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Tuesday, January 29, 2019 · sitting No. 373

Conservatives move supply day motion demanding deficit plan

Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre moved a supply day motion calling on the government to table a plan in Budget 2019 to eliminate the deficit quickly and to commit never to raise taxes of any kind. The motion noted that the Prime Minister broke his promise to eliminate the deficit this year and that perpetual deficits lead to massive tax increases. Poilievre said Canadians will have to pay for the government's never-ending deficits through higher taxes.

In Question Period, Conservative MP Lisa Raitt asked when the Prime Minister knew that the former president of the Treasury Board was withholding personal emails relevant to the Mark Norman case. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it would be inappropriate to comment on matters before the courts. New Democrat MP Peter Julian said the government misled Parliament by claiming it had helped more than one million Canadians find affordable housing when CMHC records show only 14,703 new units have been built.

Liberal MP Ginette Petitpas Taylor told the House that an advisory council led by Dr. Eric Hoskins will report in the spring on options for a national pharmacare program. Conservative MP Jacques Gourde asked why the government is spending another $115 million on illegal border crossers.

Decided that day

  • Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-57 passed
  • Opposition Motion on deficit plan failed

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 · 2019-01-29

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 43%, opposition 57% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:0018:00Last speech 19:05Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 9 h 0 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
48One Win, Fourteen InterruptionsThe sitting devoted heavy time to supply business yet produced only one passed motion amid fourteen points of order and eight Speaker interventions. Question Period yielded just two direct answers while an opposition motion on the deficit failed.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

Point of Order

Bloc Québécois MP Luc Thériault asked that the result of the secret ballot on the votability of Bill C-421 be announced at the same time as the result of the vote, including the number of votes in favour and against.

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Religious Freedom

Bloc Québécois MP Mario Beaulieu offered condolences to the families of the six people killed two years earlier at the Quebec City mosque and said there is no place for hatred of Muslims in Quebec.

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Pharmacare

New Democrat MP Don Davies said the government has abandoned its plan to reduce the prices drug companies can charge Canadians and asked if it will refuse to bring in universal pharmacare.

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Conservative MP Bob Saroya said the government closed the window to sponsor parents and grandparents in ten minutes while spending $114 million on illegal border crossers.

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International Trade

Bloc Québécois MP Karine Trudel asked what the government will say to workers in Jonquière affected by U.S. tariffs after a Russian company was taken off the sanctions list.

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Indigenous Affairs

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said the government has done nothing for Cat Lake and that 75 per cent of the community needs to be demolished because of toxic mould.

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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
    EthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer cites sub judice convention to avoid addressing when the PM learned of withheld emails.first, it would be inappropriate to comment on this matter before the courts.
  2. deflected
    EthicsLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer again invokes judicial independence to sidestep the timing question.We respect the independence of those courts.
  3. deflected
    FinanceLisa Raitt (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates the Liberal tax plan and record instead of confirming or denying future tax hikes.from the very beginning, our plan has been to lower taxes for the middle class and raise them on the wealthiest 1%.
  4. deflected
    FinanceMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer highlights past job creation and investments without providing a budget-balancing plan.We have created a strong and growing economy.
  5. deflected
    FinanceMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer repeats the claim of not raising taxes and attacks Conservative policy instead of tabling a plan.we have not and will not raise taxes for Canadians.
  6. partly answered
    HousingMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends the housing record and investments but does not address the discrepancy in numbers cited.We have already helped more than almost one million Canadians access homes.
  7. deflected
    HousingMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends refurbishment spending and warns the NDP while avoiding new housing commitments.I would suggest that the NDP be careful about maligning the idea of repairing or refurbishing existing housing stock.
  8. deflected
    PovertyMs. Brigitte Sansoucy (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists existing programs like the child benefit without addressing corporate tax breaks or new help for those near insolvency.That is why we created the Canada child benefit, which is lifting hundreds of thousands of children across the country out of poverty.
  9. partly answered
    SeniorsMs. Brigitte Sansoucy (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists seniors measures but sidesteps the pipeline and corporate welfare contrast.The Harper Conservatives raised the retirement age to 67, but we brought it back down to 65.
  10. deflected
    FinanceMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The response defends past investments and job creation but offers no balanced-budget plan.By doing so, Canadians have created over 800,000 new jobs.
  11. deflected
    FinanceMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The answer repeats investment claims without addressing any return-to-balance timeline or plan.we committed and kept our promise to grow and invest in Canadians
  12. misdirected
    FinancePierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.The reply pivots to attacking Conservatives and Premier Ford instead of addressing tax or deficit claims.Why will the Conservatives not be honest and tell Canadians about the cuts they plan on making?
  13. misdirected
    FinancePierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to Ontario cuts and Ford rather than responding to the tax-increase accusation.It is clear from the fact that the member for Carleton is speaking about Ontario that he just wants to create a nationalized plan of the Premier Ford cuts.
  14. deflected
    FinancePierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The response cites family benefits and attacks austerity but never addresses future tax implications of deficits.Is he going to look those children in the face and take that money from them just to prove a point?
  15. deflected
    FinancePierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The answer repeats tax-cut and CCB claims without committing to or denying future tax increases.we have already cut taxes and the member opposite talks about the Canada child care benefit, which they taxed.
  16. partly answered
    PharmacareMr. Don Davies (NDP) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes alliance savings and the pharmacare council but does not address the abandoned price-reduction plan.As a result, we have saved billions of dollars.
  17. deflected
    PharmacareMr. Don Davies (NDP) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). loaded question.The response promotes the advisory council without addressing the broken promise or refusal of pharmacare.That is why we have introduced the launch of the advisory council for the national pharmacare program.
  18. deflected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The answer calls the question alarmist and shifts to partnerships without addressing when borders will be secured.no matter how loud my colleague gets, his alarmist statements are not based on fact.
  19. misdirected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Bob Saroya (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' record instead of addressing the current sponsorship closure or payments for illegal crossings.it is amusing to watch the Conservatives pretend to care about family reunification because, under their watch, parents and grandparents were stuck in a backlog of 167,000 people
  20. misdirected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMichelle Rempel (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). loaded question.The response attacks the Conservatives' past positions rather than answering why parents and grandparents sponsorship was closed.The Conservatives described parents and grandparents as a "burden" on the federal government in terms of financial support.
  21. misdirected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMichelle Rempel (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' record on family reunification instead of addressing the $114 million or sponsorship closure.I am really amused that suddenly the member opposite has found some sort of light in her enthusiasm for family reunification.
  22. partly answered
    International TradeMs. Karine Trudel (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the tariffs as unfair and states ongoing work at NAFTA and WTO but provides no specific plan for lifting them.Canada is working on these tariffs at the NAFTA and WTO round tables.
  23. partly answered
    International TradeMs. Tracey Ramsey (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes retaliatory tariffs but does not outline a concrete plan to remove the U.S. tariffs.We acted decisively on July 1 by imposing retaliatory tariffs, the highest, strongest retaliatory trade action in Canadian history.
  24. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. John Brassard (Conservative) asked Catherine McKenna (Liberal). loaded question.The response accuses the opposition of misinformation and pivots to climate change costs without addressing the carbon tax increase or family costs.it is really unfortunate that Conservative politicians continue to peddle misinformation.
  25. deflected
    Carbon PricingMs. Rachael Harder (Conservative) asked Catherine McKenna (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks opposition and restates policy instead of addressing the 15x increase claim or election timing.once again, the misinformation that is being spread by Conservative politicians, from Premier Ford to the leader of the opposition, is appalling.
  26. partly answered
    International TradeMr. Dean Allison (Conservative) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). substantive question.Answer provides specific funding figures for steel sector but does not address the unspent retaliatory tariffs or PM's negotiation mistakes.$664 million of financial support has been provided to the steelworkers and the steel sector.
  27. partly answered
    International TradeMr. Richard Martel (Conservative) asked Navdeep Bains (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists support amounts but avoids the gap between collected tariffs and promised aid or green steel promise.we have provided that support in a meaningful way, particularly to the small and medium-sized businesses that need the financing in terms of being able to compete going forward.
  28. answered
    Indigenous AffairsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly addresses meeting delays due to weather, community-led approach, and plans for housing.officials would be meeting with the community yesterday or today, but they were unable to make it in due to bad weather.
  29. deflected
    Indigenous AffairsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Seamus O'Regan (Liberal). loaded question.Answer emphasizes partnership and progress without responding to the yes/no demand or department failure admission.We will be meeting with leadership to develop an interim and long-term solution.
  30. deflected
    Intergovernmental RelationsMrs. Sylvie Boucher (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to CRA jobs in Quebec and Conservative record instead of explaining refusal on single tax return.The Canada Revenue Agency employs over 5,500 people in Quebec.
  31. deflected
    Intergovernmental RelationsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). substantive question.Answer shifts to tax evasion measures and Conservative failures rather than addressing single tax return feasibility.we have put in place programs to address tax evasion, unlike the Conservatives who do not want to get in the way of their rich friends.
  32. deflected
    Intergovernmental RelationsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists CRA service improvements but ignores the single tax return request and Quebec consensus.We have invested in our call centres, we have simplified tax returns, we have invested in volunteer community programs
  33. deflected
    Public SafetyMs. Leona Alleslev (Conservative) asked Ralph Goodale (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses general security concerns without addressing the ban or timeline.Canadians can be confident that the decisions made by the Government of Canada will not in any measure sacrifice safety and security.
  34. deflected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMs. Jenny Kwan (NDP) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). substantive question.Addresses improvements but avoids committing to canceling the cap.We have quadrupled the number of spots available for permanent residents and Canadians to sponsor parents and grandparents, from 5,000 to 20,000.
  35. partly answered
    Riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-MichelMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). substantive question.Provides a response indicating the situation will be examined but no specific timeline.We will examine the situation and proceed accordingly.
  36. misdirected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). substantive question.The response attacks the Bloc Québécois instead of addressing the question.we recognize the traditional discourse of the Bloc Québécois, which seeks to divide and create barriers on the basis of language, culture and colour.
  37. misdirected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). substantive question.Responds by criticizing the questioner's language rather than answering.Their "us" seeks to divide people based on language.
  38. partly answered
    Natural ResourcesMr. Darshan Singh Kang (Independent) asked Amarjeet Sohi (Liberal). substantive question.Provides information on the process and a report date but no firm construction start.the NEB is on track to provide a report on February 22.
  39. deflected
    Use of Images of the Lac-Mégantic Tragedy by NetflixMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Bardish Chagger (Liberal). rhetorical question.The response ignores the statement and announces an allotted day.I would like to inform the House that Thursday, January 31, 2019, shall be an allotted day.
  40. answered
    PrivilegeMr. Nathan Cullen (NDP) asked The Speaker (Liberal). substantive question.The Speaker provides a ruling on the privilege question raised.I am now prepared to rule on the question of privilege raised on December 13, 2018, by the hon. member for Skeena-Bulkley Valley concerning an allegedly misleading statement made in the House by the former member for Saint-Leonard-Saint-Michel.