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If you could ask Stephen Harper one thing, what would it be?

If you could ask Stephen Harper one thing, what would it be?

Earlier this week, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau released a video asking Canadians to send him a question about "middle-class concerns" that he can ask Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Question Period.

That made us wonder ... if you could ask one question of Stephen Harper, what would it be?

Here's what you said:

And here's what we said:

Andy Radia: This is such a gimmick. Anybody who watches Question Period knows that governments do not really answer questions, they deflect them. Nevertheless, I would ask the prime minister about the hot topic of the day: the Senate. My question is as follows: "Mr. Speaker, prior to forming government in 2006, the prime minister railed against the Senate calling it 'a relic of the 19th century' and a place for friends and insiders of Liberal prime ministers. Why did the prime minister change his mind about the senate and decide to appoint 58 of his party staffers, ex-candidates, financial contributors and Tory-friendly media?"

Matthew Coutts: Andy and I are coming at this from the same place, but while he embraced the pomp of Question Period, I am just letting my inner-cynic run free. There are so many questions I’d love to have Harper ignore and, instead, respond to with party rhetoric. But I would also have to go with something timely right now, and ask him if he actually expected Canadians to believe he didn’t know his chief of staff gave Senator Mike Duffy a $90,000 “gift.” It pretty effectively covers my concerns on the prime minister’s honesty, the government’s transparency, the rot that has permeated the Senate and also an apparent Conservative Party willingness to act in its own self-interest and expect no retribution from an electorate they intentionally keep in the dark.

[ Related: Nigel Wright, PM’s top aide, steps down ]

Thomas Bink: Oh, come on. Trudeau was asking people for their “middle-class concerns,” so I think he’s looking for stuff about health care or education, not something salacious like the Senate. I’d ask what he’s doing to keep taxes in check. It’s funny how taxes and government spending is such a critical issue in the States but up here we just smile and pay and focus our complaints on where Mike Duffy calls home. It’s expensive to live these days! Have either of you bought a tank of gas or a litre of milk lately? If eliminating the Senate would result in a tax cut and cheaper milk, I’m all for it. But we all know better than that.

Radia: I don't know if that's a battle Trudeau can win, Tom. I'm no cheerleader for the Tories, but they are the ones that lowered the GST, personal taxes and corporate taxes. They're also proactively pursuing free-trade deals around the world – which means lower tariffs and duties. Nevertheless, I don't think 'middle-class Canadians' want to see their hard-earned tax dollars wasted on the likes of Mike Duffy and his fellow Senate clowns.

Coutts: So Andy’s right, Trudeau’s offer is a gimmick. But we also know that Question Period is pretty much a gimmick designed to make for compelling political television. So what’s a guy to do? Trudeau is going to look at all the suggestions and find the one that says “middle class Canadians are getting screwed by the government.” Nothing says that louder right now than this Senate mess. Of course, having heard Trudeau recite the first few pages of his playbook, the question is going to end up being something about transparency and clean, helpful government. A couple more check marks for a question about Duffy, if you ask me. Or am I overvaluing the public’s frustration with this misspending?

Bink: No question it’s a cheesy gimmick. I still think focusing on Duffy is shooting fish in a barrel at this point and little more than a salacious distraction from the real issues people are dealing with day to day. Sure, let’s talk about how wasteful the Senate is while I’m spending $70 to fill up my gas tank.

Coutts: I see what you are saying, Tom. If Trudeau’s gimmick is about getting middle class Canadians to question Harper, it isn’t going to work if the question is the same old, same old politics. A question about job losses and employment would be likely – a very personal issue with “big picture” repercussions. Plus, it would look bad if Harper dismisses a question like that, so he’ll have to take it seriously.

Bink: Hrmph. As Andy pointed out, it's unlikely he'll take anything in Question Period seriously. And I'm not convinced anyone will take Trudeau's offer of a question seriously, either.

So, what would you ask if you had one question for Stephen Harper? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.