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Tuesday, June 3, 2008 · sitting No. 104

Commons advances budget bill amid clashes over economy and foreign affairs

The House spent the largest share of the sitting on third reading of Bill C-50, the Budget Implementation Act, 2008. Parliamentary secretary Ed Komarnicki told members the bill continues debt and tax reduction while keeping Canada secure amid global uncertainty. New Democratic Party MP Peter Julian countered that the government has overseen an erosion of family-sustaining jobs and that Conservative fiscal management claims are far-fetched.

Question period opened with repeated exchanges on foreign affairs. Liberal leader Stéphane Dion asked whether the Prime Minister had received any advance information on the background of Julie Couillard before her relationship with former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier became public. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replied that the government does not conduct investigations into private citizens and that Bernier had offered his resignation over his own actions.

Further exchanges in question period addressed the automotive sector and climate policy. New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton pressed the government on the loss of one thousand jobs at General Motors in Oshawa. Conservative MP Bernard Bigras challenged Environment Minister John Baird over the choice of a 2006 baseline for a proposed cap-and-trade system that Bigras said penalizes Quebec industry.

Decided that day

  • Third Report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration passed
  • Bill S-207 advanced in the second chamber

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 · 2008-06-03

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 32%, opposition 68% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:05Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 8 h 0 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
46Budget debate fills the day, little settledThe House spent most of its time on the Budget Implementation Act and other substantive topics, yet recorded only one committee report passed and one bill advancing a stage. Question Period produced few direct answers while the Speaker issued two calls to order.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

Petitions

Liberal MP Larry Bagnell presented a petition from Quebec calling for action to halt killings and displacements in Darfur. Conservative MP Leon Benoit tabled a petition urging Parliament to recognize unborn children as separate victims when they are injured or killed during offences against their mothers.

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Mining Research Centre

Liberal MP Diane Marleau urged the government to fund an international mining research centre at Laurentian University in Sudbury after the minister responsible for FedNor declined to proceed.

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Points of Order

Liberal MP Ralph Goodale rose on a point of order to correct statements made during question period about repayment deadlines under the Canada Elections Act and sought consent to table the relevant section.

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Statutes Repeal Act

Liberal MP Paul Szabo moved third reading of the private member's bill that would repeal unproclaimed statutes nine years after royal assent unless Parliament acts to preserve them.

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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
    Foreign AffairsStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids the question about prior knowledge of Couillard and pivots to document issues and private-citizen policy.we do not conduct investigations into private citizens.
  2. deflected
    Foreign AffairsStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer again refuses to address prior awareness and instead attacks Liberal claims about security agencies.The Liberal Party invented a story last week about public safety, CSIS and other agencies.
  3. deflected
    Foreign AffairsStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer sidesteps the yes/no demand by restating a general policy on security information and shifting focus to the minister's resignation.I do not seek and I do not get security information on private Canadian citizens.
  4. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.The question assumes prior interference and a whitewash; the answer rebuts the premise but does not engage the Couillard investigation query.the review that was conducted by the Clerk of the Privy Council in the case of the NAFTA documents did turn up some very interesting information
  5. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer corrects the premise and reframes the issue as a document review rather than addressing trust in the investigation.There will not be any investigation into any Couillard affair.
  6. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer dismisses the new revelations as private matters and returns to the documents breach without addressing the security concern.personal relationships are private matters.
  7. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The question accuses the Prime Minister of concealment; the answer ignores the accusation and restates the document-rule breach.ministers must follow the rules concerning documents.
  8. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Serge Ménard (Bloc) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the Bloc's crime-policy record instead of addressing the Prime Minister's alleged knowledge or concealment.the Bloc Québécois, which always resisted any of our tackling violent crime measures, seems suddenly very interested in them today.
  9. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Serge Ménard (Bloc) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts focus to government operations and a review instead of addressing the request for the Prime Minister to appear before the committee.we are not in the rumour business as the other parties are. We are in the business of running this country and managing this country well.
  10. partly answered
    Automotive IndustryJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the GM decision and references an existing strategy and recent meetings with industry.The minister has a strategy. Today, he met with Ford representatives in Oakville, where he and the company announced the creation of new jobs.
  11. partly answered
    Automotive IndustryJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer defends the government's approach by reiterating the strategy in the budget and actions taken.We have a strategy. It was in the budget and the opposition should not have voted against those funds for the auto sector.
  12. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsDenis Coderre (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the questioner's personal associations and dating history rather than addressing the security concerns raised.the hon. member has an extensive summary and biography of somebody's dating history, which is truly impressive, but I can assure the House that the Prime Minister was interested in the very important public policy concern of the security of documents.
  13. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsDenis Coderre (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.The answer responds by referencing the questioner's associations with investigated individuals instead of addressing the security questions.I know that the hon. member has associated with people who have also been investigated and charged by the RCMP in the province of Quebec, and I am not going to get into his dating history here in the House of Commons.
  14. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsBob Rae (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the questioner's record as premier rather than addressing the credibility of the government's claims.what is stretched is the credibility of the member for Toronto Centre , when he engages in righteous indignation over confidential information and disclosures. When he was the NDP premier of Ontario, he had eight cabinet ministers resign.
  15. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsBob Rae (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer criticizes the questioner's past actions and hypocrisy instead of responding to the credibility concerns.Today he speaks a different tune. I guess that is why he said in 1979: I will not engage in the kind of hypocritical criticism which we have heard from the government in exile, the Liberal party.
  16. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids the specific base-year question by shifting to a general forward-looking climate policy stance.We believe that climate change, dangerous climate change, is having a terrible effect on our environment and what that requires us to do is to actually reduce harmful greenhouse gases in the future.
  17. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer diverts to criticizing Liberals instead of addressing rewriting the plan.What we will not do is follow the Liberal Party of Canada.
  18. deflected
    Federal Spending PowerMs. Meili Faille (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer challenges for an example rather than committing to opt-out with compensation.I invite members of the Bloc Québécois to give me one example of this government not keeping a promise to the Province of Quebec and other provinces with respect to their jurisdiction.
  19. misdirected
    Federal Spending PowerMs. Meili Faille (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the Bloc leader's past demands instead of addressing the spending power question.A few weeks ago, the Bloc Québécois leader was in Quebec City to inspect the sprinkler system at the armoury.
  20. partly answered
    The EnvironmentJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the national plan and rejects opt-outs but does not address attacking provinces.Premiers are prepared and are certainly welcome to cut their greenhouse gas emissions in any way, shape or form they like.
  21. deflected
    The EnvironmentJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer rejects the premise and pivots to defending the premier and carbon tax opposition.Yesterday I stood in this place, as I did just five minutes ago, to defend my premier and his vision on how we fight climate change.
  22. deflected
    The EnvironmentMarlene Jennings (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer promotes the Turning the Corner plan and attacks Liberals on taxes rather than addressing provincial plans.The leader of the Liberal Party of Canada wrote in the Edmonton Journal last year, "I promise you I will not bring in a carbon tax".
  23. deflected
    The EnvironmentMarlene Jennings (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends the plan and contrasts with Liberal rhetoric instead of addressing international consensus or provincial action.When the history of our country is written, people will look at two things: the rhetoric of the Liberal Party opposite, which accomplished nothing, and they will look at the real action by those of us on this side of the House, who delivered.
  24. partly answered
    Employment InsuranceMs. Alexa McDonough (NDP) asked Monte Solberg (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses access to EI benefits and training but does not commit to targets or timetables for fixing the system.Almost 80% of women have access to employment insurance and 98% have access to special benefits.
  25. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMs. Alexa McDonough (NDP) asked Monte Solberg (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks opposition parties with a getaway car metaphor instead of addressing EI benefits or discrimination claims.Therefore, if it was the Liberals who were saying "stick 'em up" to hard-pressed workers, it was the Bloc that was standing as the lookout and the NDP that was driving the getaway car.
  26. misdirected
    The EconomyJohn McCallum (Liberal) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). substantive question.The answer rebuts the recession claim with economic data but pivots to attack the opposition's carbon tax proposal.We are certainly not going to impose a massive new punitive tax on Canadians through a carbon tax, advocated by the member for Markham—Unionville and by his party.
  27. partly answered
    The EconomyJohn McCallum (Liberal) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.The answer addresses Ontario tax policy and economic indicators but ignores the call to replace the finance minister.However, if we look at the report on the first quarter, and I suggest my friend opposite read it, wages and salaries are up 6.2%, corporate profits are up 9.9% and business investment is up 2.2%.
  28. answered
    Regional Economic DevelopmentMr. Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly lists specific funding allocations for businesses and jobs in response to the recession query.In our 2008-2011 strategic plan, we have allocated $86 million in order to boost productivity for the next three years, $32 million in order to support innovation and $27 million to support export assistance for small and medium-size businesses.
  29. answered
    Regional Economic DevelopmentMr. Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.The answer provides concrete figures on budget envelopes and jobs created to counter the lack of stimulus claim.Since we came to power in 2006, we have allocated $157 million to support various business projects and that has resulted in 18,000 jobs maintained—or jobs created—since our new tools have been in place.
  30. deflected
    JusticeMr. Réal Ménard (Bloc) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). substantive question.The answer describes a general appointment process without confirming whether bilingualism will be required for the Supreme Court justice.Over the course of the next couple of months, I will be consulting widely with individuals and getting recommendations with respect to the appointment of a Supreme Court justice from Atlantic Canada.
  31. deflected
    Quebec City ArmouryMr. Michel Guimond (Bloc) asked Josée Verner (Conservative). loaded question.The answer dismisses the question by citing experts and mocking the Bloc member's visits rather than stating plans for the armoury.Whether the Bloc Québécois member likes it or not, we will not glean any real information about the stability of the armoury's facade from the leader of the Bloc or his visits to the armoury.
  32. deflected
    JusticeRaymond Simard (Liberal) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends the government's appointment record without disclosing the status or process for the former minister's judicial application.Wherever I go in this country, I always get excellent feedback on the individuals we have appointed to the superior court bench and we fully intend that all the rest of them we make will live up to those standards.
  33. deflected
    Omar KhadrMr. Wayne Marston (NDP) asked Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids addressing when or whether Khadr will be brought home by labeling such questions premature.Many questions regarding whether Canada plans to ask for the release of Omar Khadr are premature and speculative.
  34. deflected
    Omar KhadrMr. Wayne Marston (NDP) asked Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats that questions are premature without engaging the call to petition for Khadr's return.Therefore, any questions regarding Canada's plans to ask for the release of Mr. Khadr are premature and speculative as the legal process is going on.
  35. misdirected
    Canada PostRoy Cullen (Liberal) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts to rural mail delivery instead of addressing community mailbox safety concerns.We have instructed Canada Post to maintain rural mail delivery from coast to coast to coast.
  36. misdirected
    Canada Summer JobsMr. Blair Wilson (Independent) asked Monte Solberg (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the member personally rather than addressing the request to increase summer jobs funding.The problem is not the program. The problem is the member.