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Friday, June 14, 2013 · sitting No. 270

Opposition presses government on RCMP probe into Wright-Duffy affair

Oral questions on ethics consumed the largest share of the sitting as opposition members pressed the government over the status of the criminal investigation into a $90,000 payment from Nigel Wright to Senator Mike Duffy. Conservative ministers replied that the RCMP had not contacted the government or the Prime Minister's Office. They repeatedly turned questions toward the conduct of the NDP leader on Parliament Hill the previous day.

Government orders on the Canadian Museum of History Act occupied the next largest block of time. NDP members moved nine amendments to delete key clauses and argued that the government had ignored expert advice and failed to consult first nations and other communities. Conservatives defended the bill as a necessary update that would allow the museum to share more artifacts across the country.

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 · 2013-06-14

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 51%, opposition 49% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:00Last speech 13:10Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 3 h 5 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
37One Bill Advances Amid Evasive AnswersThe sitting devoted substantial time to ethics and two pieces of legislation, with one bill advancing a stage. Question period produced mostly misdirected or deflected replies and no recorded votes occurred.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

Liberal MP Scott Brison said Statistics Canada does not track unpaid internships and called on the government to begin collecting data so the issue could be addressed. Conservative MP Kellie Leitch replied that the government had created 54,400 net new jobs for Canadians under 30 in the previous month and was funding 5,000 paid internships.

Read the exchange

International Trade

NDP MP Guy Caron asked what the government intended to offer on agriculture in talks with the European Union. Conservative MP Gerald Keddy said negotiations were continuing and accused the NDP of being anti-trade and anti-jobs.

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Foreign Affairs

NDP MP Rosane Doré Lefebvre asked why Canada remained the only G8 country refusing to sign the arms trade treaty. Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai said Canada had helped advance the treaty at the United Nations while ensuring it would not affect lawful firearms owners.

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Aboriginal Affairs

NDP MP Jonathan Genest-Jourdain said the government was dragging its feet on completing the nominal roll process needed to fund first nations schools. Conservative MP Greg Rickford said the government was supporting student education and consulting first nations on income assistance reforms.

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Tourism Industry

Liberal MP Joyce Murray said a 20 per cent cut to the budget for promoting Canadian tourism abroad was costing jobs while the government spent heavily on its own advertising. Conservative MP Maxime Bernier replied that the Canadian Tourism Commission was spending taxpayer money efficiently.

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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. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Philip Toone (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the question entirely and attacks the NDP leader instead.The real question is, where is the NDP leader? Is he still busy disrespecting the RCMP?
  2. partly answered
    EthicsMr. Philip Toone (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer gives a brief no then pivots to attacking the NDP leader.Mr. Speaker, the answer is no.
  3. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Philip Toone (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids the question and attacks the NDP leader's traffic stop.
  4. misdirected
    EthicsMs. Chris Charlton (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states no contact occurred then shifts to attacking the NDP leader.The real question, though, is why was the leader of the NDP contacted by the RCMP here on Parliament Hill yesterday.
  5. misdirected
    EthicsMs. Chris Charlton (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer claims the question was answered then attacks the NDP leader's conduct.It is quite remarkable that the members of the NDP are so embarrassed by the conduct of their leader, they are not even prepared to defend it on the floor of the House of Commons.
  6. partly answered
    EthicsMr. David McGuinty (Liberal) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer briefly addresses the transaction then attacks the Liberal leader over charity funds.Mr. Speaker, because it was private.
  7. misdirected
    EthicsMr. David McGuinty (Liberal) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer mentions cooperation then pivots to attacking the Liberal leader.
  8. misdirected
    EthicsMr. David McGuinty (Liberal) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states cooperation will occur then attacks the Liberal leader over charity payments.Again, we would like to know when the Liberal leader will co-operate with the charities from which he took hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees while he was getting paid to act as a member of Parliament.
  9. misdirected
    EthicsMs. Niki Ashton (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer ignores the question on Wright's cheque and pivots to attacking NDP on a citizenship bill.What is government business is ensuring that private members are able to get business through this House of Commons and right now the NDP is filibustering the private member's bill of the member for Calgary Northeast that would strip Canadian citizenship from serious convicted terrorists.
  10. answered
    EthicsMs. Niki Ashton (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly states no and explains why the cheque cannot be handed over.Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and the government cannot hand over a cheque from someone's private account that does not have anything to do with the government.
  11. deflected
    EthicsMs. Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer avoids the question on PMO contact with Wright and shifts to the citizenship bill.The vast majority of Canadians, including NDP supporters and Quebeckers, support the idea of revoking the Canadian citizenship of anyone who is convicted of committing serious terrorist acts.
  12. answered
    EthicsMs. Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer directly addresses the Boisvenu request without deflection.Mr. Speaker, the Senate was right to reject this inappropriate request.
  13. misdirected
    EthicsMs. Alexandrine Latendresse (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer denies contact then attacks NDP on unrelated traffic and tax issues.However, yesterday, the leader of the NDP was contacted by the RCMP, who wanted to know why he ignored all traffic rules on Parliament Hill.
  14. deflected
    EthicsMs. Alexandrine Latendresse (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer repeats denial but immediately pivots to attacking NDP on the citizenship bill.Once again, I hope that the NDP will explain to Canadians why it opposes the idea that dangerous terrorists must lose their citizenship.
  15. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Matthew Dubé (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer denies contact then attacks NDP members on unpaid taxes instead of addressing the question.However, there are still members of the NDP who have not paid their taxes.
  16. deflected
    EthicsMr. Mathieu Ravignat (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer claims the question was answered then redirects to the citizenship bill and NDP opposition.Since the NDP refuses to answer my question, I am going to ask again why they took such extensive measures to prevent the hon. member for Calgary Northeast 's private member's bill from being adopted or even voted on by the immigration committee.
  17. deflected
    EthicsMr. Mathieu Ravignat (NDP) asked Mr. Andrew Saxton (Conservative). loaded question.The answer shifts to spending cuts instead of addressing bonuses or principles.our government is setting the tone by reducing ministers' offices' spending by over 18%, and spending in the Prime Minister 's Office has been reduced by over 22%.
  18. deflected
    EmploymentScott Brison (Liberal) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). substantive question.The answer highlights job numbers and paid internships but ignores the request to track unpaid internships.We are putting $70 million in the budget for 5,000 paid internships, making sure young Canadians have real opportunities.
  19. deflected
    EmploymentMr. Rodger Cuzner (Liberal) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). loaded question.The answer promotes the program in general terms without addressing provincial opposition.We are taking the creation of jobs out of the hands of government and putting it with employers and employees, the people who know how to create jobs in this country.
  20. misdirected
    EmploymentMr. Rodger Cuzner (Liberal) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the Liberal leader instead of addressing the Canada job grant.One worker for a non-profit organization actually lost her job as a result of the Liberal leader.
  21. deflected
    International TradeMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Mr. Gerald Keddy (Conservative). loaded question.The answer accuses the NDP of being anti-jobs rather than discussing agricultural concessions.I knew New Democrats were anti-trade; now I understand they are anti-jobs.
  22. deflected
    International TradeMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked Mr. Gerald Keddy (Conservative). loaded question.The answer repeats anti-trade accusations instead of addressing concerns about a bad deal.The NDP has no intention of signing any deals on trade because it is anti-trade.
  23. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the questioner's leader rather than addressing treaty withdrawals or G8 focus.unlike that member's leader who berated a female officer of the RCMP.
  24. answered
    Foreign AffairsMs. Rosane Doré Lefebvre (NDP) asked Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly explains the government's position on the arms trade treaty and concerns about lawful owners.Canada believes in keeping arms out of the hands of criminals, terrorists and those who abuse fundamental human rights.
  25. deflected
    Aboriginal AffairsMr. Jonathan Genest-Jourdain (NDP) asked Mr. Greg Rickford (Conservative). substantive question.The answer promotes unrelated programs and criticizes the NDP instead of explaining the nominal roll delay.I wish that the NDP would get on board and support these initiatives.
  26. deflected
    Aboriginal AffairsMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Mr. Greg Rickford (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses tuition and education access but avoids explaining the ongoing delay in the nominal roll process.We are working through those processes now.
  27. partly answered
    Canadian HeritageMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Mr. Paul Calandra (Conservative). substantive question.The answer admits ignorance of the specific issue and offers to investigate while pivoting to the new museum mandate.I do not know about the issue that the member talked about.
  28. deflected
    Canadian HeritageMr. Pierre Nantel (NDP) asked Mr. Paul Calandra (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the NDP's attitude toward artifacts instead of addressing consultation or the shipment decision.again this speaks to the NDP attitude, that somehow the treasures we have across this country are supposed to be enjoyed only by certain groups of people.
  29. deflected
    Tourism IndustryMs. Joyce Murray (Liberal) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). substantive question.The answer defends the Tourism Commission's efficiency and criticizes Liberal spending views but does not address the 20% cut or lost visitors.The people there are very efficient.
  30. deflected
    Tourism IndustryMs. Joyce Murray (Liberal) asked Maxime Bernier (Conservative). substantive question.The answer reiterates fiscal responsibility and attacks Liberal deficit views without addressing national parks cuts or US marketing.it is very important for the commission to spend money efficiently, and that is what it is doing.
  31. misdirected
    HealthMs. Rathika Sitsabaiesan (NDP) asked Mr. Colin Carrie (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts to attacking NDP members on taxes instead of outlining any federal plan for wait times under its own coverage.On the NDP side of the House, their members, who receive generous compensation from the Canadian taxpayers, are not even paying their taxes to help support our health care system.
  32. misdirected
    HealthMs. Manon Perreault (NDP) asked Mr. Colin Carrie (Conservative). loaded question.The answer again pivots to NDP tax hypocrisy rather than providing a plan to reduce federally covered wait times.hypocritical that they will not even come down hard on their own members who will not pay their taxes to support our health care system.
  33. misdirected
    Public SafetyMs. Kirsty Duncan (Liberal) asked Ms. Candice Bergen (Conservative). loaded question.The answer ignores the specific tragedy and instead attacks the opposition for opposing crime bills.Every time the opposition members are standing up for criminals instead of the victims.
  34. deflected
    Regional Economic DevelopmentMr. Claude Gravelle (NDP) asked Mr. Greg Rickford (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts blame to the provincial government and NDP instead of outlining federal actions to advance the project.I love these Friday morning lobs from the member for Nickel Belt .
  35. answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Wayne Marston (NDP) asked Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly reports on consular assistance and due process advocacy for the detained Canadians.Consular assistance is being provided to the two Canadians who have been arrested in the Dominican Republic for allegedly injuring another Canadian citizen.
  36. partly answered
    EthicsMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer notes ongoing independent reviews but does not address the request for the Prime Minister to call an inquiry.currently there are independent agencies which are reviewing this matter, as they should do.
  37. misdirected
    EthicsMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Mr. Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer pivots entirely to an unrelated attack on the Liberal leader rather than addressing partisanship in Question Period.today we learned that Leann from the Grace Foundation lost her job.
  38. answered
    Points of OrderWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Mr. Scott Reid (Conservative). loaded question.The answer addresses the procedural accusation by citing House rules against implying deliberate misleading.One is not allowed to accuse someone of deliberately misleading the House.