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Friday, April 23, 2010 · sitting No. 32
Commons debates youth justice bill as Jaffer affair dominates question period
Government orders took the largest share of the sitting as members continued debate on Bill C-4, Sébastien's Law, which amends the Youth Criminal Justice Act to redefine violent and serious offences and alter rules on sentencing, publication and custody. NDP MP Jim Maloway said the party supports sending the bill to committee to strengthen youth-adult separation provisions while addressing drafting concerns. Bloc Québécois MP Serge Ménard questioned why the government has ignored Quebec's lower youth crime rates and successful approach.
Question period focused on the Jaffer affair and Afghan detainee handling. Liberal MP Wayne Easter pressed the government on what materials the Prime Minister's Office sent to the Ethics Commissioner and whether the RCMP is investigating. Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre said allegations from a third party had been referred to the proper authorities and did not involve government business. NDP MP Jean Crowder and others challenged ministers on warnings given to Afghan authorities about detainee visits.
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
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Who held the floor · 2010-04-23
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
Firearms Registry
Bloc Québécois MP Serge Ménard accused the government of hypocrisy in claiming a backbench MP drives the push to scrap the long-gun registry while Conservative MP Vic Toews defended the policy and accused opposition parties of stacking committee witness lists.
Read the exchangePensions
Liberal MP Judy Sgro said the finance minister had dismissed pension reform as resolved or outside federal jurisdiction and called on the government to act for Nortel retirees and others. Conservative MP Ted Menzies said fixes are already in Bill C-9.
Read the exchangeTaxation
Liberal MP John McCallum said low-income seniors had been misled by government advertising into expecting refunds they do not qualify for and demanded an apology. Conservative MP Ted Menzies replied that the measure is a tax credit, not a deduction, and that opponents had voted against it.
Read the exchangeCitizenship and Immigration
Bloc Québécois MP Thierry St-Cyr said only 311 permanent-resident visas had been issued despite promises to fast-track Haitian applications and accused Ottawa of operational failures. Conservative MP Rick Dykstra said the government had expedited all 2,000 cases on file and was working with Quebec.
Read the exchangeThe Environment
NDP MP Paul Dewar asked why Canada would not host a G8 environment ministers' meeting before the June summits. Conservative MP Mark Warawa cited the Copenhagen Accord and noted a 2.1 per cent drop in emissions.
Read the exchangeQuestion 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
- deflectedEthicsWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer avoids confirming RCMP investigation and restates general referral without specifics.
The authorities will reach their own conclusions.
- deflectedEthicsWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer sidesteps the handwritten note and funding proposals by repeating that no funds were given.
Only a Liberal would think that it is a scandal when somebody does not get government funds.
- deflectedEthicsWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer ignores the call to release emails and instead directs the asker to the lobbying commissioner.
If that member across the way has evidence that these rules have been broken, I would encourage him to make those allegations to the independent officer of Parliament known as the lobbying commissioner.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Marcel Proulx (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer repeats the referral claim without addressing the commissioner's statement that no relevant information was sent.
as soon as the Prime Minister received the allegations from the third party, he sent those allegations along to the relevant authorities.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Marcel Proulx (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer evades identifying who wrote the note by restating that no projects received funding.
Only the Liberals would get mad when somebody does not receive government funds.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Pierre Paquette (Bloc) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer avoids tabling meeting lists and points the asker to the lobbying commissioner instead.
If the honourable member has proof that someone broke these rules, he should forward this information to the lobbying commissioner.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Pierre Paquette (Bloc) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer again directs to the commissioner without addressing the public interest in revealing contacts.
If the hon. member has proof that someone broke the rules, he should forward it directly to the lobbying commissioner.
- deflectedEthicsMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer defends the existing law and redirects without engaging on whether the law is flawed.
If the hon. member has any evidence that someone has broken the rules, she should forward that information to the commissioner.
- deflectedEthicsMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer discusses the Lobbying Act instead of addressing the broken promise or Jaffer case.
The Lobbying Act, which the Bloc supported, requires anyone lobbying federal public office holders to register with the lobbying commissioner.
- answeredAfghanistanMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly confirms the letter had no effect and policy was followed.
The provisions of the letter had neither standing nor effect.
- answeredAfghanistanMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Peter MacKay (Conservative). substantive question.Answer gives a clear no and supports it with quotes from officials.
The answer is no, Mr. Speaker.
- deflectedThe EnvironmentMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked Mr. Mark Warawa (Conservative). substantive question.Answer praises government record instead of confirming whether an environment ministers meeting will be held.
Greenhouse gas emissions have gone down 2.1%.
- misdirectedEthicsMrs. Bonnie Crombie (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks Liberals and changes subject rather than promising full disclosure.
Only a Liberal would think it is a scandal that someone did not get money.
- deflectedEthicsMrs. Bonnie Crombie (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer repeats prior facts without addressing request for all details or meetings.
The parliamentary secretary in question did not support or recommend any of these projects and none of the projects received any funding.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Anthony Rota (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.Answer explains the Lobbying Act instead of committing to release the proposals.
It puts the onus on the lobbyists to first register and then report their activities to the Office of the Lobbying Commissioner.
- misdirectedEthicsMr. Anthony Rota (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks the asker on gun registry instead of explaining why contacts were not registered.
I note that the member promised his constituents he would vote against the gun registry.
- misdirectedFirearms RegistryMs. Meili Faille (Bloc) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition's handling of committee witnesses rather than addressing the fundraising or victims question.
Why are they so afraid of the truth? Why are they so afraid of what a chief of police will say?
- misdirectedFirearms RegistryMr. Serge Ménard (Bloc) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer accuses the opposition of hijacking the committee instead of addressing the Prime Minister's role in the policy.
That is a culture of deceit being practised by all three parties on the other side.
- answeredCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Thierry St-Cyr (Bloc) asked Mr. Rick Dykstra (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly explains the actions taken on Haitian family reunification cases.
We said at the very beginning that we would expedite the 2,000 cases that we have on file and that we would make them a priority.
- partly answeredCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Thierry St-Cyr (Bloc) asked Mr. Rick Dykstra (Conservative). substantive question.The answer lists specific measures but rejects the premise without fully addressing operational delays or Quebec's concerns.
I totally reject the premise of the question because it actually is not the case.
- deflectedPensionsJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition's sincerity on seniors instead of addressing pension reform actions.
the only deceit here this morning comes from the opposition when it even suggests that it cares about seniors.
- deflectedPensionsJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). loaded question.The answer blames the prior Liberal government and claims budget fixes without engaging the current reform question.
if we are covering tracks, it is tracks left by the Liberal government, where it did nothing.
- deflectedTaxationJohn McCallum (Liberal) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). loaded question.The answer criticizes the opposition's vote against the program instead of addressing eligibility or advertising issues.
It is pretty incredible when they vote against something and then come back and say we should extend it.
- misdirectedTaxationJohn McCallum (Liberal) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). loaded question.The answer redirects to a financial literacy task force and insults the member's understanding rather than addressing the seniors' tax credit complaint.
I would suggest the hon. member sign up, because he obviously does not understand the principle of a tax credit.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Pat Martin (NDP) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer redirects to authorities without addressing why action occurred only after media exposure.
when the Prime Minister received the allegations from a third party, he referred them to the relevant authorities.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Pat Martin (NDP) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer sarcastically praises the question then pivots to the lobbying commissioner instead of addressing ministerial obligations.
I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his carefully reasoned and thoughtful question.
- answeredAfghanistanMr. Jean Dorion (Bloc) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly rejects the premise and affirms confidence in the existing MPCC process.
No, Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has got it completely wrong.
- misdirectedDemocratic Republic of the CongoMr. Jean Dorion (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses a command position instead of addressing the peacekeeper withdrawal request.
I answered a similar question from another colleague earlier this week.
- answeredFisheriesGerry Byrne (Liberal) asked Mr. Randy Kamp (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the consultation process and precautionary approach used for quota decisions.
These decisions are reached after considerable consultation with industry and science.
- partly answeredFisheriesGerry Byrne (Liberal) asked Mr. Randy Kamp (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states there is no assistance plan but notes flexibility and a committee review.
At this point there is no plan to provide some financial assistance, but we do allow some flexibility in the rules
- partly answeredVeterans AffairsMs. Irene Mathyssen (NDP) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains current bed reductions due to veteran numbers but does not address changing the mandate.
However, since our veterans are dwindling in number because of their advanced age, some beds are no longer occupied.
- misdirectedBrewing IndustryMr. David Christopherson (NDP) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). loaded question.The answer pivots to a recent job announcement instead of addressing government action on the brewery closure.
I was in Hamilton just three weeks ago announcing a project that our department is helping to finance that will grow 200 new jobs for Hamiltonians.
- partly answeredCitizenship and ImmigrationMark Eyking (Liberal) asked Mr. Rick Dykstra (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the general visa assessment process but provides no specific reason for the denial in this case.
These applications are assessed on a case by case basis.
- deflectedTransportationMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked Rob Merrifield (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses general infrastructure success and defers the specific request without addressing the funding disparity raised.
We will take the member's specific request under advisement and will get back to him in due course.
- deflectedNuclear Non-ProliferationMr. Bill Siksay (NDP) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). substantive question.The answer highlights other nuclear summits and reviews but does not address support for or leadership on a nuclear weapons convention.
Canada indeed has played a leadership role.
- deflectedInternational AidJohn McKay (Liberal) asked Jim Abbott (Conservative). substantive question.The answer restates the funding criteria and criticizes the repeated question rather than addressing the request for a meeting.
I am surprised that the member keeps on asking the same question.