All sittings← 2014-11-182014-11-20 →
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 · sitting No. 144
Commons curbs debate on farm bill after 82nd time allocation
The government used its 82nd time allocation motion to limit debate on Bill C-18, the agricultural growth act, to one further sitting day at report stage and one day at third reading. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz told the House the bill had been discussed for more than two decades and that committee hearings had already heard more than 50 witnesses. NDP House Leader Peter Julian called the move an unprecedented attack on parliamentary debate and said half a dozen Conservative laws had already been struck down by courts this year.
In Question Period, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair pressed Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the failure to create promised child care spaces and on a reduction in the rate of increase for health transfers. Harper replied that benefits and tax cuts had been delivered and that transfers continued to rise. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau questioned the government on delayed infrastructure spending and on its refusal to modernize the access to information system.
Decided that day
- Bill C-18 passed second reading and referred to Health committee
- Agriculture and Agri-Food committee first report adopted
- Several amendments to Bill C-18 defeated
- S-1001 advanced in first chamber
- C-608 advanced to second reading
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 · 2014-11-19
68Farm bill advances through multiple votesThe House spent most of its time on the Agricultural Growth Act, passing second reading and referring the bill to committee while defeating several amendments. Routine reports and other bills also moved forward with no procedural disruptions recorded.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
Infrastructure
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said the government had broken its promise to start Building Canada fund projects in 2014 and had cut funding by 90 per cent. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replied that the Liberals had voted against the largest infrastructure program in Canadian history.
Read the exchangeAccess to Information
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau accused the government of opposing transparency by voting against a bill that would speed up responses and move records online. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the government had already brought 70 new agencies under the act, a step the Liberals had opposed.
Read the exchangeHealth
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said the Prime Minister had broken a 2011 promise to maintain 6 per cent annual increases in health transfers. Prime Minister Stephen Harper replied that transfers remained at record levels and would continue to grow by at least 3 per cent a year.
Read the exchangeVeterans Affairs
NDP MP Peter Stoffer thanked the government for extending regular-force benefits to the family of reservist Corporal Nathan Cirillo but said other reservists still receive lesser benefits. Minister Parm Gill said officials had been directed to close the gap for remaining cases.
Read the exchangeCitizenship and Immigration
NDP MP Andrew Cash said Canada had accepted only 200 Syrian refugees despite a departmental assessment that thousands more could be taken. Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said arrivals had reached 1,857 and that commitments for both Syrian and Iraqi refugees had been met or exceeded.
Read the exchangeQuestion 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
- deflectedChild CareThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer shifts to voting results and general affordability without addressing the specific promise on child care spaces.
We have put forward, over the past nine years, plans to make life more affordable for all Canadian families.
- deflectedChild CareThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer references general meetings with provinces but avoids committing to a meeting on child care with Ontario's premier.
I have regular meetings with provinces and territories across the country, in fact some 300 since I have become Prime Minister.
- misdirectedChild CareThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks the NDP's position on benefits rather than addressing the broken promise on child care spaces.
The NDP wants to take those benefits away from Quebeckers.
- partly answeredHealthThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Answer confirms the 6% increases continue as scheduled but does not address the reduction to 3% or the broken promise claim.
Those 6% increases are continuing exactly as scheduled.
- misdirectedHealthThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Answer contrasts with past Liberal actions instead of addressing the unilateral cuts or using surplus for health transfers.
It is quite different from that of the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP, which cut transfers to the provincial health care systems.
- deflectedAccess to InformationMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer highlights past actions on transparency but ignores the question on modernizing access to information and voting against the bill.
The Liberal Party not only opposed that Accountability Act, it opposed union transparency and it opposed transparency for people living on first nations reserves.
- misdirectedInfrastructureMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.Answer claims facts are wrong and attacks Liberal tax policy instead of addressing the broken infrastructure promise and funding cuts.
On this side we are investing in infrastructure. On the other hand, all the Liberals want is tax hikes to pay bureaucracy.
- partly answeredIntergovernmental RelationsMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.Answer states Canada was represented and is open to ideas but does not address the absence or refusal to engage with Montreal projects.
I was told that the Government of Canada was represented at that conference.
- partly answeredPovertyMs. Nycole Turmel (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer provides data on reduced child poverty rates but does not address the call to change tax policies or commit to new measures.
The low-income rate for children has declined significantly from a peak of over 18% under the Liberal government to 8.5% currently.
- partly answeredPovertyMs. Rathika Sitsabaiesan (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer cites progress and existing benefits but does not commit to new immediate action to eliminate poverty.
the low-income rate for children has declined significantly from a peak of over 18% under the Liberal government to 8.5% currently, with over 700,000 fewer Canadian children living in low-income families.
- deflectedPovertyMs. Rathika Sitsabaiesan (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer lists past actions and attacks NDP position instead of addressing support for the specific motion.
unlike the NDP, we will take more than just rhetorical measures.
- misdirectedEmployment InsuranceMr. Robert Aubin (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer shifts to EI appeals and Quebec process rather than addressing tribunal staffing or backlog delays.
thanks to my department's efficiency, we have seen a 90% decrease in employment insurance appeals.
- answeredEmployment InsuranceMs. Jinny Jogindera Sims (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly explains the new reconsideration process and measures to reduce backlog.
our ministry did take action by introducing a new approach toward reconsideration of EI refusals.
- answeredEmployment InsuranceMr. Mike Sullivan (NDP) asked Jason Kenney (Conservative). substantive question.Answer commits to hiring more decision-makers and reallocating resources to clear the backlog.
- partly answeredHousingMs. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (NDP) asked Candice Bergen (Conservative). substantive question.Answer highlights existing investments and programs but does not commit to protecting or increasing future funding.
our investments have helped over one million families and individuals with affordable housing.
- deflectedInfrastructureMr. Murray Rankin (NDP) asked Denis Lebel (Conservative). substantive question.Answer emphasizes past support and criticizes NDP voting record instead of committing to new infrastructure investments.
I realize that my colleagues do not like this, because they always vote against infrastructure plans.
- deflectedInfrastructureMr. Claude Gravelle (NDP) asked Greg Rickford (Conservative). loaded question.Answer avoids addressing federal refusal or leadership by shifting to provincial action.
We remain very optimistic that once the province has submitted its list of priorities for infrastructure projects, which should include infrastructure projects to support the Ring of Fire, we will be there.
- deflectedInfrastructureMr. Adam Vaughan (Liberal) asked Denis Lebel (Conservative). loaded question.Answer ignores specific examples and pivots to past Liberal record and general tripling of funds.
Under the leadership of the Prime Minister , we have tripled the investment in infrastructure.
- deflectedInfrastructureMs. Joyce Murray (Liberal) asked Denis Lebel (Conservative). loaded question.Answer calls preamble false and discusses gas tax fund instead of addressing the 90% cut claim.
On the gas tax fund, all municipalities in the country already have the money available, which was announced all across the country, and municipalities know it.
- misdirectedRegional Economic DevelopmentMr. David McGuinty (Liberal) asked Greg Rickford (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks Ontario's commitment and first nations support rather than addressing the request for a prime ministerial meeting.
Ontario has not committed a red cent and has set up a development corporation that is not supported by first nation communities the private sector, and it is not a policy option for this government in its current form.
- partly answeredNational DefenceMr. Robert Chisholm (NDP) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). substantive question.Answer addresses cost indirectly via overall investment but does not quantify the specific seven-year gap cost.
our national shipbuilding project represents a $36.6 billion investment that will contribute to our surface fleet for decades.
- deflectedNational DefenceMs. Élaine Michaud (NDP) asked Rob Nicholson (Conservative). substantive question.Answer repeats opposition by NDP and lists other programs instead of addressing resupply gap cost.
Every cent that has ever been committed to our military has consistently been opposed by the NDP.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsMr. Sylvain Chicoine (NDP) asked Mr. Parm Gill (Conservative). loaded question.Answer ignores exclusion and boycott claims by emphasizing meetings with major groups.
Our government is proud to say that we have had the privilege of meeting with thousands of veterans, including the very people mentioned by the member opposite.
- answeredVeterans AffairsMr. Peter Stoffer (NDP) asked Mr. Parm Gill (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly states government is working to fix the reservist discrepancy.
Our government is working to fix the discrepancy for the other reservists killed in the line of duty as well.
- deflectedAccess to InformationMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Mr. Dan Albas (Conservative). loaded question.Answer restates funding process without addressing accusations of undermining.
If agents of Parliament believe they need extra funding, they should respect the process and make a formal request through a Treasury Board submission.
- deflectedAccess to InformationMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Mr. Dan Albas (Conservative). loaded question.Answer repeats process explanation and cuts off without engaging the muzzling claim.
The Treasury Board gives fair consideration to all submissions for additional funding in the supplementary estimates, and currently the President of the Treasury Board has not received a formal request for additional funds for the Information Commissioner.
- misdirectedCitizenship and ImmigrationMrs. Sadia Groguhé (NDP) asked Chris Alexander (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks the premise and pivots to defending policy instead of addressing the social assistance cut.
That ruling means that people whose refugee protection claims have been found to be fraudulent could receive better health care than Canadians receive.
- misdirectedCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Andrew Cash (NDP) asked Chris Alexander (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks the NDP and changes subject to ISIL instead of explaining Syrian refugee numbers.
In a crisis where there are millions of internally displaced, millions of refugees fleeing terrorist violence, the NDP needs to explain why it is not prepared to do a single thing to face up to ISIL and other terrorist groups.
- partly answeredFisheries and OceansMs. Judy Foote (Liberal) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.Answer addresses investments but not the specific cuts to area managers or safety risks.
In recent years we have made unprecedented investments in small craft harbours across this country.
- partly answeredFisheries and OceansDominic LeBlanc (Liberal) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.Answer notes general investments but avoids specific plans for Richibucto harbour.
I cannot speak specifically to the plans for Richibucto, but I want to be clear that we have made unprecedented investments in the small craft harbours program.
- answeredCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Jamie Nicholls (NDP) asked Chris Alexander (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly states the 4.4% target and progress via express entry.
The goal is for 4.4% of immigration outside Quebec to be francophone by 2018.
- deflectedCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Chris Alexander (Conservative). substantive question.Answer praises existing efforts without committing to the requested francophone component or processing changes.
We are proud to welcome francophones to communities across the country.
- deflectedPublic SafetyStéphane Dion (Liberal) asked Peter MacKay (Conservative). substantive question.The answer defends mandatory minimum sentences and attacks the opposition's position rather than addressing compensation for provinces or removal of the marijuana sentence.
I remind the member opposite that contrary to the public view, his leader and his party have pledged to do away with mandatory minimum sentences when it comes to some serious offences, such as distribution of date rape drugs and child pornography.
- partly answeredHealthMrs. Carol Hughes (NDP) asked Rona Ambrose (Conservative). substantive question.The answer acknowledges investment in aboriginal maternal health and offers to look into the specific scanner issue without committing to a decision.
I am happy to look into her specific issue and get back to her.
- answeredCanada PostMs. Charmaine Borg (NDP) asked Mr. Jeff Watson (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly rejects the privatization scheme premise by stating Canada Post has not proposed it and is acting on its own financial plan.
Canada Post, in its five-point action plan, in order to turn around its finances, has not proposed privatization.
- deflectedNatural ResourcesMr. André Bellavance (Independent) asked Greg Rickford (Conservative). substantive question.The answer emphasizes a general rigorous review process without addressing the specific request to guarantee updated TransCanada documentation for the NEB.
The project will undergo a rigorous science- and fact-based review to determine if it is safe for Canadians, safe for communities, and safe for the environment.