Question Period & the Democratic Process

I thought Question Period was an opportunity for the opposition to ask questions and get answers about issues that are of concern to Canadians. But when the "new" government still hasn't realized it's actually "the " government and not the opposition, question period becomes the theatre of the absurd.

Today Mr. H., in answer to a question about the treatment of detainees in Afghanistan, said that the cons wouldn't bring the Taliban prisoners to Canada to ensure their proper treatment because Canadian troops are in Afghanistan to "keep the Taliban out of Canada". Last I checked the Taliban have no interest whatsoever in Canada and I thought our mission was to help the people of Afghanistan not ourselves. Perhaps the PM was confusing the Al Qaeda with the Taliban. All those bad guys are the same to him I guess. Or maybe he just says whatever stupid thing pops into his communications guru's head.

Then Helena G. accused a member of the Bloc of "taking the word of Taliban detainees as gospel truth" as if somehow the Bloc member had a hotline to the devil. Again, last I checked, the Taliban were part of the human race and protected by the rule of law (innocent until proven guilty) and the Geneva Convention.

Then to wrap up the farce, when Layton asked a question on another issue - an agreement between the Americans and the US about detainees in the Gulf - the PM had this to say: "I'm not sure I have anything more to add to this subject at the moment" and went on to quote Buzz Hargrove about the so-called green plan. Did he even listen to the question, does he not know the answer or, like every day in question period, does he just not care to answer as a PM who is supposed to respect his office and the people he serves?