All sittings← 2014-12-112015-01-26 →
Friday, December 12, 2014 · sitting No. 161
Commons debates Rouge national urban park bill at third reading
The House spent the largest share of the day on Government Orders for the Rouge National Urban Park Act. At third reading of Bill C-40, New Democrat MP Peggy Nash said her party would not support the bill because it fell short on ecological protections and land transfers from Ontario. Conservative MP Bob Zimmer said the park marked a historic achievement under the national conservation plan.
Question Period featured repeated exchanges on military suicides and veterans' services. New Democrat MP David Christopherson pressed the government over Corporal Scott Smith's death, the 16th such case this year. Conservative MP James Bezan said the matter was under investigation and mental-health funding had risen more than 20 per cent.
Further clashes arose over solitary confinement after the Ashley Smith inquest and over Canada Post's planned end to home delivery. New Democrat MP Nycole Turmel urged an end to long-term segregation for mentally ill inmates while Conservative MP Roxanne James said more than half the inquest recommendations had already been met.
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 · 2014-12-12
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
Citizenship and Immigration
Liberal MP Marc Garneau asked whether religion would determine which Syrian refugees Canada accepts. Conservative MP Costas Menegakis said the government would prioritize persecuted ethnic and religious minorities at demonstrated risk.
Read the exchangeInternational Trade
New Democrat MP Ryan Cleary said Newfoundland and Labrador had documents proving Ottawa had promised a research fund in exchange for dropping local processing rules. Conservative MP Rob Moore said the member opposed the deal before reading it.
Read the exchangeCBC/Radio Canada
New Democrat MP Jinny Jogindera Sims said Conservative funding reductions would halve local supper-hour newscasts. Conservative MP Rick Dykstra said the CBC must manage its own operations amid falling viewership and advertising revenue.
Read the exchangeInfrastructure
New Democrat MP Peggy Nash said gridlock costs Toronto $6 billion a year while Conservatives and Liberals trade barbs. Conservative MP Peter Braid said Ontario had finally submitted its project list for the new Building Canada plan.
Read the exchangeVeterans Affairs
Liberal MP Sean Casey said the government had clawed back more than $1 billion from veterans while planning a $1.7-billion aircraft purchase. Conservative MP James Bezan said the Liberals' math was wrong and four C-17s had already been bought for that sum.
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
- deflectedNational DefenceMr. David Christopherson (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer offers condolences and general statement on support without addressing the crisis recognition or sufficiency of government action.
The Department of National Defence ensures that all members of the Canadian Armed Forces receive mental health support throughout their careers.
- deflectedNational DefenceMr. David Christopherson (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer shifts to defending donations and attacking opposition instead of addressing duty of care or funding source concerns.
I do not understand why the NDP and the opposition have a problem with that.
- partly answeredNational DefenceMs. Nycole Turmel (NDP) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer provides specific details on budget increases and staffing but does not directly respond to the call for acknowledgment of insufficient action.
I would like to remind the House that our government has increased the annual mental health budget for the Canadian military by over 20%.
- partly answeredCorrectional Service CanadaMs. Nycole Turmel (NDP) asked Ms. Roxanne James (Conservative). loaded question.Answer claims implementation of over half the recommendations but avoids addressing solitary confinement prohibition for the mentally ill.
the government has actually already implemented over half of the recommendations in the coroner's report.
- deflectedCorrectional Service CanadaMs. Nycole Turmel (NDP) asked Ms. Roxanne James (Conservative). loaded question.Answer defends the practice by citing other countries and restates the action plan without committing to ending long-term segregation.
administrative segregation is a common practice that is used in many western countries, not just here in Canada.
- misdirectedVeterans AffairsMr. Sean Casey (Liberal) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks prior Liberal government and NDP instead of addressing Veterans Affairs underspending or priorities.
unlike the Liberals, who oversaw and neglected our armed forces through the decade of darkness, and the NDP, which would prefer to never purchase any military equipment
- misdirectedVeterans AffairsMr. Sean Casey (Liberal) asked Mr. James Bezan (Conservative). loaded question.Answer corrects math on plane cost and attacks Liberals while ignoring the call for the minister's resignation.
They should get their math straight.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Mr. Parm Gill (Conservative). loaded question.Answer defends bureaucracy cuts and red tape reduction but does not address staff firings, PTSD support, or centre closures.
our government makes absolutely no apologies for eliminating big government bureaucracy and backroom offices
- misdirectedThe EnvironmentMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked Mr. Colin Carrie (Conservative). loaded question.The answer dismisses the question as ridiculous and pivots to unrelated praise and attacks on the NDP instead of addressing traditional knowledge in Arctic research.
- deflectedThe EnvironmentMr. Murray Rankin (NDP) asked Mr. Colin Carrie (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids oil and gas regulations by shifting focus to the NDP's carbon tax and job impacts rather than emission targets.
What is very clear, though, is that the NDP would take unilateral action and put our Canadian companies at a competitive disadvantage.
- deflectedThe EnvironmentMr. Philip Toone (NDP) asked Mr. Colin Carrie (Conservative). substantive question.The response labels the premise ridiculous and emphasizes collaboration and past reductions without addressing oil and gas sector regulations.
Again, Mr. Speaker, that is ridiculous.
- partly answeredCanada PostMs. Rosane Doré Lefebvre (NDP) asked Mr. Jeff Watson (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains Canada Post's financial rationale and five-point plan but does not address why the government supports the cuts to home delivery.
It has a legislative responsibility to be financially self-sustaining.
- deflectedCanada PostMs. Hélène LeBlanc (NDP) asked Mr. Jeff Watson (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats prior points on losses and e-substitution while noting the question is sponsored by CUPW, avoiding restoration of services.
that is the second consecutive question sponsored by CUPW.
- deflectedIntergovernmental AffairsMrs. Anne-Marie Day (NDP) asked Mr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative). loaded question.The answer highlights record transfers to Quebec without addressing EI cuts, health transfers, or the meaning of flexible federalism.
This year, $19.6 billion will be transferred to Quebec.
- answeredInfrastructureMs. Peggy Nash (NDP) asked Mr. Peter Braid (Conservative). loaded question.The answer directly explains that provinces identify priorities under the Building Canada plan and notes receipt of Ontario's list.
Under that plan, the provinces are empowered to identify their infrastructure project priorities and in fact are responsible for doing so.
- misdirectedInternational TradeMr. Ryan Cleary (NDP) asked Rob Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the member's opposition to the trade deal and promotes its benefits instead of clarifying the timeline or documents on the research fund.
It is ironic that this question is from the same member who opposed our free trade agreement with the EU before having read one word of it.
- deflectedInternational TradeMr. Ryan Cleary (NDP) asked Rob Moore (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer ignores the commitment to Newfoundland and instead attacks the member's support for fishers.
When will the member start standing up for the fishers in his province?
- partly answeredCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Marc Garneau (Liberal) asked Mr. Costas Menegakis (Conservative). substantive question.The answer denies the premise of religious selection while affirming prioritization of minorities.
To suggest that we are only going to focus on one group of people is categorically false.
- partly answeredCorrectional Service of CanadaWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Ms. Roxanne James (Conservative). substantive question.The answer notes implementation of over half the recommendations but avoids addressing rejection of the key solitary confinement recommendation.
We have implemented more than half of the recommendations from that coroner's report.
- deflectedCorrectional Service of CanadaWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Ms. Roxanne James (Conservative). loaded question.The answer defends segregation as common practice and pivots to the mental health plan without addressing the deaths claim.
the member knows well that administrative segregation is a common practice in many western countries, not just in Canada.
- partly answeredNational DefenceMs. Élaine Michaud (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer lists accountability steps taken but provides none of the requested updates on costs or objectives.
We have been regularly accountable for the mission in the House.
- partly answeredNational DefenceMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked John Baird (Conservative). substantive question.The answer offers limited facts on extension and costs while including a personal jab at the asker.
I have been here every day this week during question period to be accountable and the member for Ottawa Centre has not asked a question, I do not think, in four months.
- misdirectedCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Paul Dewar (NDP) asked Mr. Costas Menegakis (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats a denial then attacks the NDP's voting record instead of addressing the discrimination claim.
It is shameful that they are behaving like this in the House.
- misdirectedCitizenship and ImmigrationMrs. Sadia Groguhé (NDP) asked Mr. Costas Menegakis (Conservative). substantive question.The answer repeats a denial then criticizes the NDP's record rather than committing to unconditional refugee acceptance.
What is shameful is that the NDP continues to vote against every measure we bring to this House.
- deflectedCBC/Radio CanadaMs. Jinny Jogindera Sims (NDP) asked Mr. Rick Dykstra (Conservative). loaded question.Answer blames market forces instead of addressing government cuts.
Changes at the CBC are the result of declining viewership in certain demographics and lower than expected advertising revenues.
- deflectedCBC/Radio CanadaMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Mr. Rick Dykstra (Conservative). loaded question.Answer ignores cuts and inserts partisan jab about opposition.
I know there is one group on the other side of the House that certainly does like to speak about itself.
- deflectedCBC/Radio CanadaMr. Pierre-Luc Dusseault (NDP) asked Mr. Rick Dykstra (Conservative). loaded question.Answer restates CBC funding and autonomy without addressing local impact.
That is why the CBC receives over $1 billion a year from the federal government and from its revenue in order to deliver services.
- partly answeredCBC/Radio CanadaMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Mr. Rick Dykstra (Conservative). loaded question.Answer affirms CBC mandate under Official Languages Act but does not address cuts.
Our government expects the CBC to fulfill its duty to provide quality programming to official language minority communities under the Official Languages Act and the Broadcasting Act.
- deflectedHousingMr. Adam Vaughan (Liberal) asked Mr. Scott Armstrong (Conservative). loaded question.Answer pivots to Housing First program instead of addressing CMHC layoffs.
As far as housing goes, we are engaging Housing First, which is an evidence-based program to provide housing from coast to coast to Canadians.
- misdirectedAir TransportationMs. Christine Moore (NDP) asked Mr. Jeff Watson (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks NDP carbon tax instead of addressing airline pricing transparency.
However, I will tell members what would raise the price of an airline ticket drastically. It would be a $21 billion NDP carbon tax.
- misdirectedGovernment AppointmentsMr. Adam Vaughan (Liberal) asked Mr. Jeff Watson (Conservative). loaded question.Answer attacks the questioner personally rather than addressing donation rules.
the long-standing feud between Mr. McQueen and that member continues, only now it is in the House.
- deflectedEmployment InsuranceMs. Isabelle Morin (NDP) asked Mr. Scott Armstrong (Conservative). loaded question.Answer praises tribunal without addressing lawyer requirement or backlog.
the Social Security Tribunal is delivering for Canadians.
- deflectedInfrastructureMr. Ted Hsu (Liberal) asked Mr. Peter Braid (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses transit investments without addressing the request for a meeting between the Prime Minister and Premier.
our government has made record investments in public transit by investing over $8 billion since 2006.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Wayne Marston (NDP) asked Ms. Roxanne James (Conservative). loaded question.The answer refutes the premise of condoning torture but does not address the specific directive mentioned in the question.
Our government does not condone the use of torture and certainly does not engage in it.
- deflectedCanada PostMr. André Bellavance (Independent) asked Mr. Jeff Watson (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states that Canada Post is arm's-length without indicating support for the move or any intent to intervene.
I will remind the member that Canada Post is of course an independent, arm's-length agency.
- partly answeredTransportationMrs. Maria Mourani (Independent) asked Mr. Gerald Keddy (Conservative). substantive question.The answer affirms a general commitment to tax compliance but provides no specific plan regarding Uber.
at CRA we take tax evasion very seriously.
- misdirectedThe EnvironmentMr. Jean-François Larose (Forces et Démocratie) asked Mr. Colin Carrie (Conservative). loaded question.The answer promotes conservation efforts and attacks the opposition instead of addressing the beluga listing timeline.
It is shameful that the opposition does not support the creation of national parks.