Article content

OTTAWA — There was an exchange during question period on Wednesday that marked a new low in the House of Commons’ descent into disrepute — and I say that advisedly, having watched this gong show at close quarters over the past 15 years.

Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative finance critic, who you might have imagined would want to talk about a federal budget that was hot off the presses, asked Justin Trudeau about his trip to India and the apparent contradiction of him blaming his own backbencher and the Indian government for the invitation of a convicted terrorist to an official event.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or John Ivison: If Trudeau won’t answer the questions in question period, what’s the bloody point? Back to video

The Prime Minister responded by ignoring the question entirely and trumpeting the benefits of the budget “for the middle class and those working hard to join it.”

The Conservatives urged the Speaker to enforce the relevancy rule, on the basis that Trudeau had also ignored the long-standing custom of the House to at least provide an unsatisfactory non-answer on the same topic as the question.