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Wednesday, October 18, 2006 · sitting No. 64

House concurs in committee reports on aboriginal affairs and finance

The House devoted the largest share of its sitting to routine proceedings on committees. Rob Nicholson designated time for debate on concurrence in the first report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Gary Goodyear presented and secured concurrence in the 16th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs on committee memberships. Jay Hill secured consent to defer a recorded division on concurrence in the third report of the Standing Committee on Finance regarding Bill C-294.

Question period featured repeated exchanges on the Canadian Wheat Board. Bill Graham pressed the Prime Minister on the need for a producer vote and against gag orders. Stephen Harper replied that the government would defend western farmers' rights to market options. Further clashes occurred over gun control and older-worker supports.

Decided that day

  • Bill C-292 read a second time and referred to committee
  • Bill C-24 read a second time and referred to committee
  • Eighth Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage adopted

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

No CPAC Question Period upload is on file for this day. CPAC’s channel goes back to December 2019.

Who held the floor · 2006-10-18

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 39%, opposition 61% of the words spokenQuestion PeriodRoutine proceedingsPrivate members▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 14:0015:0016:0017:0018:00Last speech 19:15Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 5 h 15 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
54Bills creep forward while questions dodgeThe House passed three recorded votes and advanced several bills through introduction or second reading, yet devoted most time to committee business and saw few direct answers in Question Period. With only 38 percent of words on substantive matters and four calls to order, the sitting blended modest progress with procedural routine.AI-rated Score out of 100; the verdict and the answer ratings behind it are a model’s reading. How the AI rates this

AI-rated The sitting score and the rating of each answer come from a language model reading Hansard. How the AI rates this

Other moments

Gun Control

Lucienne Robillard asked the Prime Minister how he would strengthen firearms controls after Dawson College and the Anastasia case. Stockwell Day said the government was consulting provinces to improve effectiveness.

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Older Workers

Gilles Duceppe said the government's $100 million plan offered only retraining with no income support. Stephen Harper defended the plan as fulfilling the budget commitment.

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The Environment

Jack Layton accused the Prime Minister of breaking pollution-reduction promises with intensity-based targets. Stephen Harper said the government's plan would cut pollutants.

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Status of Women

Belinda Stronach asked Bev Oda how it felt to remove equality from the Status of Women mandate. Oda said the government would address unequal opportunity through new programs.

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Canada Labour Code

Sylvie Boucher said Bill C-257 would upset the balance in labour disputes. Bernard Patry argued the bill would guarantee fairness in negotiations.

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Question Period, exchange by exchange

AI-rated Each answer’s rating (answered, partly answered, deflected, answered something else) is a model’s reading of the exchange. How the AI rates this

  1. deflected
    Canadian Wheat BoardBill Graham (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition's history instead of addressing the request for a fair vote.What we in this party are going to do is defend the rights of western Canadian farmers, something which that party has never stood for in its entire history.
  2. deflected
    Canadian Wheat BoardBill Graham (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts to past Liberal actions rather than responding to the specific demands about gag orders and voting rights.years ago the Liberal Party took away from western Canadian farmers the right to market their own wheat.
  3. partly answered
    Canadian Wheat BoardBill Graham (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the government's position on supply management and farmer choices but does not directly address the accusation of attacking farming communities.this government defends the decision of farmers who chose supply management.
  4. partly answered
    Gun ControlLucienne Robillard (Liberal) asked Stockwell Day (Conservative). substantive question.The answer describes a consultation process but provides no concrete plan for controlling firearms as asked.We are now engaged in a consultation process with the Quebec provincial minister and with the ministers from the other provinces to improve the process
  5. partly answered
    Gun ControlLucienne Robillard (Liberal) asked Stockwell Day (Conservative). substantive question.The answer claims to be strengthening gun control and reflecting on comments but avoids committing to respecting Quebec's choice or abandoning weakening measures.We will of course reflect on the comment made by Quebec premier Jean Charest and we will continue to have in place a system that is effective
  6. misdirected
    Older WorkersMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer rejects criticism and attacks the Bloc instead of explaining the lack of income support measures.The problem is that the Bloc Québécois will never be able to do anything about this issue.
  7. misdirected
    Older WorkersMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the Bloc's motives and claims different information rather than addressing the surplus or oil company tax breaks.However, I would like to say that the Bloc Québécois will never be happy with everything this government has done, because we are a government that abides by Canada's constitution, whereas the mission of the Bloc Québécois is to destroy this country.
  8. deflected
    Older WorkersMr. Michel Gauthier (Bloc) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). substantive question.The answer promotes confidence in workers and cites support but sidesteps the budget comparison with oil company benefits.The retirement bell has not yet rung for many older workers in Quebec.
  9. deflected
    Older WorkersMr. Michel Gauthier (Bloc) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). substantive question.Answer criticizes Bloc's motives instead of addressing funding for older workers.Obviously the Bloc Québécois will oppose everything done by this government, which advocates open federalism and believes in respecting jurisdictions, because the goal of the Bloc is Quebec's secession.
  10. deflected
    The EnvironmentJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Answer dismisses the premise without engaging the pollution or oil funding claims.I would urge the hon. member and leader of the NDP to actually wait and see the government's proposals to see that everything he said is completely wrong and without foundation.
  11. deflected
    The EnvironmentJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). rhetorical question.Answer attacks the questioner's credibility rather than addressing the bill's effectiveness.The fact that the leader of the NDP is denouncing this bill before seeing it shows that we cannot have any faith in what he says.
  12. misdirected
    Government ProgramsMr. Jean-Claude D'Amours (Liberal) asked Josée Verner (Conservative). substantive question.Answer pivots to past Liberal cuts instead of defending the minister's remarks on minorities.If the hon. member wants to look to the past, he should explain to the communities why the Liberals cut $100 million from their budgets between 1993 and 1999.
  13. deflected
    Government ProgramsMr. Jean-Claude D'Amours (Liberal) asked Josée Verner (Conservative). substantive question.Answer lists unrelated achievements instead of addressing the court challenges program demands.I have signed education agreements with every province worth more than a billion dollars and agreements for services worth a total of $64 million.
  14. misdirected
    Status of WomenBelinda Stronach (Liberal) asked Bev Oda (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks the asker's personal record instead of addressing equality mandate changes.
  15. misdirected
    Status of WomenBelinda Stronach (Liberal) asked Bev Oda (Conservative). substantive question.Answer shifts to personal attack on the asker rather than reversing the equality decision.Consequently, when we look at her board at Magna, there is no female representation on that board.
  16. deflected
    Older WorkersMs. Christiane Gagnon (Bloc) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). substantive question.Answer questions Bloc's consistency instead of explaining the program's population limit.In fact yesterday the Bloc Québécois member for Sherbrooke said, and I quote: This program gains something for the forestry industry and the textile industry.
  17. deflected
    Older WorkersMs. France Bonsant (Bloc) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). substantive question.Answer explains program criteria but avoids addressing eligibility concerns by attacking the Bloc.We believe in the provinces, unlike the Bloc Québécois.
  18. misdirected
    Older WorkersMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks Bloc's alleged position instead of addressing program adequacy for older workers.the Bloc Québécois is trying to say that people 55 and older can no longer contribute to Canadian society.
  19. partly answered
    Older WorkersMr. Jean-Yves Roy (Bloc) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). substantive question.Answer addresses cooperation with Quebec but does not specify retraining options for forestry workers.We will work together with the province of Quebec and we will respect its priorities.
  20. deflected
    Fisheries and OceansMr. Scott Simms (Liberal) asked Loyola Hearn (Conservative). loaded question.Answer dismisses question as based on NDP releases and claims no cuts without addressing figures.
  21. misdirected
    Fisheries and OceansMr. Scott Simms (Liberal) asked Loyola Hearn (Conservative). rhetorical question.Answer attacks member's committee support and shifts to shrimp supply instead of cuts or policy.The biggest problem we have in Newfoundland is an oversupply of one fish.
  22. deflected
    Fisheries and OceansMr. Todd Russell (Liberal) asked Loyola Hearn (Conservative). loaded question.Answer avoids aboriginal rights question by redirecting to ask about performance with groups.He should ask them what they think of the performance of this minister
  23. deflected
    Fisheries and OceansMr. Todd Russell (Liberal) asked Loyola Hearn (Conservative). loaded question.Answer asserts unified policy but does not clarify stance on race-based fisheries.There is one way to move ahead in this country.
  24. partly answered
    Employment InsuranceMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.Answer acknowledges complexity but does not commit to specific EI changes requested.Any changes that are to be made, we have to make sure that they do not affect some other part of EI in an adverse way.
  25. partly answered
    Employment InsuranceMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.Answer addresses older worker retraining but ignores broader EI access and poverty concerns raised.We recognize the needs of older workers who have been displaced through circumstances beyond their control.
  26. partly answered
    Equalization ProgramMr. Michael Savage (Liberal) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.Answer defends commitment and process but does not address whether the Prime Minister's signature is worthless.We are keeping our commitment with respect to the Atlantic accord.
  27. deflected
    Atlantic Canada EconomyMr. Michael Savage (Liberal) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). rhetorical question.Answer praises Pacific gateway announcement and avoids Atlantic gateway or Conservative MPs' stance.We are also committed to the other initiatives in this country.
  28. misdirected
    InfrastructureKaren Redman (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer shifts to accountability record and Mayor Miller praise instead of addressing infrastructure funding threats.I am working quite well with the Mayor of Toronto, David Miller, who just on Monday said that I was a friend of Toronto.
  29. misdirected
    InfrastructureKaren Redman (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer cites newspaper quotes to counter but does not address breach of confidentiality or funding interference.An Ottawa Citizen headline this morning said that the majority backed me on the light rail delay.
  30. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Yves Lessard (Bloc) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.Answer explains surplus use in general terms but does not justify prioritizing debt over EI reforms for the unemployed.The benefits of that go to help all Canadians, not just those unemployed but to help create new jobs in the country as well.
  31. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Yves Lessard (Bloc) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.Answer highlights low unemployment and new program but does not address independent fund or support for Bloc bills.That is why we announced our new program yesterday to help older workers participate in the workforce
  32. misdirected
    Older workersJean Lapierre (Liberal) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). loaded question.Answer disputes Quebec reaction and pivots to criticizing prior government's priorities instead of defending the program.However, none of these 76 priorities was related to older workers.
  33. deflected
    Status of WomenMrs. Irene Mathyssen (NDP) asked Bev Oda (Conservative). loaded question.The answer lists unrelated government actions instead of addressing the funding mandate change.In nine short months, we are acting on matrimonial property rights for aboriginal women.
  34. answered
    Status of WomenMrs. Irene Mathyssen (NDP) asked Bev Oda (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly rejects the call to resign while asserting the minister's stance.
  35. deflected
    Canadian Wheat BoardWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids the vote question and instead attacks the opposition's electoral record.The last time we did it, like so many times when we have done it, they did not return a single Liberal MP, and they never will.