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Tuesday, February 6, 2018 · sitting No. 258
Opposition motion seeks repayment for conflict of interest breaches
The House devoted half the sitting to an opposition day motion requiring members found in violation of the Conflict of Interest Act or code to repay any taxpayer costs incurred. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer moved the motion, which remained before the House at adjournment.
During question period Scheer asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he would reimburse costs tied to the illegal vacation identified in the Ethics Commissioner's report. Trudeau replied that he had accepted the report and was implementing its recommendations.
New Democratic MP Guy Caron pressed the government to collect sales tax from web giants such as Netflix and Facebook, while Trudeau said the NDP proposal would raise taxes on Canadian consumers.
Decided that day
- Bill C-50 report-stage concurrence passed
- Two amendments to Bill C-50 defeated
- Bill C-210 received royal assent
- Bill C-68 introduced
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 · 2018-02-06
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
Agriculture and Agri-Food
NDP MP Alistair MacGregor said the government was speaking out of both sides of its mouth on supply management and asked when it would stop making concessions under the CPTPP. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay replied that the government initiated supply management and would defend it.
Read the exchangeThe Environment
Conservative MP Ed Fast accused the government of killing the national wetlands conservation fund while spending on communications. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said the government is spending $70.5 million over five years to protect watersheds.
Read the exchangeStatus of Women
NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson said the government had failed to lead on preventing campus rape despite one in five women experiencing sexual violence at post-secondary institutions. Parliamentary Secretary Terry Duguid said a new knowledge centre would share best practices across campuses.
Read the exchangeInternational Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen paid tribute to community leader Alex Lampropoulos. Conservative MP Michelle Rempel marked the international day of zero tolerance for female genital mutilation and called on the government to strengthen measures against the practice.
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
- deflectedEthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accepts the report but avoids any commitment to personal reimbursement.
We are following all the recommendations and advice from the commissioner.
- deflectedEthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats acceptance of the report without addressing repayment of vacation costs.
I took personal responsibility and pledged to follow all the advice and all the recommendations laid out by the Ethics Commissioner.
- misdirectedEthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to praising the opposition's role and the Ethics Commissioner instead of addressing the motion.
in this place, in our system, it is the role of the opposition to ask tough questions to challenge the government in place.
- misdirectedEthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to defending the Ethics Commissioner and criticizing partisan attacks rather than explaining repayment.
The members opposite are trying to play personal attacks on top of that.
- deflectedEthicsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer reiterates acceptance of responsibility without confirming any repayment obligation.
In this case, we fully accepted responsibility.
- misdirectedTaxationMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer reframes the question as an NDP tax increase instead of addressing web giants charging sales tax.
It is not web giants that the NDP wants to charge, it is taxpayers.
- misdirectedTaxationMr. Guy Caron (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer accuses the NDP of misleading Canadians and repeats the tax-increase claim without addressing the sales-tax fairness issue.
the New Democrats are misleading Canadians.
- partly answeredTaxationMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses CRA funding and tax fairness measures but ignores the KPMG amnesty and appointment conflict.
we have put more than $1 billion toward the CRA to go after tax avoidance and tax evasion
- deflectedVeterans AffairsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the Bronfman and specific veteran questions to attack the prior Conservative record instead.
This is in stark contrast to the previous Conservative government that for 10 years cut veterans offices, cut front-line services, and nickelled and dimed veterans while the Conservatives wrapped themselves in the flag.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer refuses to engage the listed examples and pivots to criticizing the opposition's past record.
I will take no lessons from members opposite on dealing with veterans.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsEd Fast (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer repeats attacks on the prior government and does not address the immediate demand to answer the question.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer begins to respond but is cut off and does not complete any substantive reply to the pension claim.
- partly answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses the claim of not distinguishing refugees from ISIS fighters but ignores the town-hall comparison.
I can assure the leader of the official opposition that we can tell the difference.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer attacks the question format and shifts to defending travel costs rather than addressing the ISIS-refugee distinction.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats prior talking points about the commissioner's report and avoids the repayment demand.
The former commissioner also said that.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer again cites the commissioner and security advice without addressing repayment of the funds.
The former commissioner acknowledged that the spending was related to the Prime Minister's duties.
- deflectedAgriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Alistair MacGregor (NDP) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes supply management defense without addressing TPP concessions or dairy opposition.
The government fully understands the importance of the supply management system.
- deflectedInternational TradeMs. Tracey Ramsey (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses health care pride and drug affordability work but avoids committing to refuse NAFTA provisions.
Public health care is a key Canadian issue in the NAFTA talks.
- misdirectedEthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition for not accepting the report instead of addressing the minister's registry failure.
The Conservative members refuse to accept its conclusions.
- misdirectedEthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer shifts to criticizing the previous government rather than addressing repayment of costs.
We will not take lessons from the Conservatives.
- partly answeredEthicsMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses reimbursement of flight costs and duty-related expenses but does not confirm full repayment of the trip.
He reimbursed the cost of the flight, as he should.
- deflectedEthicsPeter Kent (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates respect for the report and duty-related costs without addressing repayment of consequences.
I encourage members opposite to also accept the fact that the ex-commissioner did state that these are costs that are incurred with the functions of the Prime Minister.
- deflectedFisheries and OceansMr. Fin Donnelly (NDP) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights aquaculture support and economic benefits without addressing Kinder Morgan approval or consultation failures.
It is important that we get this right, because sustainable aquaculture provides year-round jobs paying thousands of Canadians, including those in more than 50 first nations
- misdirectedFisheries and OceansMs. Sheila Malcolmson (NDP) asked Marc Garneau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer praises the oceans protection plan without resolving the contradiction on its linkage to the pipeline.
nothing could be further from the truth.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). loaded question.The answer compares past records and spending instead of addressing the demand for an apology on a broken promise.
We have spent $10 billion of new money on our veterans in two and a half years.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsMrs. Cathay Wagantall (Conservative) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats government promises and past criticisms without addressing the vacation spending or veterans' specific complaint.
For 10 years, the previous government sat on that document.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights new spending and examples but avoids the contempt and court promise issues raised.
That is not a betrayal. That is a commitment in action, finally, for our veterans.
- deflectedVeterans AffairsMr. John Brassard (Conservative) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). loaded question.The answer focuses on specific benefit amounts and past cuts rather than justifying the statement to veterans or addressing the broken promises.
That is not a prop; that is a real person affected by our new investments for our veterans.
- partly answeredPublic Services and ProcurementMs. Karine Trudel (NDP) asked Scott Brison (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the problem and assigns blame to the prior government while stating intent to fix it, partially addressing responsibility.
We also recognize that the cause was the failure of the Conservative government to maintain the existing system until a new system was working.
- partly answeredCanada Revenue AgencyMr. Pierre-Luc Dusseault (NDP) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer outlines general efforts against tax evasion but avoids the specific case and deflects on commenting on it.
As my colleague knows very well, I cannot comment on specific cases.
- partly answeredAgriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes meetings with farmers and future plans but does not detail mitigation measures or respond to the $4.3 billion comparison.
When this CPTPP has been signed, I will sit down and discuss the path forward
- deflectedAgriculture and Agri-FoodMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses the food guide update process and consultations without addressing the attack on agriculture or lack of farmer input.
As part of the healthy eating strategy, work to update Canada's food guide is well under way, and we are engaging with Canadians, experts, and stakeholders from all across the country.
- deflectedAgriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer promotes a dairy program without addressing the minister's alleged inaction or other accusations.
We put a $350 million program in place and ordered that $250 million would be put to the dairy farmers in order to make sure they remain on the cutting edge.
- deflectedThe EnvironmentEd Fast (Conservative) asked Catherine McKenna (Liberal). substantive question.The answer highlights other watershed spending but avoids addressing reversal of the wetlands fund cut.
That is why we are spending $70.5 million over five years to protect them.
- partly answeredAgriculture and Agri-FoodMs. Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). loaded question.The answer claims defense of supply management via programs but sidesteps the hypocrisy charge and specific request for action.
The fact of the matter is, as I have said many times in this House, we are the party that fought to implement supply management and we are the government that is going to defend it.
- deflectedThe EnvironmentMr. Robert Sopuck (Conservative) asked Catherine McKenna (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists other conservation efforts without explaining the wetlands fund elimination.
We have made significant investments, and we will continue to do so.
- deflectedAgriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Xavier Barsalou-Duval (Bloc) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer acknowledges concerns and meetings but does not address whether a promise was broken.
We understand farmers' concerns.
- misdirectedAgriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Simon Marcil (Bloc) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to praising farmers and meetings instead of responding to the direct accusation of lying.
Today we are going to elevate the debate on this issue because I think that all members on this side of the House recognize the work of our farmers and appreciate our dairy farmers.