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Tuesday, April 24, 2007 · sitting No. 139

Commons debates Kyoto targets and Montreal carbon exchange on opposition day

The House spent most of the sitting on a Bloc Québécois supply day motion calling on the government to set fixed greenhouse gas reduction targets to meet Kyoto Protocol objectives and establish a carbon exchange in Montreal as soon as possible. Mr. Bernard Bigras moved the motion and defended the choice of Montreal over Toronto on the basis of a 1999 agreement among Canadian exchanges. Mr. Mark Warawa responded for the government that Canadians want real action on climate change and cleaner air.

In Question Period, Michael Ignatieff pressed the Prime Minister on prisoner transfers in Afghanistan after reports that the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission lacked capacity to monitor detainees. Stephen Harper said officials remain in contact with the commission and will address any problems. Bernard Bigras and John Baird clashed over intensity-based targets versus absolute reductions and access to international carbon markets.

Decided that day

  • Message sent to Senate disagreeing with its position
  • House called for fixed greenhouse-gas reduction targets

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 · 2007-04-24

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 36%, opposition 64% of the words spokenGovernment businessGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:50Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 8 h 45 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
67Supply day yields two wins, one lossThe House spent most of its time on Business of Supply and passed two motions while advancing two Senate bills. Question Period produced mostly deflected answers and seven calls to order, leaving a mixed record of argument and modest progress.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

Aboriginal Affairs

Gary Merasty asked the Prime Minister to repudiate past policies that led to high death rates among children at residential schools. Jim Prentice said the government will fully implement the residential school agreement and use the truth and reconciliation commission to examine the cases of children who did not return.

Read the exchange

Highway Infrastructure

Robert Bouchard asked why the government appeared to question funding for reconstruction of Highway 175 in Parc des Laurentides midway through construction. Lawrence Cannon replied that the project is proceeding and the government keeps its promises.

Read the exchange

Zimbabwe

Keith Martin called for the expulsion of Zimbabwe's high commissioner over human rights violations under Robert Mugabe. Peter MacKay said the government continues to work through multilateral channels rather than withdraw from the issue.

Read the exchange

National Blood Donor Week Act

Navdeep Bains moved second reading of Bill S-214 to designate the second week of June as national blood donor week in line with World Health Organization observance. Steven Fletcher expressed government support for the measure to recognize ongoing blood donations.

Read the exchange

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. partly answered
    AfghanistanMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer acknowledges communication and willingness to act on problems but does not address stopping transfers.If there are problems, the government will work with the independent Afghan commission to solve them.
  2. misdirected
    AfghanistanMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer pivots to attacking the Liberal leader's position on Taliban prisoners rather than addressing commission capacity.the suggestion by his leader that we would bring Taliban prisoners to Canada is not the position this government would take.
  3. misdirected
    AfghanistanLucienne Robillard (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the status of prisoners and instead quotes the Liberal deputy leader's past statements.Those are the exact words of the deputy leader of the Liberal Party.
  4. deflected
    AfghanistanMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends the forces and calls the question irresponsible without addressing Geneva Convention compliance.The allegation that the Canadian Forces are shirking their major responsibilities is irresponsible.
  5. partly answered
    AfghanistanMr. Claude Bachand (Bloc) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.The answer reports regular contact and no raised issues but does not confirm personal assurances or access problems.They have not raised any issues of abuse.
  6. answered
    AfghanistanMr. Claude Bachand (Bloc) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly explains the operational plan via existing agreements.we have an agreement with the Afghan government.
  7. deflected
    AfghanistanJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids the question by attributing allegations solely to the Taliban.Allegations to the effect that we are not living up to our responsibilities are only being made by the Taliban.
  8. deflected
    AfghanistanJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer dismisses the premise by calling the claims irresponsible Taliban allegations.To suggest the Canadian Forces would deliberately violate the Geneva convention and to make that suggestion solely based on the allegations of the Taliban is the height of irresponsibility.
  9. partly answered
    AfghanistanDenis Coderre (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses the advisory team's role but not its awareness of prisoner issues.It has explained to the various departments how it gets projects accomplished, how it achieves goals.
  10. deflected
    AfghanistanDenis Coderre (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the resignation demand and media claim by restating commission contact.To date, it has not asked for any assistance.
  11. answered
    AfghanistanKaren Redman (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states the immediate step of contacting Afghan officials for verification.our government has asked a number of officials to contact the various elements of the Afghan government that have to do with detainees to confirm whether there is any truth to the rumours and allegations that are in the media and they will report back to us.
  12. deflected
    AfghanistanKaren Redman (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). loaded question.The answer repeats commission capability without addressing the confidence question or prior errors.both the leaders of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in Kabul and in Kandahar have confirmed that they can do what we have asked them to do.
  13. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer changes subject to criticizing the Bloc and Kyoto instead of addressing Quebec carbon markets.The Bloc Québécois members who supported the protocol are saying that it is acceptable to send public money to Europe and to countries such as Russia and Ukraine, without real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
  14. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks past Liberal and Bloc record instead of addressing intensity versus absolute targets.For 13 long years, the former Liberal government, with the presence of the Bloc Québécois in this House, did absolutely nothing for the environment.
  15. deflected
    The EnvironmentMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer pivots to accusing Bloc of opposing growth and past Liberal failures rather than explaining intensity targets with rising production.The previous government did nothing for 10 years.
  16. misdirected
    The EnvironmentMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer turns to demanding Bloc release its own costs instead of addressing the Quebec-specific cost claim.Will it release its economic costs and the consequences of its actions to the House of Commons?
  17. partly answered
    AfghanistanDiane Marleau (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.Answer gives a brief factual confirmation on the end date but ignores the rest of the question about respecting the vote and misleading Canadians.our military commitment is to the end of February 2009.
  18. partly answered
    AfghanistanDiane Marleau (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.Answer repeats the end-date commitment but does not address the request for a clear plan to end the combat mission.Our military commitment at the moment is to the end of February 2009.
  19. deflected
    AfghanistanUjjal Dosanjh (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.Answer restates support for troops and the February 2009 date without explaining why the government will vote against its own prior motion.We support our troops and we support them in their mission and we will provide whatever they need to accomplish their mission.
  20. answered
    AfghanistanUjjal Dosanjh (Liberal) asked Gordon O'Connor (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly confirms the commitment date while expressing irritation at repeated questions.I do not know how many times I can say that but I will keep saying it as long as they keep asking.
  21. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Answer lists bill components but does not explain why the minister would not bring the rewritten clean air act to the House for adoption.We would like all those things to be the law.
  22. misdirected
    The EnvironmentMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer attacks Liberal policies instead of addressing the NDP bill or the minister's actions.This causes us great concern. We do not support an unlimited licence to pollute. That is the Liberal policy.
  23. deflected
    The EnvironmentJohn Godfrey (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer criticizes the Liberal record rather than addressing the bill vote or Kyoto compliance.the member chairs the committee for a party that did not get the job done over 13 long years.
  24. deflected
    The EnvironmentJohn Godfrey (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids giving a specific Kyoto percentage and restates general positions.What I can tell the member opposite is what is not an option: sitting back and watching harmful greenhouse gas emissions rise.
  25. partly answered
    Aboriginal AffairsMr. Gary Merasty (Liberal) asked Jim Prentice (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses the agreement but does not address the request for an apology.I intend to fully proceed with the implementation of the residential school agreement which was concluded on May 10, 2006.
  26. answered
    Aboriginal AffairsMr. Gary Merasty (Liberal) asked Jim Prentice (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly commits to investigating the disappeared children via the commission.We will get to the bottom of the disappeared children.
  27. deflected
    Highway InfrastructureMr. Robert Bouchard (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer claims forward movement without confirming funding for the specific project.As has been the case these past 15 months, the government promised to get things done, and we keep our promises.
  28. deflected
    Canada Lands CorporationMr. Thierry St-Cyr (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer highlights land transfer instead of providing the requested funding amount and timeline.had the member followed the issue at all, he would have seen that we have actually transferred nearly five million square feet of land
  29. partly answered
    ZimbabweKeith Martin (Liberal) asked Peter MacKay (Conservative). substantive question.The answer condemns Mugabe but does not address expelling the high commissioner.We agree with him. The monstrous behaviour of President Mugabe is one that should be condemned by all
  30. deflected
    Automobile IndustryMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked David Emerson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer ignores the specific questions on industry decline, deficits, and lack of an auto plan, pivoting instead to general trade promotion.
  31. misdirected
    Automobile IndustryMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked David Emerson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer dismisses the question by attacking the asker as partisan and then restates general talking points without addressing consultations or non-tariff barriers.through that smoke and partisan rhetoric I could not quite discern a real question.