Parliament AIIndependent · non-official

All sittings← 2009-06-182009-09-14 →

Friday, June 19, 2009 · sitting No. 79

Liberals propose temporary change to supply-day rules

Liberal MP Ralph Goodale moved a motion to amend section 10 of Standing Order 81 for the balance of 2009, requiring the first allotted day in each supply period to fall no earlier than the ninth sitting day. The motion recognizes the House's constitutional duty to hold the government to account while preserving the government's ability to manage its legislative program. Some members agreed to the motion.

In Question Period, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff pressed the government on the absence of a public plan for medical-isotope supply after production halted again at Chalk River. Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt announced an expert panel to examine alternative production methods. Ignatieff and NDP Leader Jack Layton also challenged Transport Minister John Baird over federal refusal to fund new Toronto streetcars.

Decided that day

  • Bill C-49 passed third reading
  • Bill C-48 passed third reading
  • Supplementary Estimates (A) 2009-10 concurred in
  • Main Estimates 2009-10 concurred in
  • Bill referred to committee of the whole after second reading
  • Motion on House accountability role 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 · 2009-06-19

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 43%, opposition 57% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodRoutine proceedings▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 09:0010:0011:0012:0013:00Last speech 13:40Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 4 h 40 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
65House clears supply bills with little fussMost time went to estimates and supply business, with nine recorded votes all passing and several bills advancing through first or second reading. Question period produced few full answers yet generated almost no points of 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

Business of Supply

Liberal MP Ralph Goodale said the government had denied any problem with eligibility rules before meeting opposition leaders, while Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski accused Goodale of revising history on the four points raised by the official opposition.

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Main Estimates, 2009-10

Liberal MP Keith Martin said the government was not getting authorized funds out the door, citing stalled projects in his riding, while Finance Minister Vic Toews replied that work was proceeding across the country and that the government would not simply shovel money out without proper oversight.

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Medical Isotopes

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff asked why the government still lacked a credible public plan after five weeks without production at Chalk River, and Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt said an expert panel would examine medium- and long-term alternatives.

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Infrastructure

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Ottawa was stiffing Canada's largest city by refusing to support new streetcars that would create thousands of jobs, while Transport Minister John Baird said the stimulus plan required projects to be completed within two years.

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Quebec

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said the Liberal-Conservative coalition had given Quebec nothing on GST harmonization, post-secondary funding or equalization, while Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Christian Paradis said equalization payments had risen 70 per cent since the Conservatives took office.

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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
    Medical IsotopesMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.Announces panel without providing or outlining the requested plan.That is why I am very pleased to announce today that Peter Goodhand, president and CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society; Dr. Tom Mason, director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States; Richard Drouin, former chair of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation; and Dr. Eric Turcotte, head of the Molecular Imaging Centre of Sherbrooke have agreed to serve on our expert review panel.
  2. deflected
    Medical IsotopesMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.Focuses on the panel rather than addressing the future of production or the quote about it being criminal.our expert panel will examine proposals from across the country on alternative methods of producing medical isotopes over the medium term and long term.
  3. misdirected
    Medical IsotopesMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.Instead of answering about the plan, criticizes the opposition's past actions on MAPLE reactors.on the question that the Leader of the Opposition started off with, I would suggest that he turn to the member sitting at his right hand and ask him that question.
  4. deflected
    InfrastructureMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Defends the stimulus plan instead of addressing the specific streetcar project.One of the requirements of that stimulus fund is that we get projects moving quickly and that they conclude within the next two years.
  5. deflected
    InfrastructureMr. Michael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Highlights other supported projects rather than explaining position on this transit project.This government has been very committed to supporting public transit in Canada's largest city.
  6. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). loaded question.Accuses the Bloc of wanting an election instead of addressing the coalition claim.today, they wanted to leave the Hill on a bus with their leader's picture on the side and start off on the election campaign.
  7. deflected
    QuebecMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). loaded question.Defends own record and attacks Bloc instead of addressing the coalition.since we came to power, the Bloc's approach has always been to play the bogeyman.
  8. deflected
    QuebecMr. Pierre Paquette (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). loaded question.Lists government measures without addressing the refusal of proposals or bias claim.We have put measures in place to support the unemployed. We have prolonged employment insurance benefit periods by an additional five weeks.
  9. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Pierre Paquette (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer restates government measures and attacks the opposition instead of addressing the coalition or panel question.With respect to forestry, we have implemented four different measures in the space of a month and a half to support the forestry sector, but of course they are always against everything we do.
  10. answered
    IndustryJack Layton (NDP) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly explains the Nortel decision based on lack of a viable business case.I met with Nortel management last January, and there was no commercial framework for intervention in that case.
  11. deflected
    Public TransitJack Layton (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer shifts to criticizing the NDP's buy-Canadian stance and cites an unrelated mayor instead of addressing the TTC streetcars project.There are 3,700 municipalities in Canada. We have one program for all 3,700.
  12. deflected
    Public TransitJack Layton (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids the current TTC project and pivots to listing past Toronto transit funding while predicting future criticism.We want to ensure that the people of Toronto play an active role in our job creation plan and the economic action plan.
  13. partly answered
    Foreign AffairsDan McTeague (Liberal) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer confirms compliance with the court ruling and consular assistance but adds background on the crime without addressing selective treatment.we have chosen not to appeal the Federal Court ruling. We are complying with the court ruling.
  14. deflected
    Foreign AffairsBob Rae (Liberal) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer rejects the premise of discrimination and restates a case-by-case policy without justifying differences in treatment.I do not accept my hon. colleague's premise. Our government respects the decisions made by sovereign, democratic states.
  15. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsBob Rae (Liberal) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). substantive question.The answer turns to attacking the questioner personally instead of addressing the 2006 decision or positive obligations.What is the hon. member's problem?
  16. partly answered
    Cluster MunitionsMark Eyking (Liberal) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer confirms signing and preparations for ratification but does not commit to being among the first 30 countries.Preparations are under way to seek ratification of this treaty.
  17. answered
    Gasoline PricesMs. Paule Brunelle (Bloc) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). substantive question.The minister states that new rules have already been passed giving the Competition Bureau the necessary tools.That will allow the Competition Bureau to have the tools that it needs to enforce our rules to ensure that there is better competition among the deliverers of gasoline and our gas stations and so forth.
  18. partly answered
    Gasoline PricesMr. Robert Bouchard (Bloc) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). substantive question.Responds by referencing past actions against collusion but does not explain the specific phenomenon of simultaneous price increases.Because of the Competition Bureau's actions in Quebec earlier last year, it found the chisellers, found the people who were colluding, and went after them like a ton of bricks.
  19. deflected
    Death PenaltyMs. Francine Lalonde (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids the question by stating general principles about not interceding in foreign legal matters.An individual who is judged in a democracy that subscribes to the rule of law should not necessarily expect the Canadian government to intercede on his behalf, especially when he has been found guilty of serious or violent crimes.
  20. misdirected
    ImmigrationMr. Thierry St-Cyr (Bloc) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The response focuses on legal obligations without addressing the request for humanitarian intervention.When the Immigration and Refugee Board or the courts find that people are not permitted to be in Canada, that they are not legally here, then we are required to remove them.
  21. partly answered
    Medical IsotopesKeith Martin (Liberal) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.Addresses concerns by noting the panel review and reasons for not using MAPLEs.we have now populated the expert review panel and it is actually going to be taking a look at all the options in order to have a steady, reliable supply of medical isotopes for Canadians in the long-term.
  22. partly answered
    Medical IsotopesKeith Martin (Liberal) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.Clarifies the licensing issues and ongoing actions via expert panel.The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission indicated to AECL that this was not a licensable reactor.
  23. deflected
    Social ProgramsMr. Michael Savage (Liberal) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.Defends the program and points out funding in opposition riding instead of addressing release of info.
  24. deflected
    Social ProgramsMr. Michael Savage (Liberal) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.Praises the program and sarcastically questions if the funded project in Liberal riding is Conservative.Is he saying that is a Conservative riding? It should be.
  25. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids any commitment to a public inquiry and pivots to criticizing the prior Liberal government.It would be just about impossible to answer all the questions pertaining to the previous Liberal government.
  26. partly answered
    National DefenceMr. Jack Harris (NDP) asked Mr. Laurie Hawn (Conservative). substantive question.The response describes current practices but never addresses the call for a public report or greater openness.Canada employs these personnel in a manner consistent with its international legal obligations.
  27. misdirected
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodMs. France Bonsant (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). loaded question.The reply attacks the Bloc Québécois instead of explaining the decision on the 98% standard.the Bloc Québécois has been present in this House for 18 years. During that time, it could have met with food processors in Canada, but it has never held such a meeting—
  28. answered
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodMr. André Bellavance (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly explains the US agreement and the standards applied to American producers.American producers must meet Canadian standards for organic products.
  29. deflected
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Gerry Ritz (Conservative). substantive question.The minister sidesteps the request for immediate changes and tells the member to enjoy his holidays.I would advise the member to go home, begin to enjoy his holidays, sit tight, and we will look after the agricultural sector far better than his government ever did.
  30. misdirected
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Gerry Ritz (Conservative). substantive question.The response opens by attacking the member's representation of his constituents rather than addressing program failures.I guess the first thing I would say is that the constituents of Malpeque could hope for better representation.
  31. partly answered
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Alex Atamanenko (NDP) asked Gerry Ritz (Conservative). substantive question.Existing programs and advances are described, yet no commitment is made to immediate new drought funding or faster processing.We have the staff in place. We have the programs in place. Farmers are well served by the government.
  32. partly answered
    Aboriginal AffairsMs. Niki Ashton (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). substantive question.Meetings and supplies are mentioned, but the specific call for a field hospital and faster medevac is not addressed.Additional staff are there. We have the supplies in the community, and we will continue to provide the services to the residents of those communities.