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Wednesday, June 17, 2015 · sitting No. 233
House advances digital privacy bill amid clashes over military conduct
The House spent the largest share of the sitting on government orders for the digital privacy act. Conservative MP Joe Daniel told the House that the legislation would give Canadians confidence their personal information will be protected as the digital economy grows. The bill forms part of the government's digital Canada 150 plan.
Question period opened with repeated exchanges on sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. NDP leader Thomas Mulcair pressed Prime Minister Stephen Harper to commit personally to all recommendations in the Deschamps report after General Lawson attributed part of the problem to biological wiring. Harper said the comments were unacceptable and that implementation was already under way.
Further clashes centred on the destruction of long-gun registry records and Senate residency rules. Mulcair asked whether Harper had encouraged the RCMP to break the law and whether all senators meet residency requirements.
Decided that day
- 21st Report of Procedure and House Affairs Committee adopted
- Income Tax Act amendment approved
- Accord implementation bill introduced
- Free votes for MPs approved
- Provincial consultation on unspecified matter approved
- Multiple bills including S-4, S-6, C-2, C-51 and C-63 given 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 · 2015-06-17
65Bills become law while motions split HouseThe sitting saw numerous bills receive royal assent and several government motions pass, alongside time spent on privacy legislation and returns. A handful of opposition motions failed and Question Period produced more deflected than answered replies.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
Quanto's Law
Conservative MP Costas Menegakis thanked colleagues for unanimous passage of Quanto's Law, which imposes serious penalties for harming law enforcement animals.
Read the exchangePensions
NDP MP Hélène LeBlanc said companies and governments are slashing pension funds through mismanagement and asked when the government would enhance the Canada pension plan.
Read the exchangeEmployment
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair said 400,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost and 60 per cent of new jobs are precarious, while Prime Minister Stephen Harper cited 1.2 million net new jobs since the recession.
Read the exchangeHealth
NDP MP Christine Moore asked why the government refuses to regulate trans fats after the United States moved to ban them, and Conservative MP Cathy McLeod pointed to a 60 per cent drop in intake through labelling.
Read the exchangeCitizenship and Immigration
Liberal MP Mauril Bélanger asked the government to halt scheduled deportations of Burundian citizens given rising violence ahead of the July 15 election.
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
- answeredNational DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states the specific action of implementing the Deschamps report recommendations.
The Canadian Armed Forces and Lieutenant-General Whitecross are in the process of implementing all of the recommendations set out in the Deschamps report.
- answeredNational DefenceThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer confirms immediate implementation of the recommendations by the armed forces.
The armed forces and General Whitecross are in the process of implementing those things immediately.
- deflectedPublic SafetyThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids the question about police communication and instead discusses the gun registry legislation.
The RCMP obviously complies with the law, as does the government.
- misdirectedEthicsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer turns to attacking the NDP on unrelated spending issues instead of addressing senator residency.
What has not been responded to is NDP members taking public money and putting it into their own party organization.
- misdirectedEthicsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer attacks the NDP leader on past spending rather than addressing the mileage claim question.
The truth is that this member took $400,000 from taxpayers, as in the sponsorship scandal, for his own political party.
- deflectedNational DefenceMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses the apology and report implementation but does not address dismissal of the Chief of the Defence Staff.
The Canadian Armed Forces takes this issue very seriously.
- answeredNational DefenceMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the retirement and transition of the Chief of the Defence Staff.
The Chief of the Defence Staff has already announced his retirement, his successor has been appointed, and the transition will take place soon.
- partly answeredSupreme CourtMr. Justin Trudeau (Liberal) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer addresses bilingual institutions but does not engage with the proposed changes to the appointment process.
We do not require every single member of them to be bilingual.
- misdirectedEthicsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer diverts entirely to attacking Mulcair's past actions instead of addressing the claim about instructions from the PM.
unlike him, who signed all of the papers, that took the money, inappropriately and fraudulently, out of the House of Commons, for which he will have to answer.
- misdirectedEthicsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer avoids the question of testifying by pivoting to an attack on the NDP's finances.
I would invite him to have the RCMP look at his files on the $400,000 he personally took and the $3 million his party took out of the House of Commons.
- misdirectedEthicsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer ignores the request for safeguards and instead attacks the NDP's record on robocalls and funds.
here is a party that itself has been found guilty of inappropriate robocalls and has been forced to return union funds that it illegally raised
- misdirectedPublic SafetyThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer explains the bill briefly then shifts to attacking the NDP's ideology and the asker personally.
What would we expect from leader who thinks Osama bin Laden is still alive and there is no such thing as a terrorist attack in Canada?
- misdirectedEmploymentThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer cites job numbers then pivots to criticizing the NDP's tax knowledge instead of addressing the plan for part-time jobs.
That is typical of the NDP. It does not know what the taxes are; it just knows everybody's taxes have to be higher.
- misdirectedEmploymentThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer defends the record and attacks NDP policies rather than addressing the plant closures or visits.
nothing is going to convince those businesses or Canadian workers to buy the snake oil that somehow high taxes and big deficits are going to bring about greater prosperity.
- deflectedGovernment PoliciesThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer avoids what is being hidden by praising the government's record and attacking the NDP agenda.
- deflectedAboriginal AffairsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). substantive question.The answer states the government's actions then changes subject to economic change and NDP criticism instead of answering yes or no.
The kind of change Canadians are seeking is change that means more prosperity, lower taxes and greater trade.
- misdirectedVeterans AffairsThomas Mulcair (NDP) asked Stephen Harper (Conservative). loaded question.The answer ignores the specific request on reopening offices and instead attacks the questioner.
The men and women who serve in uniform and have served in uniform can witness the kind of slur made earlier on them by the leader of the NDP.
- misdirectedPublic SafetyWayne Easter (Liberal) asked Steven Blaney (Conservative). loaded question.The answer changes the subject to the firearms registry and attacks Liberals instead of addressing the RCMP allegation.
One thing is clear: the Liberals would reinstate the registry and treat hunters and fishers in this country like second-class citizens.
- answeredManufacturing IndustryJudy Sgro (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly cites job numbers and lists specific programs in response to the request for a manufacturing strategy.
We have done so and have put forward effective measures in our government's budget, from the capital cost allowance to the automotive supplier fund, the automotive innovation fund, the tech demo program.
- deflectedInfrastructureMr. Adam Vaughan (Liberal) asked Denis Lebel (Conservative). loaded question.The answer lists general infrastructure spending but avoids the specific question about funding the green line in Calgary.
Since 2006, we have invested six times more on average than was invested during the Liberal years of darkness and inaction in infrastructure.
- deflectedAboriginal AffairsMs. Niki Ashton (NDP) asked Bernard Valcourt (Conservative). substantive question.The answer discusses ongoing work with partners but does not address the yes-or-no request for supporting a new health study.
We have been working in partnership with the first nation and the Province of Ontario for a number of years, and that good co-operation and work will continue.
- deflectedAboriginal AffairsMs. Niki Ashton (NDP) asked Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Conservative). rhetorical question.The answer rejects further study and pivots to an existing action plan without addressing the call for an inquiry.
- misdirectedDemocratic ReformMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the NDP's position on ID rather than addressing the Elections Canada warning or voter access concerns.
this is yet another example of the loony-left in the NDP, which does not even believe people should bring ID when they vote.
- misdirectedDemocratic ReformMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Pierre Poilievre (Conservative). loaded question.The answer attacks the NDP on ID requirements and ignores the specific allegations of breaking election laws.
this is another example of the far left, the New Democrats, believing that people should not even have to bring a piece of ID to vote.
- deflectedCanada PostMs. Rosane Doré Lefebvre (NDP) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). loaded question.Answer shifts to costs and opposition criticism instead of addressing restoration request.
Let us contrast that with what the opposition wants to do, which is to reinstate some, all, part—I do not know—of door-to-door service, which will cost upwards of half a billion dollars.
- deflectedCanada PostMs. Irene Mathyssen (NDP) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.Answer attacks opposition's economics and union ties rather than addressing the plan's flaws or exemptions.
The members of the opposition should stop talking to the members of CUPW and they should start speaking on behalf of Canadians who want to make sure their tax dollars are well looked after.
- answeredRoyal Canadian MintMr. Murray Rankin (NDP) asked Joe Oliver (Conservative). loaded question.Answer directly states action taken on expenses and rejects abuse of funds.
As soon as I was made aware of the expenses, I instructed the Mint to adhere to appropriate management and oversight of travel and hospitality expenses by staff and board members, consistent with Treasury Board guidelines.
- answeredRoyal Canadian MintMr. Pierre Dionne Labelle (NDP) asked Joe Oliver (Conservative). substantive question.Answer directly states action taken on expenses and rejects abuse of funds.
As soon as I was made aware of the questionable expenses, I instructed the Royal Canadian Mint to adhere to appropriate management and oversight of expenses.
- misdirectedPublic SafetyJohn McCallum (Liberal) asked Steven Blaney (Conservative). loaded question.Answer dismisses as provincial matter without engaging the apology request or CSIS claims.
This is a Government of Ontario matter. I have no further comment.
- partly answeredTelecommunicationsMr. Francis Scarpaleggia (Liberal) asked James Moore (Conservative). substantive question.Answer addresses regulations but offers to discuss specifics rather than committing to close loophole.
I am happy to talk to the member and find out exactly what is happening in his district as he describes it.
- deflectedHealthMs. Christine Moore (NDP) asked Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Conservative). substantive question.Answer highlights past labeling success and willingness to examine but avoids committing to regulation.
However, we are always willing to examine further action if it is going to benefit families.
- deflectedHealthMr. Pat Martin (NDP) asked Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Conservative). loaded question.Answer repeats past actions and decrease stats but sidesteps the ban request.
I would like to note that there has been a 60% decrease in the intake of trans fat.
- partly answeredCitizenship and ImmigrationMauril Bélanger (Liberal) asked Chris Alexander (Conservative). substantive question.The answer mentions continuing family reunification but does not address halting the scheduled deportations.
We intend to continue reuniting families and welcoming Burundians to Canada, to the extent possible.
- misdirectedCitizenship and ImmigrationMr. Dan Harris (NDP) asked Chris Alexander (Conservative). substantive question.The response refuses to address the case and instead attacks the NDP on an unrelated bill.
Why has the NDP done nothing to protect Canadians from abuse in our immigration system?
- answeredFisheries and OceansMr. Yvon Godin (NDP) asked Gail Shea (Conservative). substantive question.The answer directly states that DFO followed the court ruling on the licence transfer.
The court has ruled and DFO acted upon that ruling.
- partly answeredPort InfrastructureMr. Jean-François Fortin (Forces et Démocratie) asked Lisa Raitt (Conservative). substantive question.The response describes the ports transfer program but does not commit to quick processing of the plan.
The discussions with the municipalities will continue.