Commons debates budget as opposition criticizes tax measures

Other moments

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
   Child CareStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer promotes current spending without explaining the decision to cut the prior plan.this year the government will transfer a record amount to the provinces for early childhood development and early childhood learning and education, as well as additional moneys for the creation of child care spaces.
2. misdirected
   Child CareStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks the Liberal leader's position rather than addressing the request to raise funding to $1 billion.only the current leader of the Liberal Party could think that taking money away from Canadian parents is a good thing for children.
3. deflected
   Child CareStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer shifts to fiscal imbalance and family allowance instead of committing to honour provincial child-care agreements.we have created a new universal family allowance for Canadian families.
4. misdirected
   The BudgetMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.Answer pivots to attacking Liberals on tax havens and income trusts rather than addressing fairness for vulnerable groups.if we want to talk about tax fairness in Canada, we do not need any lessons from the party opposite that has made it clear that it will vote against the income trust legislation.
5. deflected
   The BudgetMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer restates the family-allowance choice without engaging the critique on tax fairness or child-care spaces.the choice of the Liberal Party is clear.
6. partly answered
   The EnvironmentMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Answer acknowledges the regulatory approach but does not address the international credit-exchange mechanism.In October 2006, we revealed to Canadians our intention to regulate industry, not only to reduce greenhouse gases, but also to reduce smog and pollution.
7. deflected
   The EnvironmentMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Answer rejects buying foreign credits and restates domestic goals without engaging the domestic carbon-exchange proposal.Our goal is to reduce greenhouse gases.
8. partly answered
   The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Answer promises future numbers but does not commit to absolute targets over intensity targets.In a few weeks, we will release our numbers, our plan to reduce greenhouse gases and improve air quality in Canada.
9. deflected
   The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids giving any timeline by attacking past governments instead.The member waited 13 long years. Now he has to wait 13 long weeks after my appointment to the portfolio. That is not much to ask.
10. partly answered
    Child CareJack Layton (NDP) asked Monte Solberg (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends current spending but does not address the call for a serious child care program.The government has faith in Canadian parents which is why we have put $2.4 billion a year into the universal child care benefit.
11. partly answered
    Child CareJack Layton (NDP) asked Monte Solberg (Conservative). loaded question.The answer cites one provincial action but does not commit to a national child care program.No sooner had we announced $250 million in the budget for child care spaces, the government of Saskatchewan, an NDP government, announced in its budget it was going to create 500 spaces.
12. deflected
    The BudgetMs. Yasmin Ratansi (Liberal) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.The answer shifts to listing tax credits instead of addressing fairness for income trust losses or low-income tax rates.There is a $2,000 per child tax credit for children under the age of 18.
13. deflected
    The BudgetMs. Yasmin Ratansi (Liberal) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.The answer corrects a technical point about passage of law but does not address the tax rate increase on low earners.The provision that she refers to never passed in this House and never became the law of Canada.
14. deflected
    The EnvironmentJohn Godfrey (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends ethanol incentives but does not explain why vehicles needing unavailable fuel qualify for rebates.We on this side of the House will not leave ethanol behind.
15. misdirected
    The EnvironmentJohn Godfrey (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the Liberals as limousine liberals instead of addressing the E85 pump availability issue.The real issue here is the Liberals do not like Chevy Impalas because they are a bunch of limousine Liberals.
16. partly answered
    TransportationMrs. Carole Lavallée (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states that programs were reviewed and the file remains under examination but gives no commitment.However, we are still examining the file, in cooperation with the company.
17. partly answered
    TransportationMrs. Carole Lavallée (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the funding request but defers any commitment pending further analysis.Nevertheless, we shall see what we can do and what all the parties involved will contribute.
18. deflected
    SecuritiesMs. Paule Brunelle (Bloc) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). substantive question.The response focuses on ongoing discussions and benefits rather than addressing jurisdictional respect.It is a continuing matter of discussion. I look forward to having more discussions with the finance ministers about this in Quebec in June when we meet again.
19. deflected
    SecuritiesMs. Paule Brunelle (Bloc) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). substantive question.The answer promotes the common regulator idea without addressing the existing mechanism's efficiency or jurisdictional concerns.We think we can go further together in terms of a common securities regulator for Canada.
20. answered
    AfghanistanMarlene Jennings (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly counters the claim about the commission's ability to monitor detainees.He personally assured me that he could do the job, and that is he will monitor our detainees in the Afghan system and if he finds any fault, he will report it to us.
21. deflected
    AfghanistanMarlene Jennings (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). loaded question.The response reiterates that investigations will proceed but does not address the allegation of interference.on three or four other occasions I have said specifically that all four investigations, that is, the National Investigation Service, the board of inquiry and the two Military Police Complaints Commission investigations will proceed.
22. misdirected
    Minister of Public SafetyMr. Mark Holland (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the question and instead attacks the opposition on an unrelated scandal.While he is busy finding lost property and returning it to its proper owners, perhaps he could help taxpayers by finding the $40 million the Liberals took in the sponsorship scandal and returning it to its proper owners, the taxpayers of Canada.
23. misdirected
    Minister of Public SafetyMr. Mark Holland (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.The minister responds by accusing the Liberal Party of similar actions instead of addressing the allegations.After all, does everyone know that the leader of the Liberal Party, the member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville , was elected to Parliament only after a Liberal MP, Shirley Maheu, was given an appointment to the Senate so that he had a place to run?
24. partly answered
    The EnvironmentMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer provides information on the provincial process and openness to international involvement without committing to a federal assessment.We will await its hard work. I have a lot of confidence.
25. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Question piles on accusations and demands yes/no order; answer pivots to BC process without addressing federal action.The Government of British Columbia is conducting an environmental assessment on this issue.
26. partly answered
    Citizenship and ImmigrationAndrew Telegdi (Liberal) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.Question accuses minister of misleading on scale and demands review; answer corrects numbers and notes actions taken but ignores full review request.Four hundred and fifty people have come forward and have been identified as having this kind of problem with their citizenship.
27. misdirected
    Citizenship and ImmigrationAndrew Telegdi (Liberal) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.Question repeats accusations of minimization and inaction; answer attacks Liberals' past record instead of addressing current review.it is the party opposite that should be apologizing to Canadians, first, for creating this situation and, second, for doing nothing about it over four mandates, six ministers and three majorities.
28. deflected
    Canadian Wheat BoardWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). loaded question.Question challenges plebiscite integrity and asks about uncounted ballots; answer ignores process flaws and pivots to Liberal record.We have asked them some clear questions in a plebiscite.
29. misdirected
    Canadian Wheat BoardWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). loaded question.Question attacks plebiscite credibility and asks if PM sees it as credible; answer impugns questioner and shifts to past Liberal jailing of farmers.Farmers who want to contact people when the Liberals are in charge have to phone their lawyers because they are in jail for trying to market their own product.
30. partly answered
    Manufacturing SectorMr. Guy André (Bloc) asked Mr. Colin Carrie (Conservative). substantive question.Question asks if 22 recommendations will be implemented promptly; answer notes one budget measure but does not confirm full implementation.the two year writeoff for machinery and equipment, will help boost the cashflow of investment.
31. partly answered
    Fisheries and OceansMr. Raynald Blais (Bloc) asked Loyola Hearn (Conservative). substantive question.Question asks about additional funding for small craft harbours; answer points to upcoming regulatory moves but not budget funding.we will, not through the budget but through the regulatory process and work already under way, be very shortly announcing positive moves that will help his fishermen
32. partly answered
    Government AppointmentsRaymond Simard (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.Question asks PM to confirm OPP investigation of lobbyist; answer addresses only minister's denial of contact, not investigation.the individual in question says he contacted the Minister of the Environment about a possible appointment.
33. deflected
    Financial InstitutionsMs. Judy Wasylycia-Leis (NDP) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.The answer refers the issue to committee hearings without addressing whether the minister will direct banks to scrap fees.I encourage the member to go ahead with the hearings before the House committee.
34. misdirected
    Financial InstitutionsMs. Judy Wasylycia-Leis (NDP) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.The answer pivots to unrelated tax benefits and accuses the NDP of voting against them instead of addressing ATM fees or exclusive contracts.I cannot believe that the member and her NDP colleagues are going to vote against a registered disability savings plan.
35. answered
    Aboriginal AffairsAnita Neville (Liberal) asked Jim Prentice (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states that funding arrangements have been executed and will be in place by year end.The arrangements with the Manitoba Métis Federation have been executed.
36. deflected
    Status of WomenMs. Johanne Deschamps (Bloc) asked Bev Oda (Conservative). loaded question.The answer shifts to redefining support for women rather than addressing changes to eligibility criteria for advocacy groups.Canada's new government understands the difference between supporting not only organizations but real women, women in the communities, women who actually--