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Tuesday, March 22, 2011 · sitting No. 146

Commons debates representation bill as budget tabled

The House devoted the largest share of its sitting to debate on the Democratic Representation Act. Bloc Québécois MP Christiane Gagnon said the bill would reduce Quebec's political weight below its demographic share and reject recognition of the Quebec nation. Conservative minister Steven Fletcher said the measure keeps Quebec's seat count constant while votes retain greater weight there than in other provinces.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff asked the Prime Minister to take responsibility for scandals involving appointees and for withholding costs of prisons jets and corporate tax breaks. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said all core information had been available and that the government's priority remains the economy.

Finance minister Jim Flaherty tabled the next phase of the economic action plan and moved that the House approve the government's budgetary policy in general.

Decided that day

  • S-6, C-14, C-22, C-30, C-61, S-5, C-21, C-35, C-42 and C-48 received royal assent
  • C-60 passed second reading
  • S-229 and C-642 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 · 2011-03-22

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 30%, opposition 70% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0011:0012:0013:0014:0015:00Last speech 16:40Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 6 h 40 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
68Bills sail through, answers mostly missThe sitting saw a dozen bills receive royal assent or advance through stages while the House devoted most time to the Democratic Representation Act. Question period produced few complete answers and only minor procedural interruptions.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

Champlain Bridge

Liberal MP Denis Coderre asked why the government would not commit to a new Champlain Bridge rather than patching the existing structure. Transport minister Chuck Strahl said a feasibility study must be received before any replacement decision.

Read the exchange

Ethics

Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe asked why the Prime Minister appointed Bruce Carson given his past disbarment and prison sentence. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said no government contract or money was involved in the matter.

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National Defence

Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc said the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates F-35 costs at $30 billion. Defence minister Peter MacKay said the department's projections rest on actual multinational program data not historical extrapolations.

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Canada--U.S. Border

Bloc Québécois MP Claude DeBellefeuille said reduced hours at three Quebec border crossings will hurt regional economies. Public Safety minister Vic Toews said the changes were made with local CBSA officials and will not cause job losses or safety risks.

Read the exchange

Shipbuilding Industry

Bloc Québécois MP Christiane Gagnon said the government changed solvency rules to exclude the Davie shipyard. Public Works minister Rona Ambrose said the solvency requirement was never altered and remains standard for all government contracts.

Read the exchange

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
    Government AccountabilityMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts focus to rules and contracts rather than addressing personal responsibility for appointments.The fact is this government has instituted strong rules. This government ensures those rules are respected and enforced.
  2. deflected
    Government AccountabilityMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer redirects to economic priorities instead of addressing contempt or hidden costs.It is the duty of this Parliament to focus on the real priorities of Canadians. This country's economy is our government's priority.
  3. misdirected
    Government AccountabilityMichael Ignatieff (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition by alleging coalition manufacturing instead of addressing trust in budget numbers.The Leader of the Opposition is simply trying to seek reasons to manufacture a coalition among himself, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois.
  4. partly answered
    Champlain BridgeDenis Coderre (Liberal) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). substantive question.The answer confirms safety and investment but does not address tendering savings or prioritization of jets over the bridge.I am also pleased to inform the hon. member that, yesterday, we tabled a letter from the Federal Bridge Corporation in the House, confirming that the Champlain Bridge is safe.
  5. partly answered
    Champlain BridgeDenis Coderre (Liberal) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). substantive question.The answer insists on awaiting a study and dismisses the question without addressing urgency or tests requested.It is inappropriate to talk about a new bridge until the final feasibility study on the future of the Champlain Bridge has been received.
  6. deflected
    EthicsMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer emphasizes no government contract involvement instead of addressing the appointment judgment.There is nothing to indicate that a government contract or government money is implicated in this affair.
  7. deflected
    EthicsMr. Gilles Duceppe (Bloc) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats the no-contract point and claims credit for reporting rather than defending the appointment rules.That is why no government contract or money is involved in this affair.
  8. answered
    Access to InformationMrs. Carole Freeman (Bloc) asked Rona Ambrose (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states that all recommendations from the report were implemented upon receipt.when I received the Information Commissioner's report in February, I immediately asked the department to implement all of her recommendations, and they have been all fully implemented.
  9. deflected
    Access to InformationMrs. Carole Freeman (Bloc) asked Stockwell Day (Conservative). loaded question.The answer restates general rules without addressing the specific violation found by the Commissioner.We expect all employees to respect those rules.
  10. deflected
    EthicsMs. Libby Davies (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer discusses referrals to authorities but avoids the question on closing loopholes.
  11. misdirected
    EthicsMs. Libby Davies (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the NDP's support for the act and pivots away from addressing loopholes.the fingerprints of the NDP members were all over that act.
  12. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer rejects the premise outright and shifts to unrelated economic talking points.I do not think it will come as a surprise to any member of the House that I completely reject the premise of the hon. member's question.
  13. deflected
    EthicsMr. Todd Russell (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer emphasizes no grant was given and referral to authorities without addressing the core allegations.There is no indication whatsoever that the individual received any grant or any favour from the government.
  14. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Todd Russell (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer turns to attacking the asker and demanding evidence instead of responding to the question.If he refuses to, I would ask the hon. member what he has to hide.
  15. partly answered
    EthicsMs. Raymonde Folco (Liberal) asked Peter Kent (Conservative). loaded question.The answer addresses the meeting and referrals but does not fully cover the RCMP reporting question.I did meet with the individual once on February 7 to discuss the environment and the energy sector in his then capacity as the head of the Canada School of Energy and Environment.
  16. deflected
    EthicsMs. Raymonde Folco (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.The answer denies any payment and challenges the asker to provide evidence rather than addressing the allegations.there is no indication of one single dollar being paid to the individual.
  17. deflected
    Champlain BridgeMrs. Josée Beaudin (Bloc) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). substantive question.The answer reassures on safety and past investment but does not address intent to build a new bridge.we have invested a great deal of money in that corridor.
  18. deflected
    Champlain BridgeMr. Thierry St-Cyr (Bloc) asked Chuck Strahl (Conservative). loaded question.The answer discusses process and Windsor but sidesteps the unfair treatment accusation.we are awaiting the final report that will make recommendations on what should happen to the Champlain Bridge.
  19. answered
    Canada--U.S. BorderMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly counters the premise with usage data and local consultation.This decision was made with local CBSA officials who have knowledge and understanding of the needs of the region.
  20. answered
    Canada--U.S. BorderMr. Christian Ouellet (Bloc) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer addresses the cuts with data and denies safety or job impacts.There will not be any job related losses from this decision nor any danger to public safety.
  21. misdirected
    Public SafetyMr. Mark Holland (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the member's voting record instead of addressing transparency or costs.He did not vote in the interests of his constituents when he voted to let drug dealers get out of jail after serving one-sixth of their sentence.
  22. misdirected
    Public SafetyMr. Mark Holland (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer accuses the member of favoring prisoners over victims rather than providing numbers.that is an individual who consistently stands up for prisoners rather than victims.
  23. deflected
    National DefenceDominic LeBlanc (Liberal) asked Peter MacKay (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends projections and criticizes the questioner's facts but does not address admitting excess costs.I wish the hon. member would get his facts straight.
  24. misdirected
    National DefenceDominic LeBlanc (Liberal) asked Peter MacKay (Conservative). loaded question.The answer pivots to the opposition's past support instead of addressing scrapping the process.There was a time not that long ago, in September 2010, when the member opposite said that the Liberal Party wanted to replace the CF-18 with the next generation fighter aircraft.
  25. deflected
    EthicsMs. Linda Duncan (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer focuses solely on the investigation referral instead of addressing the grants question.We will let them conduct an investigation.
  26. deflected
    EthicsMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer highlights the Accountability Act and investigation without addressing the trust question.it is this government which brought in the Federal Accountability Act that established this five-year ban
  27. answered
    Shipbuilding IndustryMs. Christiane Gagnon (Bloc) asked Rona Ambrose (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly refutes the claim that rules were changed mid-process.the solvency requirement has never been changed in any part of the process.
  28. partly answered
    Shipbuilding IndustryMs. Christiane Gagnon (Bloc) asked Rona Ambrose (Conservative). loaded question.The answer clarifies solvency rules and mentions a past loan but ignores the GM comparison and job valuation claim.The requirement to be solvent is a standard practice for all government contracting.
  29. answered
    Citizenship and ImmigrationMrs. Bonnie Crombie (Liberal) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). loaded question.The answer corrects the factual premise about bureaucrats' involvement.Bureaucrats were not involved in any respect in the matter for which my former political staff member took responsibility
  30. answered
    Citizenship and ImmigrationMrs. Bonnie Crombie (Liberal) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). loaded question.The answer strongly denies the premises and provides counter-facts about delegation and authority.all complete utter rubbish. The individual in question was not part of an official Government of Canada delegation, period.
  31. partly answered
    Aboriginal AffairsMrs. Carol Hughes (NDP) asked John Duncan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses government actions on water but sidesteps the Carson link and ongoing access issues.this government has taken strong action on water since coming into government in 2006.
  32. deflected
    HealthMr. Tony Martin (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer offers general health care support and investigation without committing on renewal of the initiative.We have made an unprecedented commitment to health care, and we would be very pleased to look into the matter that the member raised.
  33. answered
    Official LanguagesMr. Jean-Claude D'Amours (Liberal) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly denies the designation claim and confirms bilingual services remain unchanged.I can assure the House that the Atlantic region has not been designated as a unilingual region by Service Canada.
  34. answered
    Official LanguagesMr. Richard Nadeau (Bloc) asked James Moore (Conservative). loaded question.The answer acknowledges the error as an isolated administrative mistake and apologizes.Yes, accidentally, one letter out of thousands sent to applicants was sent to somebody in one of the two official languages and not both.
  35. deflected
    G20 SummitMs. Olivia Chow (NDP) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids the red tape and insider hiring accusations by restating the general claims process.There is a formula in place and a process in place for compensating those who made claims.
  36. deflected
    TaxationHelena Guergis (Independent) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids considering income splitting by deferring to the upcoming budget release.The budget will be released by the finance minister at 4 p.m. today, and we will await his answer to any further questions in that regard.