Parliament AIIndependent · non-official

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Tuesday, January 30, 2018 · sitting No. 253

Tobacco bill takes up most of sitting as MPs debate plain packaging

The House spent the largest share of the day on government orders for Bill S-5, an act to amend the Tobacco Act. Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux said the bill would protect Canadians from tobacco-related illness that kills about 37,000 people a year. New Democrat MP Don Davies called for faster passage while criticizing the government for fielding only one speaker.

Liberal MP John Oliver noted that 115,000 Canadians become daily smokers each year, most before age 18. Liberal MP Marilyn Gladu questioned whether plain packaging would reduce smoking, citing experience in France and Japan. Lamoureux replied that studies from Australia showed standardized packaging deters young people.

In question period the main exchanges concerned ethics. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer pressed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to repay more than $200,000 in costs from an improper family trip.

Decided that day

  • Bill C-210 advanced in the second chamber

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 · 2018-01-30

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 36%, opposition 64% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:25Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 8 h 20 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
39Tobacco bill inches ahead amid deflected answersThe sitting devoted most time to the Tobacco Act and ethics, allowing one bill to advance a stage. Question period produced few direct answers and no votes were 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

International Trade

New Democrat MP Guy Caron asked the Prime Minister to release details of concessions made for the trans-Pacific partnership; Trudeau said the text would be released once translated.

Read the exchange

Democratic Reform

New Democrat MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau asked what concrete steps the government would take to elect more women; Trudeau said every Liberal riding association must reach out to female candidates before a nomination contest.

Read the exchange

Pensions

New Democrat MP Scott Duvall urged action to protect pensions at failing companies such as Sears; Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains said the government was assessing all options.

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Fisheries and Oceans

Liberal MP Darrell Samson asked about new measures to protect North Atlantic right whales; Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc said snow-crab fishery rules would reduce floating rope and track lost gear.

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Agriculture and Agri-Food

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer asked whether the government would provide mitigation for dairy, egg and poultry producers; Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said the government would protect the system.

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 Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer claims responsibility but sidesteps the core demand for repayment.I took full responsibility, as any leader should, and I accepted the commissioner's findings.
  2. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer repeats acceptance of recommendations without addressing repayment comparison.I accepted all of the recommendations of the commissioner.
  3. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts to security costs instead of addressing repayment of inappropriate expenses.as Prime Minister , as was the case for all previous prime ministers, security costs are incurred whenever and wherever the Prime Minister travels.
  4. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reiterates acceptance of recommendations but evades the repayment demand.I accepted all responsibility and I have accepted all the recommendations that the commissioner has put forward
  5. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer defends the commissioner process without addressing repayment of trip costs.The commissioner wrote her report, and I accepted all the recommendations.
  6. partly answered
    International TradeMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses transparency by committing to release documents after translation.once all of the documents have been translated into English and French, we will be very happy to release them when the agreement is finalized.
  7. partly answered
    International TradeMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer explains release timing and contrasts party positions but does not detail concessions.the text of the deal will be released once it has been translated and approved, as is the case for all trade deals.
  8. answered
    Democratic ReformMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly outlines the nomination outreach plan to increase women candidates.every single riding will have to reach out to great women, to women across the ridings, before we will trigger a nomination contest.
  9. partly answered
    Democratic ReformMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer names one specific Liberal Party measure but does not outline further concrete steps for the House as a whole.Before a nomination contest can be triggered in a riding, the Liberal association in that riding will have to reach out to female candidates.
  10. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The response accepts the report but never addresses repayment of the vacation costs.The Prime Minister has taken steps to ensure that all future family expenditures are cleared ahead of time.
  11. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to security costs and future consultations without addressing repayment.as has been the case for past prime ministers and is the case for the current Prime Minister, wherever and whenever the prime minister travels, there are costs related to security.
  12. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The reply repeats acceptance of findings but again omits any commitment on repayment.The Prime Minister has taken steps to ensure that all future family vacations are cleared ahead of time.
  13. deflected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses security protocol instead of addressing repayment of the illegal trip costs.We always accept the advice of our security agencies as to how to best ensure the safety of the Prime Minister.
  14. misdirected
    EthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The response shifts to citizenship processing times and town halls, avoiding the repayment question entirely.One issue that came up time and time again was related to citizenship delays, which we are fixing after years of neglect under the Conservatives.
  15. deflected
    International TradeMs. Anne Minh-Thu Quach (NDP) asked Andrew Leslie (Liberal). substantive question.The answer praises negotiators and mentions anti-corruption progress but does not address supply-management protections.We concluded the chapter on anti-corruption and are close to concluding many other chapters.
  16. deflected
    International TradeMs. Tracey Ramsey (NDP) asked Andrew Leslie (Liberal). substantive question.The reply defends chapter 11 benefits without explaining why Canada continues to support the investor-state provisions.Chapter 11 provides certainty and security to Canadian companies that are investing abroad.
  17. deflected
    EthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Answer evades the equal treatment question by claiming prior responses.the Prime Minister has answered these questions—
  18. deflected
    EthicsMaxime Bernier (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). rhetorical question.Non-question mockery is ignored in favor of unrelated economic talking points.Canadians continue to be concerned about jobs and the middle class
  19. deflected
    EthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Response sidesteps equal treatment query by restating acceptance of the report.the commissioner released a report and the Prime Minister accepted her recommendations
  20. deflected
    EthicsMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Avoids reimbursement question by pivoting to town halls and job numbers.With our plan, Canadians created 422,000 jobs in 2017
  21. deflected
    EthicsMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Repeats that questions were answered and shifts to economy instead of addressing repayment.We understand that the opposition does not want to talk about the economy
  22. partly answered
    PensionsMr. Scott Duvall (NDP) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). substantive question.Addresses concerns and actions taken but does not commit to timeline for new legislation.we are engaging with members opposite. We are assessing all the different options
  23. deflected
    PensionsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). loaded question.Ignores specific pension protection demand by reiterating general support and economic focus.we are evaluating all the appropriate options before us
  24. deflected
    EthicsPeter Kent (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Evasive reply repeats acceptance of findings and pivots to jobs record.the unemployment rate is at its lowest since 1976
  25. deflected
    EthicsPeter Kent (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.Answer changes subject to jobs and economy instead of addressing repayment.Canadians continue to be concerned about jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it.
  26. partly answered
    EthicsMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses security costs and commissioner's recognition but not the gift value or reimbursement.The former commissioner recognized that these costs were incurred as part of the role of Prime Minister.
  27. deflected
    EthicsMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to town halls and economy while avoiding responsibility for actions.Canadians continue to be concerned about jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it.
  28. answered
    Parks CanadaMr. Pierre Nantel (NDP) asked Catherine McKenna (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly explains the rationale for relocating artifacts to Gatineau.In 2012, the previous government decided to build a new collections facility in Gatineau, Quebec, so that collections can be stored and managed in a sustainable manner when they are not on display.
  29. partly answered
    Foreign AffairsMs. Hélène Laverdière (NDP) asked Mr. Matt DeCourcey (Liberal). substantive question.Answer discusses export controls and Bill C-47 but does not confirm any suspensions or report release timeline.Our government is taking steps to further enhance our system through Bill C-47 , which the member knows is at committee right now.
  30. deflected
    EthicsCandice Bergen (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts to security costs and past practice without addressing repayment of expenses.As has been the case for past prime ministers and is the case for this Prime Minister , whenever and wherever the Prime Minister travels there are costs related to security.
  31. deflected
    EthicsCandice Bergen (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Answer focuses on security agency recommendations and avoids any commitment to repay.the security agencies make determinations on what is needed to protect the Prime Minister , as has been the case for previous prime ministers, and we follow their recommendations.
  32. deflected
    EthicsMrs. Sylvie Boucher (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reiterates security and commissioner process without addressing reimbursement.The former commissioner found that these costs are incurred as part of the role of the Prime Minister.
  33. deflected
    EthicsMrs. Rosemarie Falk (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer welcomes the member and lists unrelated PM activities instead of addressing repayment of the vacation cost.The Prime Minister has been travelling the country visiting town halls and Canadians and taking questions directly from Canadians.
  34. deflected
    Windsor Port AuthorityMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked Marc Garneau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer states the port authority's mandate but offers no commitment to federal partnership or leadership.I would recommend that anyone who wants to propose changes to the Ojibway Shores speak to the Windsor Port Authority.
  35. partly answered
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). loaded question.The answer affirms protection of supply management with a past example but does not confirm new mitigation measures.We have and will continue to make sure that the supply management system in this country remains strong.
  36. deflected
    MarijuanaMr. Xavier Barsalou-Duval (Bloc) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). loaded question.The answer describes the licensing process but ignores questions about investors, tax havens, or Liberal friends.decisions about issuing licences will be made impartially and will be based entirely on the merits of the application.
  37. deflected
    MarijuanaMr. Rhéal Fortin (Bloc) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats the licensing process description without addressing former ministers or industry jobs for Liberals.decisions about issuing licences will be made impartially and will be based entirely on the merits of the application.