Parliament AIIndependent · non-official

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Tuesday, March 1, 2011 · sitting No. 136

Aviation security bill leads Commons sitting as Liberals press on election charges

The House devoted the largest share of its time to debate on Bill C-42, the Strengthening Aviation Security Act. NDP MP Jim Maloway argued that the bill would transfer passenger data to U.S. security agencies without reciprocity or anonymity protections. Liberal MP Judy Foote said the government had introduced the measure without serious intent to meet its original deadline.

During Question Period Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff told the House that four members of the Prime Minister's inner circle face charges under the Canada Elections Act and asked Prime Minister Stephen Harper to guarantee no repeat of the in-and-out scheme. Harper replied that the matter is an administrative dispute over the classification of expenses and that the party adjusted its practices once Elections Canada changed its interpretation.

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe asked why the government had not frozen assets of the Ben Ali family in Canada while it had done so for the Gadhafi family. Harper said officials lacked the information required under the law to act in the Tunisian case.

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 · 2011-03-01

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 28%, opposition 72% of the words spokenRoutine proceedingsQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0011:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:00Last speech 17:45Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 7 h 45 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
37Debate fills the day, nothing passesThe sitting devoted most time to aviation security and committee matters yet advanced no bills and saw a motion to proceed to orders of the day fail. Question period produced few direct answers while seven points of order consumed further time.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

Foreign Affairs

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe pressed Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the refusal to freeze Ben Ali family assets held in Quebec and asked whether Conservative ties explained the delay.

Read the exchange

International Co-operation

Liberal MP Hedy Fry asked why International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda remained in cabinet after refusing to explain who ordered the rejection of KAIROS funding. Conservative MP John Baird said Oda had stated eleven times in committee that the decision was hers.

Read the exchange

Public Safety

Liberal MP Scott Brison said the government was obstructing a finance committee probe into the cost of its justice agenda and asked whether it would respect the previous night's vote ordering production of documents. Conservative MP John Baird replied that the requested information had been tabled the previous week.

Read the exchange

Electricity

Bloc Québécois MP Paule Brunelle asked the government to rule out any loan guarantee or P3 funding for a transmission line from the Lower Churchill that would bypass Quebec. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the loan-guarantee request was under discussion and the P3 application was being handled by PPP Canada.

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Democratic Reform

NDP Leader Jack Layton urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper to support abolition of the Senate and electoral reform. Harper replied that abolition would require reopening the Constitution and pointed instead to his plan for Senate elections and term limits.

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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
    Political FinancingMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer reframes the issue as an administrative dispute and avoids any commitment on future conduct.We maintain that our people acted under the law as they understood it at the time.
  2. deflected
    Political FinancingMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats the administrative dispute claim and adds a partisan aside without addressing the requested assurance.I hope the Liberal Party did the same.
  3. deflected
    Political FinancingMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer continues to characterize the matter as a rules interpretation dispute and sidesteps the abuse-of-power accusation.these are disputes over the interpretation of the rules.
  4. partly answered
    Government AccountabilityMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses the documents request by claiming information was already provided but ignores the contempt and other allegations.a request for certain information was made a long time ago and the government has already given that information to the opposition.
  5. misdirected
    Government AccountabilityMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer pivots to lecturing the questioner on reading the budget and implies opportunism rather than addressing the listed abuses.I would encourage him to take his responsibilities seriously, to look at the budget documents when they are tabled, read them and obviously do what is best for the Canadian economy
  6. answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly explains the legal reason for not yet freezing the assets while confirming ongoing efforts.To date, and under the law, we do not have the necessary information to do so.
  7. partly answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer explains the information gap versus Libya but does not address the accomplice or Conservative ties allegations.We lack information about the necessary international sanctions, like the information we had in Libya's case.
  8. deflected
    Political FinancingMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer insists it is merely administrative and claims all parties do it, avoiding the guilt-by-denial charge.It is legal. It is ethical and all the parties do it.
  9. deflected
    Political FinancingMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer reframes the issue as a legal dispute without addressing the request to admit a violation.This is an administrative dispute that we are having with Elections Canada.
  10. deflected
    Political FinancingJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids responsibility by calling it a difference of opinion and shifting to past interpretations.This is a difference of opinion.
  11. deflected
    Political FinancingJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the admission of a mistake by reiterating compliance with prior interpretations.we always followed the rules as they were interpreted at the time.
  12. partly answered
    Democratic ReformJack Layton (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses the Senate reform proposal but dismisses the NDP plan without engaging the full question.We do have a practical plan to allow for Senate elections and the limitation of senators' terms.
  13. answered
    International Co-operationHedy Fry (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly states the minister made the decision and points to committee testimony.she was the one who made the decision with respect to not giving the $7 million grant.
  14. misdirected
    International Co-operationHedy Fry (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer ignores the accountability question and attacks the asker personally instead.That is the member who said, "As we speak, crosses are burning in Prince George".
  15. deflected
    International Co-operationMs. Raymonde Folco (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer repeats the minister's decision claim but avoids addressing the silence or resignation demand.she was the one who made the decision not to provide a $7 million grant to a particular non-governmental organization.
  16. deflected
    International Co-operationMs. Raymonde Folco (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer pivots to the minister's achievements without addressing the questions about her silence or status.She has worked tremendously hard on dealing with the challenges that women in Afghanistan face.
  17. partly answered
    ElectricityMs. Paule Brunelle (Bloc) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). substantive question.Acknowledges the loan guarantee request and states it is under discussion but provides no clear commitment on funding or bypassing Quebec.One is an application for a loan guarantee, and that is being discussed by officials in the federal government with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
  18. deflected
    ElectricityMs. Paule Brunelle (Bloc) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.Ignores the funding question and pivots to an unrelated PPP approval in Quebec to counter the complaint.I am sure the member noticed the announcement the other day in Lachine, Quebec, with respect to the maintenance yard and for the commuter trains in the greater Montreal region
  19. partly answered
    The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.Addresses environmental priorities and regulator role but does not respond to the request for suspending permits per the National Assembly motion.The health of the workers and environmental protection are our top priorities.
  20. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Bernard Bigras (Bloc) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). loaded question.Claims negotiations are ongoing but shifts to attacking the Bloc and promoting a broader agenda instead of addressing jurisdiction parity.If the Bloc wants to make this a divisive issue, it is free to do so.
  21. answered
    Public SafetyScott Brison (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Directly states that the requested information was tabled in the House the previous week.I am very pleased to inform my friend from Kings—Hants that we tabled in the House last week the information the committee requested.
  22. misdirected
    Public SafetyScott Brison (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). substantive question.Ignores the yes/no question on provincial cost breakdowns and instead attacks Liberal inconsistency on prisons.I think Canadians find the Liberal position on funding prisons very confusing.
  23. misdirected
    FinanceMrs. Alexandra Mendes (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.Avoids the prison cost question entirely and pivots to attacking Liberal crime policy and Newfoundland members.I was in Newfoundland and Labrador last week and the members from Newfoundland advised me that they wanted more prisons built.
  24. deflected
    FinanceMrs. Alexandra Mendes (Liberal) asked Jim Flaherty (Conservative). loaded question.Ignores the borrowing and deficit question and instead defends the low-tax plan while noting past Liberal support.This low tax plan was passed by Parliament with the support of the official opposition two or three years ago.
  25. deflected
    HealthMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids the yes/no budget commitment by stressing provincial responsibility and past transfers.While the supply of physicians and nurses is a provincial and territorial responsibility, our government has increased health care transfers by over 33% since forming government.
  26. deflected
    HealthMr. Fin Donnelly (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer defends funding levels and criticizes Liberals instead of addressing the NDP request or hospital incident.Unlike the previous Liberal government, our government will not cut health transfers.
  27. partly answered
    Aboriginal AffairsMr. Yvon Lévesque (Bloc) asked John Duncan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the program and openness to changes but does not agree to suspend it.We are implementing changes to improve the effectiveness of the food subsidy program.
  28. deflected
    Aboriginal AffairsMr. Yvon Lévesque (Bloc) asked John Duncan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats consultation history and program rollout without addressing the suspension request.This is not a made in Ottawa program. This is a program based on two and a half years of consultation.
  29. deflected
    Political FinancingMr. Marcel Proulx (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer reframes the issue as routine and legal rather than admitting or repaying alleged fraud.It is legal and ethical. We have a very strong case and we will be defending ourselves in court.
  30. deflected
    Political FinancingMr. Marcel Proulx (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer again labels the matter administrative and legal without addressing reimbursement.It is legal and ethical and all the parties do it.
  31. misdirected
    Agent OrangeMrs. Carol Hughes (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts responsibility to provinces and avoids agreeing to contact them.this is a provincial matter and a provincial responsibility.
  32. answered
    Agent OrangeMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). substantive question.The answer commits to reviewing the matter and releasing available documents.Any information that Transport Canada has about the use of Agent Orange, and its distribution and dispersion, I will make available as soon as I possibly can.
  33. deflected
    CBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). loaded question.The answer restates general election promises without addressing the Matane station or protection request.We made promises during the 2004, 2006 and 2008 election campaigns, and we will certainly protect the CBC's mandate and honour our commitment to the CBC in our budget.
  34. partly answered
    Quebec City ArenaMr. Michel Guimond (Bloc) asked Josée Verner (Conservative). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the project and notes possible federal help via existing programs but does not commit to a share.I have had the opportunity to talk about the infrastructure with my colleague, and if the federal government can contribute under existing programs, it will help with road infrastructure.
  35. deflected
    Aboriginal AffairsMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). substantive question.The answer praises the relationship with police but pivots to criticize the NDP instead of addressing funding cuts.I wish the NDP, however, saw security in the same way, that in fact police and others contribute to the well-being of community members.
  36. misdirected
    CBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the Liberals' past record on CBC rather than addressing the Matane station or current concerns.This was the Liberal record on the CBC.
  37. answered
    Highway SafetyMr. Dennis Bevington (NDP) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states that enforcement occurs through provinces, RCMP and that falsifying logs is a criminal offence.Failure to do so is a criminal offence, so I urge them to do that.
  38. partly answered
    PrivilegeMr. Joe Comartin (NDP) asked Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses the privilege point by noting distinctions between estimates and bills but does not fully resolve the premature disclosure issue.The analogy that the member was trying to draw between what happened with the estimates today and a government bill is really not relevant.