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Noting the handful of reporters who took Liberal jobs over the past year, Trudeau claimed his staff now call the annual press gallery dinner the “PMO job fair.”

NDP leader Tom Mulcair hinted that he might enter his party’s leadership race the day before its July 3 cut-off, prompting some confused laughter. But his quip about innovation “super clusterducks” — that’s not actually what he said, but you can guess the rhyme referring to a Liberal job plan — brought on roaring laughter.

Green leader Elizabeth May took in stride jokes about her 2015 gallery speech, and gave sober remarks on the importance of the press in a post-truth era.

Bloc leader Martine Ouellet — who is not an MP but still holds a provincial seat in Quebec’s National Assembly — laughed off jokes about being in neither legislature at the same time. She also told the dinner that if the Conservative party elected Andrew Scheer with 50.9 per cent of votes, it might be enough for a separation referendum.

But it was Scheer himself who left the gallery in stitches, from joking about a geriatric Trudeau (who is seven years his senior) to his own “resting pleasant face.” Less than a week since winning the party’s leadership, Scheer noted few of his competitors had shown up, such as social conservatives who were weary of the dancing.

Scheer seemed to cough on his words as he told the gallery he wasn’t under influence from any fringe group: “There’s some suggestion out there that I’m beholden to a certain group within the Conservative family,” he said, clearing his throat. He then pulled out a carton of milk and took a swig, thanking Canada’s dairy farmers.