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Wednesday, October 1, 2014 · sitting No. 120

Commons curbs debate on cyberbullying bill amid opposition protests

The House spent the largest portion of its sitting on a government motion to limit further debate on Bill C-13 at report stage and third reading. Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan moved that one further sitting day be allotted to report stage and one day to third reading. NDP MP Françoise Boivin called the move the 78th time allocation motion and said it prevented proper scrutiny of the bill's provisions on online crime.

In Question Period, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair questioned Prime Minister Stephen Harper four times on the number of Canadian soldiers in Iraq, noting inconsistent answers on previous days. Harper replied that the government had authorized up to 69 personnel and that 26 were currently deployed. Mulcair also asked whether any Canadian Forces were in Syria, and Harper answered no.

Liberal MP Marc Garneau raised the same troop numbers with Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, who said the figure remained within the authorized maximum. NDP MP Hélène Laverdière asked Baird what additional humanitarian aid Canada had provided in Iraq since a month earlier, and Baird said the priority remained stopping the spread of atrocities.

Decided that day

  • Bill C-13 read a second time and referred to committee
  • C-41 advanced to second reading
  • C-630 and C-629 introduced
  • Status of Women committee study ordered
  • Access to Information committee report adopted
  • Time allocation on C-13 approved

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 · 2014-10-01

Government (Conservative)OppositionOver the day: government 48%, opposition 52% of the words spokenQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 14:0515:0016:0017:0018:00Last speech 19:20Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 5 h 15 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
68Bills inch forward through votes and referralsThe House devoted most of its time to the online crime bill and advanced three pieces of legislation through recorded votes. Question period produced more deflections than clear answers, yet no procedural disputes interrupted proceedings.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

Health

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair asked Prime Minister Stephen Harper what precautions were in place after the first U.S. Ebola diagnosis. Harper said the Public Health Agency assessed the risk to Canadians as low and advised against non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Read the exchange

Health

NDP MP Dany Morin asked Health Minister Rona Ambrose to impose a mandatory recall of products from three Apotex plants after the U.S. FDA raised safety concerns. Conservative MP Eve Adams said all medication from the plants had been quarantined and Vanessa's law would soon give Health Canada stronger enforcement powers.

Read the exchange

Canadian Heritage

Conservative MP Ryan Leef asked Prime Minister Stephen Harper for an update on the identification of the Franklin expedition ship found last month. Harper confirmed it was the HMS Erebus.

Read the exchange

The Environment

NDP MP Megan Leslie asked Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford what action the government would take after a report showed climate change disrupting boreal forests and harming the forestry sector. Conservative MP Kelly Block said the government had invested in clean energy and would focus on innovation and pest protection.

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Privacy

NDP MP Randall Garrison asked Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney why CSIS lawyers were trying to limit the scope of a SIRC review into spying on pipeline opponents. Blaney said the agency protects Canadians while respecting the law.

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. answered
    HealthThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly details the Public Health Agency's actions and travel advice in response to the query on Ebola precautions.the Public Health Agency has obviously been seized with this for some time.
  2. answered
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer provides the exact current number and authorized maximum of soldiers.
  3. deflected
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer restates the authorized maximum without addressing the prior inconsistent numbers or trust issue.the government has authorized up to 69 personnel.
  4. answered
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer gives a clear yes/no response to the presence of forces in Syria.
  5. deflected
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer challenges the premise about an open-ended war but does not address readiness for it.In fact, the American military had entirely left the country of Iraq for the past couple of years.
  6. deflected
    National DefenceMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer claims uncertainty about the question and shifts to general threat assessment without providing numbers.I am not sure what the question was there.
  7. deflected
    National DefenceMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer restates the government's position and attacks the Liberal Party's stance instead of detailing mission activities.It is the Liberal Party's position that is unclear.
  8. deflected
    National DefenceMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids specifics on the current mission and pivots to criticizing the opposition's position.Canadians do not know the position of the Liberal Party.
  9. partly answered
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states no decision has been made but does not confirm if air strikes are under consideration.the government has not made a decision.
  10. answered
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly confirms that large-scale ground deployment is not being considered.obviously that is not something we are considering.
  11. deflected
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids any cost estimate by stating spending will be within the existing budget.any decisions made to date fall within the current National Defence budget.
  12. misdirected
    National DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the question's wording instead of addressing the cost inquiry.this is a very serious issue to throw around terms like the member just threw around.
  13. deflected
    Foreign AffairsMs. Hélène Laverdière (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer shifts focus to stopping the crisis rather than detailing increased humanitarian aid.with the human tragedies going on, first and foremost we have to look at what can do to stop this humanitarian crisis from growing.
  14. deflected
    FinanceMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Kevin Sorenson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer emphasizes overall funding increases without addressing the claimed $36 billion cut.no government in Canadian history has provided more funding to the provinces for health care, and it continues to grow.
  15. deflected
    FinanceMs. Libby Davies (NDP) asked Kevin Sorenson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer repeats claims of increased funding without addressing the impact of the claimed cuts.No government in Canadian history has provided more funding to the provinces for health care, and it continues to grow.
  16. partly answered
    HealthMs. Libby Davies (NDP) asked Ms. Eve Adams (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains immediate action taken but does not address reliance on U.S. information or prior warnings.As soon as Health Canada was made aware of this information, it acted immediately to quarantine the medication.
  17. deflected
    HealthMr. Dany Morin (NDP) asked Ms. Eve Adams (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids committing to a mandatory recall and instead promotes Vanessa's law.Vanessa's law is critical, and we would urge the Senate to pass it with all due haste.
  18. misdirected
    National DefenceMs. Joyce Murray (Liberal) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). substantive question.Corrects the asker on budget but doesn't address the projected total or supplementary funds.on the last point, the hon. member is wrong.
  19. partly answered
    National DefenceMr. Marc Garneau (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.Specifies support in Kurdistan regional government area but doesn't explicitly say if both or which.we are providing support to the people of Iraq and Iraqi forces, particularly those near and around Erbil in the Kurdistan regional government area.
  20. answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Marc Garneau (Liberal) asked John Baird (Conservative). loaded question.Clarifies the authorization was up to 69 and actual is a few dozen.the Prime Minister authorized up to 69 members of the Canadian Forces
  21. deflected
    International TradeMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Ed Fast (Conservative). substantive question.Focuses on overall benefits instead of specific compensation plans.This trade agreement is expected to increase economic activity in Canada by $12 billion.
  22. partly answered
    International TradeMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Gerry Ritz (Conservative). substantive question.Indicates ongoing discussions but provides no specific timeline for compensation announcement.I have had discussions ongoing with the dairy industry across Canada as to how best to address these new opportunities.
  23. deflected
    International TradeMr. Don Davies (NDP) asked Ed Fast (Conservative). substantive question.Emphasizes EU's satisfaction without addressing the investor-state provision's necessity or ratification issues.the new incoming trade commissioner for the EU said that she did not intend to reopen negotiations on this agreement.
  24. misdirected
    International TradeMr. Don Davies (NDP) asked Ed Fast (Conservative). substantive question.Promotes the trade agreement instead of addressing the costs incurred.this is the most comprehensive trade agreement Canada has ever signed.
  25. deflected
    The EnvironmentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Mrs. Kelly Block (Conservative). substantive question.The answer pivots to clean energy investments and efficiency ratings instead of addressing the forestry report or boreal forest protection.our government has invested significantly more into clean energy than the previous Liberal government, and the results are showing.
  26. deflected
    The EnvironmentMs. Megan Leslie (NDP) asked Mrs. Kelly Block (Conservative). loaded question.The answer highlights economic action plan measures for forestry but avoids the question on oil and gas regulation and the specific report.Our government understands how important forestry is for job creation and economic growth.
  27. deflected
    PrivacyMr. Randall Garrison (NDP) asked Steven Blaney (Conservative). substantive question.The answer offers a general assurance about protecting Canadians and respecting laws without addressing the SIRC investigation or CSIS actions.it is important for our agency to protect all Canadians, and I have full trust that it will do its job in a diligent way, while respecting Canadian laws.
  28. misdirected
    PrivacyMs. Rosane Doré Lefebvre (NDP) asked Steven Blaney (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends agencies and inserts a partisan jab at the NDP rather than addressing the scope of the SIRC investigation.These groups, which even include former members of the NDP, will continue to do their job and protect Canadians.
  29. answered
    The EconomyScott Brison (Liberal) asked Kevin Sorenson (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly confirms the debt-to-GDP ratio point as a mathematical fact while contrasting it with deficit spending.On the other hand, with balanced budgets, the debt-to-GDP ratio will fall as GDP rises.
  30. deflected
    TaxationScott Brison (Liberal) asked Kevin Sorenson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends income splitting for seniors and attacks the Liberal leader instead of addressing the criticisms of the new scheme.The Liberal leader should explain why he has pledged to reverse income splitting.
  31. partly answered
    HealthMr. Claude Gravelle (NDP) asked Ms. Eve Adams (Conservative). substantive question.The answer notes a national plan and research funding increases but does not address the call for a national dementia strategy or provincial burden-sharing.as of late last year, there is a national plan to tackle the growing dementia onset and related illnesses.
  32. deflected
    SeniorsMs. Irene Mathyssen (NDP) asked Alice Wong (Conservative). substantive question.The answer lists existing initiatives and past votes against them but does not address the request for a national aging strategy.our strategy is to continue to work hard for seniors across Canada.
  33. partly answered
    HealthJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked Ms. Eve Adams (Conservative). substantive question.The answer details research funding and a tax credit but does not address a national dementia strategy or provincial meeting outcomes.We have $31.5 million to create and support the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, and our investment since 2006 amounts to over $850 million for neuroscience research.
  34. deflected
    Rail TransportationMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Mr. Jeff Watson (Conservative). substantive question.The response restates VIA Rail's cost-effectiveness mandate and offers future meetings without addressing the transfer of station responsibilities.In keeping with this objective, VIA is responsible for providing service in as cost-effective a manner as possible.
  35. misdirected
    Fisheries and OceansMr. Ryan Cleary (NDP) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.The answer pivots to defending scientific advice and implies the questioner wants to ignore it rather than addressing quota allocation or adjacency.I hope that the member is not suggesting that we ignore science, and fish stocks collapse.
  36. answered
    Aboriginal AffairsMr. Dean Del Mastro (Independent) asked Bernard Valcourt (Conservative). substantive question.The minister directly agrees to review the specific funding application and provide a written update.I will surely look into the matter and advise him as I can.