All sittings← 2010-09-302010-10-04 →
Friday, October 1, 2010 · sitting No. 75
Natural resources minister refers access meddling to information commissioner
The House spent the largest share of the day on oral questions concerning ministerial responsibility. Liberal MP Marcel Proulx pressed Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis over an assistant's resignation after meddling in access to information requests and asked whether the minister would accept accountability for the actions of his staff. Paradis replied that he had accepted the resignation and referred the matter to the Information Commissioner through the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.
Bloc Québécois MP Pierre Paquette questioned whether ministerial responsibility applies only when it shields ministers from scrutiny. Paradis said the referral to the commissioner had been confirmed that morning.
Question period also featured repeated exchanges on government spending and the economy, with Liberal MPs Geoff Regan and Robert Oliphant accusing the government of waste and record borrowing while Conservative ministers John Baird and Ted Menzies defended job creation and fiscal management.
Decided that day
- Four private members' bills introduced
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 · 2010-10-01
62Bills Tabled, Answers Mostly SidesteppedThe sitting saw four bills introduced and nearly seven-tenths of debate time devoted to substantive topics. Question Period produced only three direct answers amid widespread deflection and three Speaker interventions.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
Federal Sustainable Development Act
Liberal MP Joyce Murray spoke in support of Bill S-210 to involve both houses of Parliament in reports by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development.
Read the exchangeG8 and G20 Summits
Liberal MP Siobhan Coady challenged the government over millions spent on a fake lake and other summit items, and Conservative MP Vic Toews said the government would await the Auditor General's review.
Read the exchangeCensus
Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay asked why the government would not reinstate the long-form census after Ontario and Quebec called the change a mistake, and Conservative MP Mike Lake defended making the form voluntary.
Read the exchangeSeniors
NDP MP Jack Layton asked when the government would index old age security and guaranteed income supplement payments to inflation, and Conservative MP John Baird said the payments are already indexed four times a year.
Read the exchangeQuebec City Arena
Bloc Québécois MP Diane Bourgeois pressed for federal funding of up to 45 per cent for a new arena, and Conservative MP Christian Paradis said the private sector must contribute and the government must treat all regions fairly.
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
- deflectedGovernment SpendingGeoff Regan (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer ignores listed spending examples and pivots to unrelated job numbers.
The Canadian economy has created some 430,000 net new jobs.
- deflectedGovernment SpendingGeoff Regan (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer avoids debt and spending questions by praising OECD views and repeating job focus.
we are running the most fiscally responsible government in the western world.
- misdirectedGovernment SpendingGeoff Regan (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks Liberal voting record instead of addressing borrowing or tax policy.
Just the other day his leader called the Bloc Québécois' proposal to institute a 45-day work year and the accompanying 35% payroll tax increase fiscally irresponsible.
- partly answeredMinisterial ResponsibilityMr. Marcel Proulx (Liberal) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.Answer confirms resignation and referral but does not address whether the minister broke the law.
Mr. Togneri did indeed tender his resignation yesterday and I accepted it.
- deflectedMinisterial ResponsibilityMr. Marcel Proulx (Liberal) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.Answer repeats resignation and referral without engaging ministerial accountability principle.
Mr. Togneri tendered his resignation to me yesterday and I accepted it.
- deflectedMinisterial ResponsibilityMr. Pierre Paquette (Bloc) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.Answer restates actions taken but sidesteps whether ministerial responsibility applies selectively.
As for accountability, I have asked the Minister of Public Works and Government Services to take this file and send it to the Information Commissioner.
- deflectedMinisterial ResponsibilityMr. Pierre Paquette (Bloc) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). loaded question.Answer notes resignation and referral without addressing call to resign under own definition.
Mr. Togneri no longer works for me.
- partly answeredMinisterial ResponsibilityMr. Mario Laframboise (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Answer endorses resignation acceptance but does not address whether minister should resign.
I think the minister has taken the appropriate action.
- deflectedMinisterial ResponsibilityMr. Mario Laframboise (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses only the staff resignation and referral, avoiding the question of the minister's own resignation.
the individual in question has offered his resignation, and the minister has immediately accepted it.
- answeredSeniorsJack Layton (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states that OAS has been fully indexed four times a year since 1972.
We have also fully indexed the OAS four times a year.
- deflectedMinisterial ResponsibilityJack Layton (NDP) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats the staff resignation and referral without addressing ministerial responsibility.
Mr. Togneri submitted his resignation last night, which I accepted.
- deflectedMinisterial ResponsibilityJack Layton (NDP) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.The answer again focuses solely on the staff resignation and referral, sidestepping the ministerial responsibility question.
Mr. Togneri submitted his resignation last night, which I accepted, and I asked the Minister of Public Works and Government Services to refer the file to the information commissioner
- deflectedG8 and G20 SummitsMs. Siobhan Coady (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids justifying the listed expenses and instead accuses the opposition of manufacturing statistics.
I have been noticing with interest the manufacture of statistics by members opposite.
- deflectedG8 and G20 SummitsMs. Siobhan Coady (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer disputes a specific figure and accuses the member of making up statistics rather than addressing disclosure.
The member, again, has simply made up another statistic, which is what she and her colleagues have been doing.
- partly answeredThe EconomyMr. Robert Oliphant (Liberal) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). substantive question.The answer provides some positive fiscal indicators but does not directly assure on the specific management concerns raised.
In fact, we are in the best fiscal position in the G7.
- deflectedThe EconomyMr. Robert Oliphant (Liberal) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). loaded question.The answer shifts to criticizing the opposition's vote on EI premiums instead of addressing fiscal management claims.
Unfortunately that caucus must not have received the message because the Liberals, the Bloc and the NDP came in here and voted to raise EI premiums.
- deflectedQuebec City ArenaMs. Diane Bourgeois (Bloc) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states general policy without addressing the specific funding request.
Our position is clear: we are all big sports fans, but the private sector has to do its part.
- deflectedQuebec City ArenaMs. Diane Bourgeois (Bloc) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Avoids specific funding commitment by giving conditional general support.
if Quebec City becomes an official candidate for the Olympic Games, our government and all of Canada will support it whole-heartedly.
- partly answeredAgricultureMr. André Bellavance (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.Mentions investments but does not address modifying the program as requested.
we have invested more than $2 billion to support our farmers since coming to power.
- misdirectedAgricultureMr. André Bellavance (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.The response attacks the Bloc Québécois instead of addressing the program question.
every time we put measures in place to support our farmers, whether in the budget or otherwise, the members of the Bloc Québécois rush to vote against them.
- answeredCensusMs. Martha Hall Findlay (Liberal) asked Mr. Mike Lake (Conservative). substantive question.Clearly states the rationale and asserts data equivalence.
The 2011 census and the ongoing labour force survey will provide the same level of demographic and economic information about Canada and Canadians as in previous years.
- misdirectedCensusMs. Martha Hall Findlay (Liberal) asked Mr. Mike Lake (Conservative). substantive question.Shifts to personal attacks on the member rather than answering about provinces.
the same member who says that parents who do not put their kids in full-time daycare are sentencing them to a life in the prison system.
- misdirectedCensusMr. Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal) asked Mr. Dean Del Mastro (Conservative). substantive question.Focuses on past funding and opposition rather than cultural data needs.
One thing is consistent. The member did not support any of it.
- misdirectedCensusMr. Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal) asked Mr. Dean Del Mastro (Conservative). loaded question.Both sides engage in attacks without substantive engagement.
one thing we cannot make vanish is 13 years of corrupt Liberal leadership.
- deflectedHarmonized Sales TaxMr. Claude Gravelle (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.The answer lists prior senior benefits instead of addressing the HST on essentials.
perhaps if the hon. member and members of his party had actually taken time to read our last few budgets, he would have known what we have done to help seniors, which is considerable.
- misdirectedHarmonized Sales TaxMs. Libby Davies (NDP) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition's EI vote rather than addressing the HST suspension request.
I have to once again remind hon. members of my recurring nightmare, and that is what happened on Wednesday evening when I saw all of those in opposition stand and vote to increase EI premiums for those who can least afford it.
- deflectedEmployment InsuranceMr. Luc Desnoyers (Bloc) asked Mr. Ted Menzies (Conservative). substantive question.The answer cites a vote and external quote instead of explaining the premium increase or returning stolen funds.
The hon. member voted for a 60¢ increase when we decided to reduce it by two-thirds to ensure that we would continue to grow jobs in our country.
- misdirectedEmployment InsuranceMr. Luc Desnoyers (Bloc) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the Bloc's past votes instead of promising improvements to the EI system.
What I do not understand is why the Bloc voted against all of these measures to help workers.
- partly answeredPotash IndustryRalph Goodale (Liberal) asked Mr. Mike Lake (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the net benefit review process but does not define it or commit to Saskatchewan priorities.
The minister will only approve applications for review where an investment demonstrates that it is likely to be of net benefit to Canada.
- deflectedPotash IndustryRalph Goodale (Liberal) asked Mr. Mike Lake (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts to economic action plan measures and Liberal votes instead of defining net benefit.
In terms of net benefit to Canada, it is pretty clear that one thing that is of net benefit to Canada is the measures the government has taken in the economic action plan, measures that the Liberal Party has voted against every time.
- partly answeredSteel IndustryMs. Chris Charlton (NDP) asked Mr. Mike Lake (Conservative). substantive question.The answer notes disappointment and monitoring but offers no action on jobs or pensions beyond the ongoing case.
we will continue to closely monitor the situation.
- misdirectedSteel IndustryMr. Wayne Marston (NDP) asked Mr. Mike Lake (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats acquisition stats and attacks NDP votes instead of addressing foreign company compliance or worker protections.
It is the measures we have taken that have put Canada in the most enviable position of any country in the developed world.
- misdirectedG8 and G20 SummitsMr. John Cannis (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.Question assumes waste and oddly ties spending to Greek community; answer attacks member's voting record instead of addressing authorization.
As for infrastructure in the member's riding, I am wondering why he did not either ask or, in fact, even vote for them.
- partly answeredVeterans AffairsMr. Guy André (Bloc) asked Jean-Pierre Blackburn (Conservative). substantive question.Question asks for charter amendment and lifetime pensions; answer discusses upcoming lump-sum review but does not confirm amendment.
We plan to address lump sum payments next week.
- misdirectedAboriginal AffairsMs. Irene Mathyssen (NDP) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). substantive question.Question seeks exact release date for promised funds; answer pivots to why member voted against the budget item.
The question I have for her is: Why did she stand in her place and vote against that $10 million if she is now so concerned about it?
- deflectedG8 and G20 SummitsMr. John Cannis (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.Question repeats waste claims and questions competence; answer corrects one figure and defers to Auditor General without addressing priorities.
I wish that the member would wait for the Auditor General's assessment of the expenditures.
- deflectedAirport SecurityMr. Dennis Bevington (NDP) asked Rob Merrifield (Conservative). substantive question.Question requests specific compliance timeline; answer offers general review without any date or commitment.
We will be reviewing all of these in due course as we move forward.
- answeredForeign AffairsMr. Jean Dorion (Bloc) asked Lawrence Cannon (Conservative). loaded question.Question assumes silence sanctions settlements; answer directly rebuts premise by citing G8 statements and calls for talks.