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Wednesday, April 21, 2021 · sitting No. 85

Commons holds emergency debate on third-wave COVID response

The House spent the largest share of its sitting on an emergency debate on the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, initiated by Green Party MP Elizabeth May under Standing Order 52. The motion to adjourn for the debate passed after brief procedural exchanges, and members from several parties examined border measures, provincial capacity and lessons from other jurisdictions.

In Question Period, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole pressed the Prime Minister on vaccine supply shortfalls in January and February and on the absence of new restrictions on flights from COVID-19 hot spots. Justin Trudeau replied that more than 13.6 million doses had been delivered and that border measures remained among the strongest in the world.

Liberal and Conservative members also traded charges over the budget's proposed health transfers and child-care funding, with O'Toole arguing that provinces needed immediate assistance and Trudeau defending the timing and scale of federal support.

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – April 21, 2021. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2021-04-21

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 42%, opposition 58% of the words spokenGovernment businessPrivate membersEmergency Debate▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 14:0516:0017:0018:0019:0020:0021:0022:00Last speech 23:30Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 9 h 25 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
35Budget talk and COVID queries yield littleThe sitting devoted most hours to pandemic response and budget debate yet passed no bills and saw a single subamendment fail. Question Period produced more deflections than answers while points of order interrupted proceedings.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

Public Services and Procurement

Conservative MP Luc Berthold said the Prime Minister bore responsibility for the third wave because contracts had not produced adequate early supply, while Trudeau countered that 9.5 million doses had been delivered by the end of March against a six-million target.

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The Budget

Bloc Québécois MP Gabriel Ste-Marie asked whether the federal child-care funding would reach Quebec with no conditions attached, and Trudeau replied that budget 2021 contained an asymmetrical agreement allowing the province to improve its existing system.

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Justice

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet asked whether the Prime Minister would recognize Quebec's jurisdiction after the Bill 21 ruling and refrain from funding opponents of the law; Trudeau said the government would let the legal process run its course.

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The Budget

Liberal MP Marilyn Gladu questioned why the 10 per cent Old Age Security increase applied only to those 75 and older, and Liberal MP Judy A. Sgro replied that fiscal limits had required targeting the most vulnerable seniors first.

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Income Tax Act

Conservative MP Larry Maguire presented Bill C-208 at third reading, explaining that it would ease the intergenerational transfer of small businesses and farms while preventing abuse, after the bill advanced with unanimous consent at report stage.

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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. partly answered
    HealthErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses vaccine deliveries and future supply but does not explain why 58% capacity is adequate.We have sent more than 13.6 million vaccines to the provinces and territories, with millions more arriving in the weeks and months to come.
  2. partly answered
    HealthErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer covers vaccine deliveries and border measures but does not address the timing failure in January and February.We actually passed, by about 50%, our target of delivering six million vaccines by the end of March, and we will continue to deliver more vaccines to get Canadians through this.
  3. misdirected
    HealthErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservatives for falsehoods and pivots to the budget instead of addressing border or vaccine timing failures.
  4. partly answered
    The BudgetErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes past transfers and new funding but does not explain why increases are delayed until after the pandemic.With this budget, we are providing an additional $4 billion.
  5. misdirected
    HealthErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses the asker of inventing facts and playing politics rather than addressing border action timing.The Conservatives feel the need to spout falsehoods to play politics.
  6. answered
    HealthMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly states that long-term increases will occur after the pandemic and details current support amounts.I stated very clearly at that time that, yes, we will be there to increase health transfers for the long term, but not until we have gotten through the pandemic.
  7. partly answered
    HealthMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer affirms respect for jurisdictions and funding support but does not confirm 35% coverage or immediate timing.We recognize and respect provincial jurisdictions, but we will provide funding to help the provinces ensure that all seniors are protected.
  8. partly answered
    HealthMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer affirms federal support for Ontario but pivots to historical NDP criticism instead of committing to the Emergencies Act.I find it interesting, however, that the NDP is now calling on us to invoke the Emergencies Act, when Tommy Douglas famously criticized my father for doing the same thing.
  9. partly answered
    HealthMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Mentions existing paid sick leave action but offers no specific new commitment to improve access.We moved forward with paid sick leave to make sure that people did not have to face the impossible choice between going to work and putting food on the table, and we will continue to work to do more.
  10. deflected
    HealthMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Attacks Conservative motives instead of addressing the claimed inconsistency on travel or vaccine gap.it is amazing to see the lengths to which the Conservative Party will go to make political comments and attacks.
  11. deflected
    HealthMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Highlights own vaccination achievements and criticizes opposition rather than acknowledging any failure.We got people vaccinated in 2020, even before the new year.
  12. deflected
    HealthMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Emphasizes exceeding dose targets without addressing the specific January-February gap or admitting failure.We promised Canadians that we would receive six million doses of vaccines in the first three months of 2020. We exceeded that by 50% and received nine million doses.
  13. misdirected
    HealthMs. Raquel Dancho (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Dismisses the question as partisan and pivots to science and provincial decisions instead of addressing the admission requested.the Conservatives would do well to pay a little more attention to science rather than grounding everything in their partisan attacks.
  14. deflected
    HealthMs. Raquel Dancho (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Cites Canada's G20/G7 ranking to counter criticism without addressing the January-February shortage claim.Canada is now third in the G20, in terms of people who have been vaccinated.
  15. partly answered
    HealthMs. Raquel Dancho (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Agrees on public fatigue and restates federal supports but does not acknowledge any personal failure on vaccines.on this we can agree. Canadians are tired of this COVID pandemic.
  16. partly answered
    JusticeMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Notes awareness of the ruling and defers to legal process without explicitly recognizing jurisdiction or making funding commitment.We will let the legal process take its course and will continue to monitor this situation closely.
  17. deflected
    JusticeMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores the motion and pivots to an unrelated legal process.We will let the legal process take its course and will continue to monitor this situation closely.
  18. misdirected
    HealthMichelle Rempel Garner (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer corrects a statistic then attacks Conservatives instead of addressing vaccine procurement.it is amazing to see the lengths to which the Conservative Party will go to make attacks.
  19. deflected
    HealthMichelle Rempel Garner (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer restates vaccine progress and G7 travel without addressing the January-February procurement failure.we have now passed the threshold of having vaccinated 25% of Canadians.
  20. deflected
    HealthMichelle Rempel Garner (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer blames experts and calls the question partisan rather than explaining supply shortfalls.once again the Conservatives demonstrate that they will never let the facts get in the way of a good political partisan attack.
  21. deflected
    HealthMichelle Rempel Garner (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer defends the four-month dosing interval by citing the UK but does not explain why Canada lacked supply.the U.K. was actually the first country to expand that four-month spread strategy.
  22. partly answered
    HealthMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists federal sick-leave measures but does not commit to further improvements.we moved forward with two weeks of paid sick leave, knowing it would make a big difference across the country and we continue to work on that.
  23. answered
    HealthMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly answers yes and explains short-term transfers plus future talks.yes, I promised that last December during conversations and meetings with the provincial and territorial premiers.
  24. deflected
    HealthPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer highlights Atlantic and northern successes instead of explaining why Ontario faces a severe third wave.there are places in Canada that have been spared this third wave, including the Atlantic provinces
  25. answered
    HealthPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly rebuts the premise that no vaccines arrived in January or February with specific delivery numbers.The reality is, we did get vaccines in January and February, unlike what the member is saying.
  26. deflected
    HealthPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the vaccine question entirely and pivots to criticizing the asker for not discussing the budget.It is fascinating to me that the former finance critic for the Conservative Party, the now critic for jobs and growth, has absolutely nothing to say about our federal budget.
  27. deflected
    HealthPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer again avoids the vaccine question and instead lists budget measures while implying the asker has not read it.I now understand why the hon. member for Carleton is not asking questions about the budget; he has not actually read the budget.
  28. answered
    The BudgetMr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer confirms an asymmetrical agreement with Quebec on child care funding.However, I can assure the House that budget 2021 includes an asymmetrical agreement with Quebec that will allow for further improvements to its system.
  29. partly answered
    The BudgetMr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses reaching positive agreements but does not explicitly confirm the funding will be unconditional.We are confident that the work that we will do together, with Quebec, will meet the needs of families across the country and that the funding that we will send to Quebec will be invested properly.
  30. answered
    Public Services and ProcurementMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly addresses the vaccine delivery claim by citing the number of doses provided versus the target.During the first few months of the year, we promised Canadians that we would deliver six million doses of the vaccine.
  31. deflected
    Public Services and ProcurementMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts from the vaccine question to federal spending support for small businesses without addressing procurement timing.With regard to support during the pandemic, $8 of every $10 spent has been spent by the federal government.
  32. answered
    Public Services and ProcurementMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly responds with the government's vaccination timeline and strategy.We have been developing a strategy to vaccinate as many Canadians as possible as quickly as possible.
  33. deflected
    HealthMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights procurement achievements without addressing the dosing interval discrepancy or admitting any failure on deliveries.Canada, because of our procurement strategy, was able to sign deals with seven different potential vaccine makers, many of which are now able to deliver vaccines, including to Canada.
  34. deflected
    HealthMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer supplies delivery statistics and calls for factual debate but avoids the CanSino criticism and any admission of failure to secure sufficient early supply.In January and February, we did deliver hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses to Canadians and, indeed, by the end of March, by the end of the first quarter, we had surpassed our scheduled deliveries of six million vaccines, for a total of 9.5 million vaccines.
  35. deflected
    HealthMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer praises cross-party collaboration and federal supports while criticizing partisan attacks, sidestepping the committee shutdown and vaccination failure claims.Nobody wants to see the partisan attacks that are being demonstrated now.
  36. partly answered
    The BudgetMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer explains the summer outlook and hiring incentive but does not directly justify reducing payments from $500 to $300 amid ongoing lockdowns.We are all very hopeful that, by summer, we will be able to relax restrictions and step up economic activity.