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Wednesday, September 24, 2014 · sitting No. 115

Commons begins debate on Canada-Korea free trade bill

The House spent the largest share of its sitting on second reading of Bill C-41, the Canada-Korea Economic Growth and Prosperity Act. Trade Minister Ed Fast told members the agreement would increase Canadian exports by 32 per cent and add close to $2 billion in economic activity. New Democrat MP Don Davies said the auto sector would suffer from removal of the 6.1 per cent tariff on Korean vehicles, while Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux said earlier delay had already cost Canadian pork producers market share.

In Question Period the NDP pressed the government for details on the number of Canadian troops now in Iraq and the status of a forces agreement with Baghdad. Conservative parliamentary secretary James Bezan said 69 Canadian special forces members were deployed in an advisory role only and that the 30-day clock began on September 5. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair asked whether the mission would end on October 4 as previously indicated by a backbench member.

The NDP also pressed Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq to table oil-and-gas emissions regulations before the 2015 Paris conference, while Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau asked Finance Minister Joe Oliver what measures would narrow the income gap between younger and older workers.

Decided that day

  • C-586 advanced to second reading
  • C-587 advanced to second reading
  • Report of the Special Committee on Violence Against Indigenous Women adopted

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 · 2014-09-24

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 44%, opposition 56% of the words spokenQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 14:0515:0016:0017:0018:00Last speech 19:00Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 4 h 55 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
62Two Bills Advance, Several Motions FailThe House spent most of its time on legislation and committee reports, advancing two private members' bills to second reading and adopting a report on violence against Indigenous women. Several opposition motions on energy, employment insurance and foreign affairs were defeated after recorded votes.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

Aboriginal Affairs

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair asked the government to support a national public inquiry into the deaths and disappearances of 1,200 aboriginal women, while Conservative minister K. Kellie Leitch said the government’s action plan already addressed families’ concerns.

Read the exchange

Employment Insurance

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau urged the government to adopt an EI premium exemption for new hires, and Finance Minister Joe Oliver replied that the Liberal plan would encourage the firing of seasonal workers.

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Foreign Affairs

NDP MP Peggy Nash said Canadian sanctions on Russia were weaker than American measures against oil companies, while parliamentary secretary Deepak Obhrai said Canada had imposed 171 sanctions compared with 107 by the United States.

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Agriculture and Agri-Food

NDP MP Malcolm Allen said the government had reduced daily fines on railways from $100,000 to $100,000 a week, while Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said the minister of agriculture had consistently defended grain farmers.

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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
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer refuses to confirm the October 4 end date and instead attacks the NDP.It is outrageous that the NDP would have us do nothing in the face of that threat.
  2. answered
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states the number of personnel committed and deployed.I can confirm that we have committed 69 members of the Canadian special armed forces to be in Iraq to provide tactical and strategic advice in a non-combat role, and that is exactly what we are doing.
  3. deflected
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the yes-or-no question on the status of forces agreement and attacks the NDP instead.
  4. deflected
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains past practice and suggests an opposition day rather than addressing when a vote will occur.Having said that, the opposition has its own opposition days when it can bring this forward for debate and also a vote.
  5. deflected
    Aboriginal AffairsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked K. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). substantive question.The answer promotes the action plan and quotes a supporter instead of addressing support for a public inquiry.This Action Plan is something that our families have been waiting for.
  6. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Joe Oliver (Conservative). substantive question.The answer lists general low-income supports and attacks opponents rather than addressing the youth income gap.However, the Liberals and NDP have voted against these measures and against low-income Canadians each and every time.
  7. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Joe Oliver (Conservative). substantive question.The answer provides low-income statistics without addressing the youth gap or the Liberals' plan.It is therefore not surprising that the federal tax burden is the lowest it has been in 50 years.
  8. misdirected
    Employment InsuranceMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Joe Oliver (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the Liberals' past record instead of addressing the proposed EI premium exemption vote.The Liberals used EI premiums as a political slush fund, and they completely raided the account by almost $60 billion.
  9. deflected
    The EnvironmentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids naming any specific measures for Paris and instead repeats general positions plus the carbon tax attack.we want an agreement for Canada that is fair, that includes all emitters and all economies.
  10. deflected
    The EnvironmentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). loaded question.The answer lists emission statistics and the carbon-tax line but never addresses lost economic opportunities or partnerships.Canada's greenhouse gas emission level represents less than 2% of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
  11. deflected
    The EnvironmentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses vehicle regulations already announced and again invokes the carbon tax while ignoring the oil-and-gas question entirely.I was very proud to announce further action that we were taking related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the auto industry.
  12. deflected
    The EnvironmentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Leona Aglukkaq (Conservative). substantive question.The answer cites past actions and an annual report but supplies no plan or numbers showing how targets will be met.
  13. deflected
    EmploymentMrs. Sadia Groguhé (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). loaded question.The answer claims the question is unclear then pivots to training and the carbon-tax line without addressing accountability for the TFW program.we conducted a comprehensive reform of the temporary foreign worker program, which led to a 75% drop in employers' requests for foreign workers.
  14. misdirected
    EmploymentMs. Jinny Jogindera Sims (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer accuses the member of misreading and shifts to lecturing provinces on training instead of addressing ministerial accountability.it might behoove her to actually read the remarks that I made, which had nothing to do at all with the temporary foreign worker program.
  15. misdirected
    EmploymentMs. Jinny Jogindera Sims (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer calls the premise a fabrication then turns the question back on the NDP leader with restaurant employment statistics.My question for the Leader of the Opposition is, who are those people he sees when he says everybody working in those restaurants is coming from another country?
  16. deflected
    Aboriginal AffairsMrs. Carol Hughes (NDP) asked K. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer promotes the government's action plan and prevention programs while refusing to address the call for a national inquiry.what they have asked for is our action plan.
  17. deflected
    Aboriginal AffairsMr. Romeo Saganash (NDP) asked K. Kellie Leitch (Conservative). rhetorical question.Answer pushes government plan and attacks NDP instead of addressing the call for inquiry or vote.We are acting now, and I ask the NDP to support it, but I do not expect that, because New Democrats have opposed every initiative we have put forward.
  18. deflected
    The EnvironmentStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.Answer clarifies jurisdiction and declines further comment on the legal matter rather than addressing the minister's role.as this is a legal matter, I have nothing more to add.
  19. misdirected
    Employment InsuranceJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked Joe Oliver (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks the Liberal plan and leader instead of addressing when Conservatives would adopt it.the Liberal leader's hastily conceived back-of-the-envelope mishmash of ideas would do the very thing he indirectly and incorrectly identifies is the problem with our plan.
  20. misdirected
    Employment InsuranceScott Brison (Liberal) asked Joe Oliver (Conservative). loaded question.Answer defends the Conservative plan and criticizes the Liberal one without addressing adoption of the Liberal proposal.In contrast, the Liberal plan would encourage the firing of seasonal and temporary workers, precisely the opposite of what we want to achieve.
  21. partly answered
    National DefenceMs. Élaine Michaud (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.Answer provides spending figures and context on modernization but does not address the cost of mismanagement or buying aging ships.The joint supply ship project will deliver two ships and will replace the navy's Protecteur -class vessels that are now more than 40 years old and nearing the end of their service lives.
  22. deflected
    National DefenceMr. Jack Harris (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.Answer highlights fleet modernization without addressing the cost of the new gambit or why the navy must scramble.This includes the modernization of 12 Halifax -class frigates, seven of which are already completed with their refits.
  23. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMs. Peggy Nash (NDP) asked Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.Answer cites total sanction numbers but ignores the specific claim about oil company loopholes.Canada has approximately 171 sanctions against the Russians.
  24. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMs. Hélène Laverdière (NDP) asked Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.Answer cites Ukrainian praise and general support without addressing oil company targeting or priorities.
  25. deflected
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Malcolm Allen (NDP) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.The answer praises the minister and asserts enforcement without addressing the reduction in fines or the reason for any change.He has stood up, all the time, for grain farmers.
  26. deflected
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodMs. Linda Duncan (NDP) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.The answer thanks the minister and quotes a third party without explaining the lower penalties.This action demonstrates that Government is listening to farmers' concerns.
  27. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. François Lapointe (NDP) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats that the ruling concerned provincial law and defends DFO scientists without releasing the requested opinions.I find it ironic that the New Democrats claim to be on the side of science and then turn around and question our scientists' competence when it suits their politics.
  28. deflected
    The EnvironmentMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.The answer again cites the provincial ruling and states that information is online without providing the missing scientific opinions.As I said before, all of the scientific information is on the Internet.
  29. misdirected
    National DefenceMs. Joyce Murray (Liberal) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the Liberal record instead of addressing costs or delays of the supply-ship program.that is really rich coming from the Liberal Party, a party that cancelled our replacements to the Sea Kings, the party that went and bought used submarines.
  30. misdirected
    Public SafetyMr. Adam Vaughan (Liberal) asked Steven Blaney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the member's voting record rather than discussing disaster-relief protocols or response times.What is insulting is that the Liberal member voted against a $200 million budget to prepare Canada and communities for natural disasters.
  31. partly answered
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states the government will review its commitment after 30 days but does not confirm whether a House debate or vote will occur.we will have these discussions as we review our progress and look at renewing our commitment.
  32. deflected
    Canada PostMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.The answer cites delivery-volume statistics and a defeated FCM motion without addressing the cost of mailbox space or reconsidering the policy.In answer to the member's question, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities overwhelmingly defeated a motion asking the government to turn over the changes at Canada Post.
  33. deflected
    International TradeWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Ed Fast (Conservative). substantive question.The answer highlights agreement benefits and attacks Liberals but avoids any assurance on the January 1 deadline.In more than 13 long, dark years under the Liberals, they got nothing done on the trade file.
  34. deflected
    Mining IndustryMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked Deepak Obhrai (Conservative). substantive question.The response criticizes the bill's flaws rather than stating whether Conservatives will support it.Unfortunately, Bill C-486 is fundamentally flawed, and instead of making tangible progress on the issue, it stigmatizes the region in Africa and creates burdens and red tape that would only serve to harm the people of the Great Lakes.
  35. answered
    Canada PostMrs. Djaouida Sellah (NDP) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains Canada Post's declining mail volumes and the five-point plan to ensure self-sufficiency.Canada Post is facing a reality where people are simply not utilizing the mail anymore.
  36. partly answered
    The EnvironmentMr. Claude Patry (Bloc) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). loaded question.The answer addresses the federal DFO review but ignores the call to comply with BAPE studies before proceeding.DFO conducted its own review of TransCanada's work, and we did approve it, based on science advice and under the strictest conditions.