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Tuesday, October 17, 2017 · sitting No. 216

Opposition motion demands finance minister table ethics documents

The House devoted most of its sitting to a Conservative supply motion that called on the finance minister to table all documents he submitted to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner between November 4, 2015, and July 18, 2017. Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre argued that the minister's family business, Morneau Shepell, could benefit from proposed tax changes and that greater disclosure was required. Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes countered that the government was focused on economic growth and job creation rather than the minister's affairs.

Question period featured repeated Conservative attacks on the finance minister's compliance with ethics rules. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer charged that the minister had hidden an overseas private company from Canadians for two years, while Government House Leader Bardish Chagger replied that the minister had followed all recommendations of the ethics commissioner.

New Democratic and Bloc Québécois members pressed the government on American demands to end supply management in NAFTA talks, while other exchanges addressed pharmacare, the Phoenix pay system and the opioid crisis.

Decided that day

  • Bill C-55 passed second reading
  • S-226 and S-231 received royal assent
  • Opposition motion on pharmacare defeated
  • Opposition motion on finance documents defeated

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 · 2017-10-17

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 39%, opposition 61% of the words spokenGovernment businessGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:15Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 8 h 10 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
63Bills Advance as Supply Motions FailThe House devoted most time to Business of Supply yet still advanced multiple bills, granting royal assent to S-226 and S-231 while passing second reading of C-55. Two opposition motions 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

International Trade

NDP MP Tracey Ramsey asked the government to confirm it would reject any U.S. demand to end supply management, and Parliamentary Secretary Jean-Claude Poissant replied that the government would defend the system.

Read the exchange

Health

NDP MP Don Davies urged the government to support a motion for universal pharmacare negotiations with the provinces, and Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said the government was already working to lower drug prices through the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance.

Read the exchange

Public Services and Procurement

NDP MP Erin Weir asked when the government would produce a plan to fix the Phoenix pay system, and Public Services Minister Carla Qualtrough said an independent report had shown the previous government had exposed the project to failure.

Read the exchange

Aerospace Industry

Conservative MP Maxime Bernier asked whether the government would recover grants given to Bombardier after the company sold a majority stake in the C Series to Airbus, and Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains said repayment terms had not changed and that the head office and production would remain in Canada.

Read the exchange

Human Rights

Conservative MP Garnett Genuis asked why the Prime Minister had not raised the Rohingya crisis in his UN speech, and Parliamentary Secretary Matt DeCourcey said the minister had spoken directly with Myanmar's commander-in-chief and demanded accountability.

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. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the specific accusation by restating general compliance without addressing the timeline or disclosure issue.everyone works with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure full compliance with all her recommendations and legislation with respect to conflicts of interest.
  2. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts entirely to small business tax policy and ignores the question about the minister's overseas company.The income sprinkling proposals will be simplified to help family businesses.
  3. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer evades the direct question on share sale timing by pivoting to Small Business Week announcements.
  4. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer repeats general compliance language and diverts to Small Business Week instead of providing the sale date.It is Small Business Week. It is an exciting week for our job creators.
  5. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the hypocrisy claim and redirects to tax rate reductions and listening to small businesses.We will reduce the small business tax rate from 11% to 9% by 2019.
  6. deflected
    EthicsMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer restates work with the commissioner but does not explain why a blind trust was not used.The Minister of Finance has full confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and her recommendations.
  7. deflected
    EthicsMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer completely sidesteps the conflict-of-interest definition request and pivots to Small Business Week.The income sprinkling proposals will be simplified to help family businesses.
  8. deflected
    EthicsMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer avoids the question about when the untruth was told and instead highlights tax rate commitments.What is more important is that it is Small Business Week, and this government has committed to reducing the small business tax rate from 11% to 9%.
  9. deflected
    EthicsMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to small business support and commissioner confidence without addressing the conflict of interest claim or divestment.The minister has full confidence in the Ethics Commissioner and her recommendations and is willing to take any further steps to avoid conflicts, or any perception of conflicts, as deemed appropriate by the Ethics Commissioner.
  10. deflected
    EthicsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). substantive question.Answer reiterates transparency and commissioner collaboration but never states when shares were sold.The Minister of Finance has always been very transparent with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, and he has always worked proactively with her to ensure that all the rules in place and her recommendations are followed.
  11. deflected
    EthicsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). substantive question.Answer repeats working with the commissioner but supplies no date or confirmation on share sale.We have confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, and the minister has even written the commissioner seeking another meeting to discuss his assets and to follow every instruction she might have regarding his personal assets.
  12. deflected
    EthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). substantive question.Answer avoids the sale date and instead praises the minister's integrity and record.If I may, I would add that the Minister of Finance is a man of great integrity who has dedicated himself to public service for the past two years with a record that makes others pale by comparison and is the envy of the world
  13. deflected
    EthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). loaded question.Answer sidesteps the share-sale question by restating general compliance with the commissioner.He requested a meeting with her in order to make sure he was following any recommendations she might make to him.
  14. deflected
    EthicsMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). substantive question.Answer offers no timeline for selling shares and returns to commissioner process.from day one, the Minister of Finance has met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and worked with her to ensure that he followed all of her recommendations and that he was in compliance with the rules that govern us all.
  15. deflected
    EthicsMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). substantive question.Answer again cites commissioner meetings without answering the sale date and adds unrelated praise.
  16. partly answered
    International TradeMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Mr. Jean-Claude Poissant (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly rejects the US demands on supply management while affirming support for the system.The proposals our American partners have made regarding supply management are unacceptable, and we will continue to support the supply management system and all agricultural interests.
  17. partly answered
    International TradeMs. Tracey Ramsey (NDP) asked Mr. Jean-Claude Poissant (Liberal). substantive question.The answer reassures farmers and defends the system with statistics but does not address whether supply management is off the table in talks with the U.S.I want to reassure the House and our dairy, poultry, and egg farmers that we are going to defend our supply management system.
  18. deflected
    EthicsMs. Marilyn Gladu (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses ongoing work with the commissioner but never states when or if the shares were sold.since the start of his term, the Minister of Finance has been working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is in full compliance with all the rules
  19. deflected
    EthicsMs. Marilyn Gladu (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). loaded question.The response repeats general statements about transparency and the commissioner without answering whether shares are still owned.since the start of his mandate, the Minister of Finance has always been open and transparent with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
  20. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). substantive question.Instead of answering about share ownership, the reply pivots to attacking the question by listing unrelated government achievements.the minister is working in the interest of the 300,000 children we have lifted out of poverty with the Canada child benefit
  21. deflected
    EthicsMr. Mark Strahl (Conservative) asked Mr. Joël Lightbound (Liberal). loaded question.The answer focuses on a new letter to the commissioner and past commitments but avoids stating when shares were sold.The Minister of Finance wrote to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner today seeking a meeting.
  22. partly answered
    HealthMr. Don Davies (NDP) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). substantive question.The response outlines actions on drug prices and access but does not commit to supporting the NDP motion for universal pharmacare negotiations.Our government is taking bold action now to bring down the prices, while we also explore the need for a national formulary.
  23. partly answered
    HealthMs. Brigitte Sansoucy (NDP) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). substantive question.The answer describes investments and a comprehensive response but does not address declaring a national emergency.we are responding in a way that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and also evidence based.
  24. partly answered
    International TradeMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mr. Jean-Claude Poissant (Liberal). substantive question.The reply affirms support for supply management and cites trade data but does not clarify the government's negotiating position with the U.S.our government is fully in favour of supply management and it will continue to defend it.
  25. deflected
    International TradeMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mr. Jean-Claude Poissant (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates general support without addressing the specific quote or negotiation plan.we will continue to defend producers from the Americans.
  26. partly answered
    International TradeMr. Dean Allison (Conservative) asked Andrew Leslie (Liberal). substantive question.Affirms belief in supply management but provides no concrete plan details.We defend supply management. We believe in the family farms.
  27. deflected
    International TradeErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Andrew Leslie (Liberal). loaded question.Shifts focus to claiming broad support while singling out opposition instead of addressing the accusation.everyone in this House, with the exception of certain members of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, believe in supply management.
  28. deflected
    Public Services and ProcurementMr. Erin Weir (NDP) asked Carla Qualtrough (Liberal). rhetorical question.Blames prior government and lists efforts without providing any plan or timeline.We are doing everything we can in the areas of governance, partnerships, business processes, and capacity to make sure that public servants get the money they are owed.
  29. partly answered
    Public Services and ProcurementMs. Karine Trudel (NDP) asked Carla Qualtrough (Liberal). substantive question.Describes measures taken but gives no estimate for when the issue will be resolved.We are taking substantive measures to resolve this problem, including a $140-million investment in recruiting, hiring, and training new employees, emergency pay advances, and opening up satellite offices, among other things.
  30. misdirected
    Aerospace IndustryMaxime Bernier (Conservative) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). substantive question.Turns to attacking the opposition's stance on aerospace rather than addressing fund recovery.What I do not understand is what the member opposite and the official opposition have against the aerospace sector.
  31. deflected
    Aerospace IndustryMaxime Bernier (Conservative) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). substantive question.Discusses future economic benefits and oversight without addressing repayment of funds.Under the Investment Canada Act, the process that I oversee, we will make sure we get maximum economic benefit.
  32. misdirected
    Aerospace IndustryMr. Arnold Viersen (Conservative) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). substantive question.Attacks the opposition for undermining the sector instead of guaranteeing repayment.I do not know why the members opposite continue to undermine our aerospace sector.
  33. deflected
    TaxationMs. Rachael Harder (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates general intentions and denies targeting discounts but avoids disclosing or tabling any instructions.The documents in question did not reflect our government's intentions.
  34. deflected
    HousingMr. Kennedy Stewart (NDP) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). substantive question.The answer praises the question and mentions meetings but does not commit to making funding permanent.They are keen on working with us for the long term.
  35. deflected
    Human RightsMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Mr. Matt DeCourcey (Liberal). substantive question.The answer details other actions taken but does not explain why the Prime Minister omitted the issue from the UN speech.On September 30, the minister spoke directly with the commander-in-chief
  36. deflected
    International TradeMr. Simon Marcil (Bloc) asked Mr. Jean-Claude Poissant (Liberal). loaded question.The answer affirms support for supply management but does not address walking away from negotiations.Our American partners' proposals regarding supply management are unacceptable.
  37. deflected
    EmploymentMrs. Marilène Gill (Bloc) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). loaded question.The answer references court processes and general engagement but provides no specific action or timeline.