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Friday, April 19, 2013 · sitting No. 236

NDP motion calls for nation-to-nation talks with first nations

The House spent the largest share of its time on a New Democratic motion urging the government to abandon its confrontational approach to First Nations, Métis and Inuit, make treaty implementation and land-claims settlement a priority and begin negotiations with the NunatuKavut Community Council. New Democrat MP Jean Crowder told the House that the relationship between the Crown and indigenous peoples is fundamentally broken. Conservative minister Leona Aglukkaq said the government is proud of its record on Nunavut land claims while New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said the honour of the Crown continues to be abused.

Question period featured repeated exchanges on the temporary foreign worker program. New Democrat MP Megan Leslie said employers are replacing Canadian workers with lower-paid foreign labour and asked when the government would protect Canadian jobs. Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan said the government is reviewing the program to ensure Canadians get first crack at jobs and is also advancing the Canada job grant.

Further clashes arose over tariff increases on consumer goods and Senate expenses. Liberal MP Ralph Goodale accused the government of raising tariff taxes on baby carriages, hockey helmets and wigs for cancer patients while Conservative minister Shelly Glover defended the record of tax reductions.

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 · 2013-04-19

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 50%, opposition 50% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:0013:00Last speech 13:30Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 3 h 25 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
25Another sitting that went nowhereThe sitting devoted most time to supply and taxation debates yet recorded no votes and advanced no bills. Six points of order, frequent Speaker interventions and largely deflected answers in Question Period left little resolved.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

Employment

New Democrat MP Megan Leslie said the temporary foreign worker program had tripled in size with no oversight and asked why the government waited until Canadians lost jobs to act. Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan replied that the NDP had itself written to request temporary foreign workers in its ridings.

Read the exchange

Taxation

New Democrat MP Matthew Dubé said budget 2013 would raise the price of hockey helmets and fishing equipment. Conservative minister Shelly Glover said hockey helmets would be covered by tariff relief and accused the NDP of voting against every previous tax reduction.

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Ethics

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said Senator Mike Duffy had broken his promise to repay housing allowances. Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan said the government would await the findings of the report on Senate expenses.

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Aboriginal Affairs

Conservative MP Shelly Glover said the NDP and Liberals had voted against legislation giving first nations women the same matrimonial property rights as other Canadians. New Democrat MP Jean Crowder said the government must make treaty implementation a priority.

Read the exchange

Employment Insurance

New Democrat MP Françoise Boivin said Conservative changes to employment insurance would force more women into lower-paying jobs and widen the wage gap. Conservative minister Kellie Leitch said the changes would better connect Canadians to available jobs through the Canada job grant and apprenticeships.

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. misdirected
    EmploymentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer ignores the question to attack the NDP and inserts an unrelated US terrorism statement.The difficulty for the NDP is that they always say one thing and do another.
  2. deflected
    EmploymentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.Answer promotes unrelated programs like the Canada job grant instead of addressing the listing of banned employers.This is a proposal that will get governments and bureaucrats out of the way and allow employers who want to hire workers, and workers who want to work, to get access to training funds
  3. misdirected
    EmploymentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer evades the timing question by repeating attacks on the NDP for requesting foreign workers.They continually write to our government and demand that we bring in temporary foreign workers, in some cases bending the rules to bring temporary foreign workers to their constituencies.
  4. partly answered
    TaxationMr. Matthew Dubé (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.Answer briefly clarifies helmets but pivots to attacking NDP hypocrisy on tax cuts.It is this government that has reduced taxes over 150 times so that we are leaving $3,200 more in an average family's pocket.
  5. deflected
    TaxationMr. Matthew Dubé (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.Answer ignores fishing tariffs entirely and accuses NDP of wanting breaks for Chinese companies.Instead of supporting our efforts, the NDP wants to give Chinese companies special breaks.
  6. misdirected
    TaxationRalph Goodale (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks Liberals for past votes and claims they seek breaks for Chinese firms rather than addressing tariff increases.What are they doing? They are saying that the government should be giving special breaks to Chinese companies.
  7. misdirected
    TaxationRalph Goodale (Liberal) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer lists past Liberal votes against tax cuts and accuses them of seeking Chinese tax breaks instead of answering on helmets or jockstraps.They want a tax break for Chinese companies.
  8. partly answered
    TaxationMr. Massimo Pacetti (Liberal) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.Answer repeats that helmets are covered but immediately shifts to accusing Liberals of seeking Chinese tax breaks.Hockey helmets will be covered under the tariff relief in the budget.
  9. misdirected
    TaxationMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the NDP instead of addressing whether tariffs equal tax hikes.What does the NDP want to do? It wants to give the advantage to Chinese companies.
  10. deflected
    TaxationMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer denies the iPod tax claim but pivots to attacking the NDP on foreign companies.We are not going to do as the NDP is doing.
  11. deflected
    TaxationMs. Annick Papillon (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer restates facts on iPods but shifts to criticizing NDP voting record.Speaking of a two-faced attitude, the NDP is talking out of both sides of its mouth.
  12. misdirected
    TaxationMr. Andrew Cash (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer ignores the listed product price increases and attacks the NDP on unrelated tax proposals.The truth of the matter is that the NDP is the party that suggested a $21-billion carbon tax.
  13. deflected
    EthicsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids steps on Duffy repayment and instead attacks the asker on past votes.When we look at that member's record, he campaigned to abolish the gun registry and then stood in this House and voted to maintain it.
  14. answered
    Canada Revenue AgencyMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states that the minister has no role in individual tax cases.the minister has no responsibility whatsoever in the administration of individual tax cases.
  15. misdirected
    Canada Revenue AgencyMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). substantive question.The answer claims rules apply equally but then attacks the asker over Communism comments.Yesterday the NDP tried to accuse others of selling out to Communists, which is interesting because that member made comments about the First World War in which he suggested that if there had just been more 20th century European Communists, we would not have had a First World War at all.
  16. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the Duffy repayment demand and instead demands an apology from the asker.I have given him the occasion to stand, do the honourable thing and apologize.
  17. misdirected
    Democratic ReformMs. Alexandrine Latendresse (NDP) asked Tim Uppal (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the NDP on unrelated donations instead of addressing the electoral reform bill timeline.It was the NDP that accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of illegal donations from unions.
  18. deflected
    TaxationHedy Fry (Liberal) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer pivots to a quote about foreign aid and GPT list changes without addressing the specific tax hikes on consumer goods.The government's decision to modernize this foreign aid program by removing some countries from the GPT list is a good decision....
  19. deflected
    TaxationMr. Marc Garneau (Liberal) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer repeats tax cut talking points and attacks Liberals on Chinese companies rather than addressing the announced tax increases.as I already said, on average, Canadian families have an extra $3,200 in their pockets thanks to our government's tax cuts.
  20. deflected
    TaxationMr. Marc Garneau (Liberal) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer lists past Liberal votes against tax measures instead of responding to the new tax increases on listed consumer items.When we created the deduction for tool expenses for tradespeople, the Liberals voted against it.
  21. partly answered
    Aboriginal AffairsMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Bernard Valcourt (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses the timeline of the claim and current review status but does not commit to the motion.Right now, we are reviewing the facts that support the claim.
  22. misdirected
    Aboriginal AffairsMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Bernard Valcourt (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the NDP and Liberal voting records on aboriginal women's rights instead of addressing treaty implementation priorities.
  23. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMs. Françoise Boivin (NDP) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). loaded question.The answer promotes government programs without addressing the specific impact of EI changes on women.We are supporting the Canada jobs grant.
  24. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMs. Françoise Boivin (NDP) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). loaded question.The answer repeats support for job connection initiatives without engaging the claim about widening wage gaps for women.the changes that we have to employment insurance are to better connect Canadians to available jobs.
  25. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). substantive question.Answer promotes unrelated training programs and attacks NDP voting record instead of addressing the lack of an EI study.The New Democrats continually vote against these opportunities for Canadians. Shame on them.
  26. deflected
    Employment InsuranceMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). substantive question.Answer lists unrelated family benefits and attacks NDP record rather than addressing the maternity-leave EI eligibility policy.That party does not. The New Democrats have always voted against these initiatives.
  27. misdirected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Wayne Marston (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). substantive question.Answer selectively quotes IMF to praise government while attacking NDP and Liberals on unrelated tax policy.Unfortunately, we see the New Democrats and the Liberals intent on providing special breaks to Chinese companies and booming economies, which would in fact lower our ability to succeed.
  28. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Alain Giguère (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). substantive question.Answer lists tax and job-creation statistics instead of addressing austerity measures or IMF advice on EI and infrastructure.It is too bad that they want to raise taxes and destroy all—
  29. answered
    Canada Revenue AgencyJohn McKay (Liberal) asked Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly states that the minister has no involvement in individual tax cases handled by independent officials.Independent, non-partisan public servants with the Canada Revenue Agency are responsible for the administration and enforcement of Canada's tax legislation.
  30. partly answered
    Canada PostMauril Bélanger (Liberal) asked Steven Fletcher (Conservative). substantive question.Answer affirms Canada Post will implement the ruling but cites arm's-length status and ongoing court proceedings to limit further comment.The issue the member is referring to is before the courts, and therefore I cannot comment further.
  31. deflected
    International Co-operationMs. Hélène Laverdière (NDP) asked Ms. Lois Brown (Conservative). substantive question.Answer emphasizes project merits and positive outcomes abroad without addressing the amount of lapsed CIDA funds.Our investments are providing food, medical assistance, health care and emergency humanitarian assistance for those who need it most.
  32. deflected
    International Co-operationMs. Hélène Laverdière (NDP) asked Ms. Lois Brown (Conservative). loaded question.Answer repeats focus on results and accountability while ignoring the specific claim of unspent funds due to incompetence.We will continue to achieve real results with Canadian taxpayers' dollars.
  33. deflected
    Public SafetyMr. Frank Valeriote (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Lemieux (Conservative). substantive question.The answer highlights existing regulations rather than addressing the specific funding request for security measures.on the contrary, we do have strong regulations in place.
  34. misdirected
    Aerospace IndustryMrs. Djaouida Sellah (NDP) asked Christian Paradis (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition party's voting record instead of addressing job protection at the agency.The hon. member who just asked the question belongs to a party that voted against that increased funding.
  35. deflected
    TaxationMs. Manon Perreault (NDP) asked Mrs. Shelly Glover (Conservative). loaded question.The answer discusses library funding for digital materials but ignores the core complaint about taxes on assistive technology.It provides funding for libraries so that they can purchase digital materials for people with vision loss.
  36. partly answered
    Champlain BridgeMr. André Bellavance (Bloc) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses potential federal cooperation on LRT funding if prioritized by Quebec within existing envelopes.If the Government of Quebec chooses to give priority to light rail transit on the new bridge spanning the St. Lawrence River, we will obviously co-operate with the government to make that investment possible.
  37. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Bruce Hyer (Independent) asked Ms. Michelle Rempel (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer emphasizes emission regulations and reductions but avoids any discussion of ending subsidies for oil and gas.in our government's commitment to combat climate change, we have put forward very stringent regulations in each of the major emitting sectors in our country's economy.