Employment insurance reform dominates question period as NDP presses for reversal

Other moments

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. partly answered
   Public SafetyThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Denies cuts but avoids addressing treaty commitments or future funding decisions.The government has not made cuts to those services.
2. deflected
   EthicsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Claims prior answer and pivots to praise instead of addressing the lobbying allegation.the Minister of Finance has been doing a tremendous job for Canadians and is widely viewed around the world as the best finance minister.
3. misdirected
   EthicsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.States compliance then attacks the NDP's position rather than addressing the cover-up claim.it is the NDP that consistently opposes reforming the Senate and opposes an elected Senate, hoping in the future to appoint its own senators.
4. misdirected
   Employment InsuranceMs. Nycole Turmel (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Ignores EI quotas entirely and redirects to Senate reform bill.The NDP has blocked this bill 17 times.
5. answered
   Employment InsuranceMs. Nycole Turmel (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.Directly addresses bonuses and performance pay for inspectors and executives.Front-line staff and unionized managers at Service Canada do not receive bonuses.
6. answered
   Employment InsuranceBob Rae (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Confirms performance-based pay for managers in the public service.in all departments, a portion of the pay that managers receive is based on performance.
7. deflected
   Employment InsuranceBob Rae (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Denies burden-shifting but restates general EI purpose without engaging provincial impacts.
8. answered
   Employment InsuranceBob Rae (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Directly rejects the premise and explains the system's intent regarding legitimate claims.absolutely nothing could be further from the truth.
9. misdirected
   Democratic ReformThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks NDP motives and past actions instead of addressing the bill debate or consent offer.The reason the NDP members have blocked this piece of legislation 17 times in the House is that they do not want elected senators because they want to appoint their own.
10. deflected
    TransportationMr. Robert Aubin (NDP) asked Denis Lebel (Conservative). substantive question.Answer cites overall accident reductions but does not address the specific budget cuts to safety programs.the number of air accidents has decreased by 25% since 2000.
11. deflected
    TransportationMs. Olivia Chow (NDP) asked Denis Lebel (Conservative). substantive question.Answer repeats safety statistics without addressing ignored TSB recommendations or the 30% budget cut.The number of aviation accidents has fallen by 25% since 2000 while air travel increased significantly.
12. deflected
    Food SafetyMr. Malcolm Allen (NDP) asked Gerry Ritz (Conservative). loaded question.Answer dismisses the premise as untrue and pivots to explaining estimates without addressing the cuts or past recall.absolutely none of that diatribe is true.
13. deflected
    The BudgetMs. Peggy Nash (NDP) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). loaded question.Answer states estimates are not the budget and pivots to general responsibilities without addressing specific cuts mentioned.the estimates are not the budget.
14. partly answered
    The BudgetMs. Peggy Nash (NDP) asked Denis Lebel (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly denies inspector cuts and addresses infrastructure timeline but avoids VIA Rail and Senate spending points.we have not cut any front-line transportation inspectors.
15. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMrs. Anne-Marie Day (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.Answer states general goals of EI reform but does not address lack of consultation or impact study.our government's primary objective is economic growth, job creation and long-term prosperity.
16. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Philip Toone (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.Answer explains EI support for seasonal workers but ignores the question on impact studies and expert opposition.For seasonal workers, if there is no work in their field in their region, employment insurance will be there for them, as always.
17. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMs. Chris Charlton (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.The answer promotes EI expansion without addressing accusations of cuts or a witch hunt.we do know that Canadians want to work, and that is why we have expanded the EI system to help them find the jobs that are available within their skill sets in their geographic areas.
18. deflected
    PensionsJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked Alice Wong (Conservative). loaded question.The answer highlights poverty rates and past actions but ignores the pension age change and debt claims.Canada has one of the lowest senior poverty rates in the world, thanks in part to our actions, which include removing hundreds of thousands of seniors from the tax rolls completely
19. partly answered
    Veterans AffairsMr. Sean Casey (Liberal) asked Steven Blaney (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends funeral program funding levels but sidesteps the advertising versus cuts comparison.Regarding the funeral and burial program, members do not have to take my word for it.
20. misdirected
    Government AdvertisingScott Brison (Liberal) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). substantive question.The answer provides spending figures but pivots to attacking the asker and past Liberal scandals.I remember when that particular fox for Kings—Hants was in charge of the henhouse.
21. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores Senate issues entirely and attacks the asker on electoral boundaries instead.This was the first hint of what the Commission considers to be inappropriate involvement by a Member of Parliament in the electoral redistribution process
22. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the Porter appointment and instead attacks the asker on hypocrisy.It is clear that Charlie is no angel.
23. partly answered
    EthicsMs. Ève Péclet (NDP) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). loaded question.The answer addresses the resignation and consultation but avoids admitting any lack of judgment.The leaders of the NDP and the Liberal Party were consulted prior to his appointment, and they consented to the appointment.
24. deflected
    EthicsMs. Ève Péclet (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.The answer promotes Senate reform proposals without addressing specific senator accountability questions.our government has introduced a concrete proposal to allow Canadians to make the Senate truly accountable by choosing who represents them in the Senate.
25. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.The answer explains the pilot's temporary status but ignores the demand for an apology and the claimed harm to workers.a few years ago when we announced the pilot project involving an additional five weeks of benefits, we clearly stated on numerous occasions that the program was temporary and would be in place only during the global recession.
26. partly answered
    Employment InsuranceMr. Jonathan Tremblay (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states an intent to meet but provides no details on timing or solutions.that is exactly what I am going to do in the near future.
27. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. François Lapointe (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.The answer shifts to general principles about work versus benefits without addressing the reform suspension request or specific criticisms.We have a goal and we know that when people are working, they are better off than when they are not working.
28. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.The answer restates EI principles and responsibilities but does not address quotas, bonuses, or ending the reform.We owe it to the unemployed, to taxpayers, and to the employers and employees who contribute to the EI fund to make sure that money is there for the people who are entitled to benefits.
29. partly answered
    Employment InsuranceStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses employer needs and seasonal industries but does not commit to listening to the listed groups or suspending the reform.This includes seasonal employers, of course, as well as full-time employers.
30. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Rodger Cuzner (Liberal) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). loaded question.The answer explains EI responsibilities without addressing the specific allegations of intimidation or bounty tactics.There are responsibilities, while people are claiming it, to be actively looking for another job.
31. deflected
    Official LanguagesMs. Alexandrine Latendresse (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer highlights past investments and quotes but does not confirm whether the bill will reach committee.With our roadmap for official languages we have invested $1 billion over five years and have had good success.
32. deflected
    Official LanguagesMs. Alexandrine Latendresse (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer defers to committees and repeats praise without providing details on the promised committee or its status.the committees themselves can make these decisions.
33. misdirected
    Public SafetyCarolyn Bennett (Liberal) asked Vic Toews (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition's record on unrelated issues instead of addressing the funding renewal question.I find it interesting that the member is talking about improving safety for aboriginals, yet that member and her party oppose matrimonial real property rights for aboriginal women, tougher sentences for sexual assault, ending house arrest for serious crimes, tougher penalties for those who sell drugs to our children and funding to keep young people out of gangs.
34. deflected
    TransportationMr. Ryan Cleary (NDP) asked Steven Fletcher (Conservative). substantive question.The response criticizes the NDP for not raising the issue earlier rather than explaining the current rate increases.this is actually the first question since the 2011 election on Marine Atlantic, so that gives us an idea of how much the NDP actually cares about Marine Atlantic.
35. misdirected
    HousingMs. Marie-Claude Morin (NDP) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids a yes or no on the bill and instead attacks the NDP with a carbon tax reference.Could it be the NDP is desperately trying to find ways to spend the money from its $21 billion carbon tax?
36. partly answered
    Employment InsuranceMr. Jean-François Fortin (Bloc) asked Diane Finley (Conservative). substantive question.The minister acknowledges the meeting to discuss impacts but does not address putting the reform on hold.I am looking forward to meeting with the minister and her colleagues this afternoon so that we can get a better understanding of the real impact of the employment insurance changes.
37. answered
    Points of OrderMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked Tony Clement (Conservative). substantive question.The response directly offers to provide the requested information on the costing study.I have already indicated that this calculation came from HRSDC and I would be happy to provide whatever information is available.