NDP MP Paul Dewar facepalms on live TV after hearing non-answer from PM’s spokesperson

Paul Calandra, parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, met with incredulous reaction from NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar on CBC's Power and Politics. Photo: CBC/screenshot

Paul Calandra’s widely-mocked performance in Parliament this week, in which he answered direct questions about Canada’s military involvement in Iraq by reaffirming the government’s support for Israel, has not shaken his confidence.

The Conservative MP and parliamentary secretary to the prime minister was on CBC News Network’s Power & Politics Wednesday to talk more about the mission against ISIS fighters in the Middle East, along with NDP and Liberal foreign affairs critics Paul Dewar and Marc Garneau. When asked by host Evan Solomon whether he had, while answering questions in the House of Commons, a responsibility to “at least make an attempt to answer on the topic you’re asked as opposed to completely changing the topic,” the honourable member’s response elicited a priceless reaction from his NDP counterpart.

“Well I disagree with you that the topic was changed. The question was about foreign affairs,” Calandra said, apparently arguing that since Iraq and Israel are both foreign countries, you can answer a question about one with talking points about the other.

“Be reasonable,” Solomon begged his guest while Garneau said he had to roll his eyes at that non-answer.

Dewar, on the other hand, seemed to crumple in defeat, covering his face as he shook his head in disbelief.

Paul Dewar can’t believe it. (CBC)

On Tuesday NDP leader Tom Mulcair asked the government during question period in the House of Commons for details on Canada’s involvement in the U.S.-led coalition against the militant group ISIS (also known as ISIL and Islamic State) that has taken over parts of Iraq and Syria. Three different times Mulcair’s direct questions about Canada’s mission in Iraq received a complete non-sequitur response from Calandra about how strong an ally Canada is to Israel.

An exasperated Mulcair even questioned House of Commons speaker Andrew Scheer’s neutrality for allowing those answers to count as proper responses. Scheer told the House a day later that “any suggestion that the rules of repetition and relevance apply to question period is wrong” and that Mulcair’s suggestion of bias could be punished.