My question is for the government leader. Leader, in his well-known book The Peter Principle, Laurence J. Peter observed that in bureaucracies, individuals are often promoted to their level of incompetence. They perform well at one level, only to be elevated into roles they can no longer manage effectively.

In recent weeks, several of Prime Minister Carney’s cabinet ministers have made remarks that raise serious doubts about their grasp of their responsibilities. Whether it’s the public safety minister’s confusion over firearms regulation and need to recuse himself from discussions on two terrorist groups, the housing minister downplaying the need for lower home prices or the culture minister contradicting the Prime Minister on pipelines, these instances point to a troubling misalignment or lack of understanding at the highest level of government.

Senator Gold, is the Prime Minister confident that his ministers possess the competence required for the positions they hold, or are we witnessing the “Peter Principle” in action?

Senator Gold, Canadians deserve ministers who are aligned with the government’s directions and capable of delivering on their mandates. Of course, we’re all hopeful that Prime Minister Carney is able to succeed with respect to the targets that he has set.

However, when ministers consistently make statements that mislead the public or contradict the Prime Minister on government policy, public confidence, of course, becomes eroded.

Would you not agree that cabinet ministers should understand their portfolios and speak in harmony with the Prime Minister, or is that too much to ask of these ministers?