The QP Clip: Nathan Cullen and Scott Reid correct each other

Nathan Cullen and Scott Reid got a little silly after Question Period. An exchange between the pair did not two statesmen make, but it was at least mildly entertaining after a typically acrimonious 45 minutes in the Commons.

Earlier, Cullen thought he might embarrass the Tory MP. Reid, an MP from eastern Ontario, sits on the board of directors of Giant Tiger, a popular chain of discount stores founded by his father, Gordon. The company’s CEO, Andy Gross, has called on the government to withdraw its proposed trademark reform, which Gross claims will “prejudice small and medium businesses that have not yet had the chance to devote valuable startup resources to trademark protection.”

A tricky situation for Reid, to be sure, since he’ll likely vote for the reform that’s attached to the government’s broader omnibus budget legislation. Cullen, however, flubbed the question. He referred to Reid as the MP for Lanark-Carleton. Reid is the MP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington. Cullen also stumbled on Giant Tiger’s name, calling it Giant Target before correcting himself.

After QP, Reid called Cullen out, and quipped that the “Giant Target” trademark is still available.

Unfortunately, Reid referred to Cullen in his former position as NDP House Leader—a miscue that might have been deliberate, given the circumstance. Either way, Cullen corrected the record and offered the pay stub to prove his current role. That was a self-deprecating jab acknowledging the pay cut Cullen absorbed when he shifted gigs on the NDP front bench. Speaker Andrew Scheer appeared bemused.

Sure, Cullen and Reid’s mini-duel will end up as nothing but an historical footnote, but at least we were kind of entertained, right?