped cared about our country they would be back to work January 2, 2025 not Jan 27. Until we have an election we are a lame duck country. Canada needs a Zelensky type leader not a PM most Canadians want gone. Begging the question are we a state or a country? Countries in crisis dont take time off they roll up their sleeves an go to work.
This is too easy, but someone has to say it. We’ve not had a functional federal government for 9 years, unless you define “functional” as spending like drunk sailors, photo ops and announcements.
Maybe it was a typo and should have read, ” Do we have a dysfunctional federal government” The answer to that question would be, yes.
A Liberal leadership race (a.k.a. Trudeau resignation) would just delay the inevitable and further handicap our US negotiations. It’s long overdue that Justin Trudeau, his sycophantic cabinet and NDP enabler Jagmeet Singh, face the “worse for wear” Canadian electorate. Time is up!
No we do not.