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Tuesday, June 18, 2013 · sitting No. 272

House advances fighting foreign corruption act amid privilege and ethics clashes

The House devoted the largest share of its time to third reading debate on Bill S-14, the fighting foreign corruption act. Conservative MP Bob Dechert told the House the legislation responds to 2008 OECD criticisms of Canadian law. NDP MP Paul Dewar said the bill leaves Canada ranking low on international transparency measures and requires further strengthening.

In Question Period, NDP MP Megan Leslie asked whether anyone in the Prime Minister's Office had been contacted by the RCMP regarding the $90,000 cheque written by Nigel Wright to Mike Duffy. Heritage Minister James Moore answered that neither the Prime Minister nor any staff member had spoken with the RCMP. Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc asked what instructions the Prime Minister gives chiefs of staff that result in RCMP investigations.

Decided that day

  • Bill C-54 passed
  • Bill C-49 passed
  • Debate on C-54 adjourned
  • Amendment to C-49 defeated
  • Multiple bills received royal assent

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 · 2013-06-18

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 39%, opposition 61% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment businessPrivate members▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0512:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:0018:00Last speech 19:40Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 9 h 35 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
70Bills advance while points pile upThe House passed multiple bills through final stages and royal assent on a day dominated by substantive debate. Procedural interruptions occurred but did not prevent measurable progress.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

Privilege

Speaker ruled there was a prima facie case of privilege regarding the right of the members for Saint Boniface and Selkirk—Interlake to sit and vote, as raised by Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc.

Read the exchange

Intergovernmental Relations

NDP MP Chris Charlton said western premiers had joined Ontario and Quebec in criticizing the Canada job grant and called on the government to stop advertising a program that does not exist. Employment Minister Kellie Leitch replied the government would work with provinces to shift training decisions to employers and employees.

Read the exchange

Foreign Affairs

NDP MP Paul Dewar said the government's bill to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions contains loopholes that would allow Canadian Forces to participate in joint operations using the weapons. Parliamentary Secretary Deepak Obhrai answered the legislation fully implements the convention while preserving Canada's ability to work with allies.

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Pensions

NDP MP Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet said Finance Minister Jim Flaherty had failed to meet provincial counterparts on CPP and QPP reform despite a six-month-old promise. Parliamentary Secretary Ted Menzies replied the last three federal-provincial meetings produced no consensus for expansion.

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National Defence

NDP MP Matthew Kellway asked why Lockheed Martin was signing F-35 training contracts in Canada when no decision on the aircraft had been announced. Associate Minister of National Defence Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay said no funds had been spent on new fighters and the government would not proceed until its seven-point plan is complete.

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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. partly answered
    EthicsMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.Directly states no contact occurred then pivots to attacking the NDP.The answer is no. Neither the Prime Minister nor anyone else in his office has spoken with the RCMP.
  2. deflected
    EthicsMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.Avoids providing proof and instead attacks the NDP leader.Again, the larger question for the NDP, and they try to avoid this day in and day out, is why the leader of the NDP failed, after 17 years, to disclose corruption in the city of Montreal.
  3. misdirected
    Government AppointmentsMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.Ignores the hiring recommendation question and attacks the NDP leader instead.
  4. deflected
    Government AppointmentsMs. Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.Restates general accountability without addressing who recommended the hire.if Mr. Zajdel, Mr. Applebaum or anybody else is convicted of wrongdoing, he or she should be held accountable to the full extent of the law.
  5. answered
    Government AppointmentsMs. Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe (NDP) asked Mr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative). substantive question.Directly states there was no political interference in the contract.senior officials at Public Works and Government Services Canada have clearly stated that there was no political interference in the awarding of that contract.
  6. misdirected
    Government AppointmentsDominic LeBlanc (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). loaded question.Counters by noting Liberals also considered the individual rather than addressing the security check.his party asked Mr. Zajdel to run as a candidate for the Liberal Party.
  7. misdirected
    EthicsDominic LeBlanc (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). loaded question.Ignores the PMO culture question and attacks the Liberal leader's charity payments.perhaps he can explain why the current Liberal leader has, again, taken money from charities that were designed to raise money to provide beds for seniors and literacy programs for kids
  8. misdirected
    EthicsDominic LeBlanc (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). loaded question.Ignores the question and pivots to attacking a Liberal senator instead.Liberal Senator Pana Merchant has $1.7 million hiding outside of this country and is not paying her taxes
  9. misdirected
    Government AppointmentsMs. Ève Péclet (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the hiring question and instead attacks the NDP leader.Again, it is no wonder the Charbonneau commission is going to take five years and cost millions of dollars, when people like the leader of the NDP do not co-operate with these investigations as they are ongoing.
  10. deflected
    Government AppointmentsMs. Ève Péclet (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids the date question by implying the asker is uninformed.My colleague should be more familiar with this matter.
  11. misdirected
    Government AppointmentsMs. Rosane Doré Lefebvre (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). loaded question.The answer ignores the interview question and launches a broad attack on the NDP.During this session of the House of Commons, the NDP has truly displayed its judgment: members who do not pay their taxes and a leader who shirks his responsibility to work with the Charbonneau commission.
  12. answered
    EthicsMs. Rosane Doré Lefebvre (NDP) asked Mr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states there was no political interference in the contract.senior officials at Public Works and Government Services Canada have clearly stated that there was no political interference in the awarding of that contract.
  13. answered
    EthicsMs. Jean Crowder (NDP) asked Mr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative). substantive question.The answer is a clear and concise negative to the recommendation question.
  14. answered
    EthicsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Mr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly denies any discussion with the staffer.Mr. Speaker, the answer is no.
  15. answered
    Government AppointmentsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly denies any other ministerial work by Zajdel.
  16. deflected
    Business of the HouseMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the time allocation question and pivots to unrelated economic talking points.Our government is delivering on what really matters to Canadians, while they stand in the way.
  17. deflected
    Business of the HouseMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked Peter Van Loan (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer ignores all points about scandal and abuse of power to restate economic talking points.We have over a million net new jobs.
  18. answered
    EthicsMr. Marc Garneau (Liberal) asked Mr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly addresses both the claim of interference and the request for cooperation.senior officials at Public Works and Government Services Canada have clearly stated that there was no political interference in the awarding of that contract.
  19. partly answered
    Government AppointmentsGerry Byrne (Liberal) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.The answer assures cooperation but does not confirm awareness of the third investigation.I can assure the hon. member that although ECBC is an arm's-length crown corporation, I expect officials to co-operate with any investigation that is ongoing.
  20. partly answered
    Government AppointmentsGerry Byrne (Liberal) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.The answer gives the assurance requested but adds an unrelated partisan attack on Liberals.The Public Service Commission found no evidence of any political interference, which not surprisingly is in stark contrast to a 2006 report on the Liberal phantom job scheme.
  21. deflected
    National DefenceMs. Christine Moore (NDP) asked Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids confirming or denying a decision and pivots to job numbers and the seven-point plan.Our participation in the MOU ensures that Canadian industry continues to have access to billions of dollars in contracts.
  22. deflected
    National DefenceMr. Matthew Kellway (NDP) asked Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats prior statements without addressing the contradiction raised about Lockheed Martin.No money has been spent on the purchase of new fighter aircraft.
  23. answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly defends the legislation against the charge of loopholes and explains its purpose.our legislation fully implements Canada's commitment to the convention and is in line with our key allies, including Australia and the United Kingdom.
  24. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMs. Hélène Laverdière (NDP) asked Mr. Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.The answer defends the bill but does not respond to the request to work together on fixes.The prohibiting cluster munitions act would fully implement Canada's commitment to the convention and would strike a full balance between humanitarian obligations, while preserving our national security and defence interests.
  25. deflected
    Intergovernmental RelationsMrs. Anne-Marie Day (NDP) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). loaded question.The answer restates the government's position on skills training without addressing provincial opposition or nonexistent program ads.There are jobs sitting vacant in Canada because employers cannot find workers with the right skills.
  26. deflected
    Intergovernmental RelationsMs. Chris Charlton (NDP) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats the desire to work with provinces but ignores the call to halt ads and develop a new pan-Canadian program.We have serious skills shortages across the country.
  27. partly answered
    Government AppointmentsMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). loaded question.The answer addresses the referral to the Ethics Commissioner but avoids details on the minister's alleged role in patronage hiring.as soon as I became aware of these allegations, I did direct ACOA officials to refer the matter to the Ethics Commissioner.
  28. misdirected
    Government AppointmentsMr. Ryan Cleary (NDP) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the questioner as making false allegations and pivots to unrelated ACOA work instead of addressing patronage.What the member is alleging is completely false, and he knows it.
  29. deflected
    Government AdvertisingMr. Francis Scarpaleggia (Liberal) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). loaded question.The answer justifies government advertising in general without addressing the cost or the program's nonexistent status.the government has a responsibility to inform Canadians about the programs and benefits available to them.
  30. misdirected
    Government AdvertisingMs. Joyce Murray (Liberal) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). loaded question.The answer shifts to attacking the Liberal leader's past donation instead of answering the ad budget question.Back in April 2012, he took $20,000 from the Literacy for Life Foundation.
  31. partly answered
    PensionsMs. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (NDP) asked Ted Menzies (Conservative). loaded question.The answer explains lack of consensus on CPP expansion but does not address the missed meeting or photo-op criticism.the last three times that we met with the provincial finance ministers there was no consensus among those ministers to move forward with any expansion of the Canada pension plan.
  32. deflected
    PensionsMs. Irene Mathyssen (NDP) asked Ted Menzies (Conservative). substantive question.The answer reiterates the need for consensus and pivots to PRPPs without committing to a meeting date.There was no consensus to move forward in the last three meetings that we have had.
  33. partly answered
    Canadian HeritageJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer highlights the media fund's support for minority languages but does not address the specific cutbacks or program cancellations mentioned.Our government has created the Canada media fund; that is what we are doing.
  34. deflected
    Government AppointmentsMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked Mr. Andrew Saxton (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses general rules on whistleblowing but avoids the specific abuse, reappointments, and fired whistleblowers.We put in place tough rules following 13 years of Liberal scandals and mismanagement.
  35. answered
    Official LanguagesMr. Claude Gravelle (NDP) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly assures support for French outside Quebec via the roadmap and addresses training for francophone immigrants.one of the goals of our roadmap for official languages is to protect and promote French outside Quebec, in every region of the country
  36. partly answered
    EmploymentMr. Brent Rathgeber (Independent) asked Ms. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the reforms' purpose but does not address why the government changed rules rather than simply enforcing existing ones against outsourcing.our government has introduced reforms to the temporary foreign worker program so that Canadians always come first in line for every available job.
  37. misdirected
    Points of OrderMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Mr. Daryl Kramp (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the request for a Speaker's ruling and instead attacks the member personally for raising the point of order.I heard the comment from the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands and I take offence to it.