All sittings← 2021-12-162022-02-01 →
Monday, January 31, 2022 · sitting No. 20
House orders return on 198 questions after 25% of sitting
The House spent the largest share of the sitting on questions passed as orders for return. Members approved the tabling of responses to 198 questions covering housing investment, child care agreements, post-secondary funding and Canadian Armed Forces recruiting.
Question period featured clashes over the Ottawa protests and supply chains. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole pressed the Prime Minister on trucking shortages and a return to normal while Justin Trudeau said vaccination remained the central tool. O'Toole also asked why Canada had not supplied lethal defensive weapons requested by Ukraine; the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said economic and training support had been delivered instead.
The take-note debate on Ukraine occupied 19% of the day. Members from all parties affirmed support for Ukraine's sovereignty while differing on the form of assistance Canada should provide.
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – January 31, 2022. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2022-01-31
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
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply
Bloc Québécois MP Marie-Hélène Gaudreau asked Liberal MP Andy Fillmore whether health transfers should be debated immediately given 4.8% inflation. Fillmore replied that transfers had already risen to cover pandemic needs and would continue as required.
Read the exchangeResumption of Debate on Address in Reply
Conservative MP Scott Aitchison questioned whether the throne speech contained a genuine housing action plan given worsening conditions in Parry Sound-Muskoka. Liberal MP Andy Fillmore said the national housing strategy was accelerating and hundreds of units had been added in Halifax.
Read the exchangePublic Safety
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh asked the Prime Minister what he would do about hateful symbols displayed during the Ottawa convoy. Justin Trudeau said the government would focus on the majority of Canadians who followed public-health guidance.
Read the exchangeSeniors
NDP MP Daniel Blaikie said the government's one-time payment for seniors affected by the guaranteed income supplement clawback was too slow and left some homeless. Minister Kamal Khera replied that the payment would be delivered and that broader supports for seniors had been strengthened since 2015.
Read the exchangeHousing
Liberal MP Iqwinder Gaheer asked Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen to rebut Conservative claims of a home equity tax. Hussen stated that no such tax on primary residences was under consideration.
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
- deflectedCOVID-19 ProtestsErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores request to meet truckers and pivots to vaccination.
the science is very clear: The best way through this pandemic is to get people vaccinated.
- deflectedCOVID-19 ProtestsErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer discusses vaccination and unity but does not address timeline for normal life.
It is that unity of Canadians, that nature that we have of being there for each other, that has been on such display through this pandemic.
- deflectedCOVID-19 ProtestsErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer repeats vaccination focus and ends with partisan jab instead of addressing all tools or timeline.
That is what we are focusing on, unlike the Conservative Party.
- partly answeredForeign AffairsErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Question assumes no action; answer counters premise by listing aid delivered.
we have been listening to Ukraine in terms of what it most needs.
- partly answeredForeign AffairsErin O'Toole (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Question assumes inaction; answer rebuts with specific aid and mission extensions.
That is why we have extended and expanded the united mission to train Ukrainian troops.
- partly answeredCOVID-19 ProtestsMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges protest rights and calls for end but pivots to vaccines without new measures.
we will also take a very firm stand against violence, hatred and intolerance
- partly answeredHealthMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists existing supports and vaccines but offers no new exit strategy.
We will secure vaccines, provide rapid tests, send billions of dollars to the provinces for their health care systems
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer condemns hate but shifts to vaccination instead of online hate policies.
the vast majority of Canadians know that listening to science, getting vaccinated and continuing to be there for each other with respect and openness is the best and really only way through this pandemic.
- misdirectedPublic SafetyMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores question on hate and instead attacks opposition leadership.
The Conservative Party has some thinking to do about the irresponsible leadership it is showing these days.
- deflectedForeign AffairsMichael Chong (Conservative) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer discusses loans and training but avoids the specific request for lethal weapons.
when I was in Ukraine a week ago, President Zelenskyy had one ask. It was to make sure that we would help by offering a sovereign loan to the Ukraine government to deal with economic instability.
- deflectedForeign AffairsMichael Chong (Conservative) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer quotes NATO praise and calls for de-escalation without addressing lethal weapons.
Canada is one of the lead countries in NATO when it comes to providing support for Ukraine.
- misdirectedForeign AffairsMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer refuses to engage and instead attacks Conservatives while restating general support.
we will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
- misdirectedForeign AffairsMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer attacks Conservative record and avoids concrete action on Ukraine beyond diplomacy.
we will take no lessons from the Conservative Party, especially since it made massive cuts to all missions abroad when it was in power.
- answeredForeign AffairsKerry-Lynne Findlay (Conservative) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly explains diplomatic and deterrence tracks including sanctions.
That is why we extended and expanded Operation Unifier.
- deflectedForeign AffairsKerry-Lynne Findlay (Conservative) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer highlights training efforts but does not address lethal weapons request.
We have trained more than 30,000 national guard members and armed forces in Ukraine since 2014.
- answeredHealthMr. Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay (Bloc) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly addresses global vaccination via COVAX and investments.
- deflectedHealthMr. Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay (Bloc) asked Harjit S. Sajjan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer restates Canada's vaccine donation commitments without addressing whether half measures suffice or acknowledging the call for stronger action.
We are committed to donating the equivalent of at least 200 million COVID-19 vaccines.
- answeredHealthMr. Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay (Bloc) asked Harjit S. Sajjan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly details Canada's financial commitments to global vaccine access in response to the question on current actions.
Canada is stepping up to provide vaccines for the global community. That is why our government committed $2.6 billion to the COVID-19 response, which includes $1.3 billion for the ACT-Accelerator, of which $545 million is for COVAX.
- misdirectedCOVID-19 ProtestsCandice Bergen (Conservative) asked Marco Mendicino (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to condemning protest elements and implying the asker should denounce them instead of addressing the request for the PM to listen.
I think we all support free speech in the House, but there's a big difference between free speech and inciting hatred, inciting violence and desecrating war memorials, and I would hope my hon. colleague would denounce that in the clearest terms.
- misdirectedCOVID-19 ProtestsCandice Bergen (Conservative) asked Marco Mendicino (Liberal). substantive question.The answer continues attacking protest actions and leaders rather than responding to the clarification about peaceful protesters.
let us be abundantly clear that those individuals who have called for the incitement of violence to overthrow this government, who have caused significant disruption by flagrantly ignoring public health care measures that have forced shops and businesses to close, and who have desecrated war memorials are not interested in free speech.
- deflectedCOVID-19 ProtestsCandice Bergen (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges protests made a point but avoids the request for an apology by shifting to urging peaceful continuation and noting disruptions.
I think this is a moment when we have to acknowledge that the protests that have occurred have made their point.
- partly answeredThe EconomyMs. Rachel Blaney (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses the one-time payment for seniors but ignores the broader affordability issues raised like groceries, gas, and housing.
In the fall economic update, we presented our government's plan to support those seniors with a one-time payment.
- answeredSeniorsMr. Daniel Blaikie (NDP) asked Kamal Khera (Liberal). substantive question.The answer explains GIS increases and the one-time payment to address the urgency for affected seniors.
We also know that seniors who access income supports did so because they needed it during this crisis. They should not be penalized for it now, and that is why we are making a major investment through a one-time payment for those seniors affected.
- deflectedEthicsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the question on personal responsibility by calling for mutual respect and de-escalation of protests.
There are times in our political discourse where we see things that are abhorrent, and all I would ask is that we call it out equally.
- deflectedThe EconomyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.Answer avoids the question on respecting livelihoods and instead urges protesters to leave and calls for civil dialogue.
Those who are peacefully protesting have made their point. It is time to go home and do it a different way than continuing to lock down this city and continuing to do what is happening.
- deflectedThe EconomyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores the substance about affected individuals and instead critiques the questioner's tone.
again, I encourage the member to just think, as he is talking about de-escalating and having civil discourse, about his tone and how he is approaching this issue.
- deflectedThe EconomyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer reframes the issue around the pandemic as the common enemy rather than addressing why the government will not stand with the truckers.
I have a fundamental difference, and that is that I do not believe my enemy is across the aisle. I believe that our enemy is this pandemic
- partly answeredForeign AffairsMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Pascale St-Onge (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses the diplomatic participation decision but does not directly answer whether the government will acknowledge genocide.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee are responsible for deciding whether we will participate in the Olympic Games.
- answeredForeign AffairsMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). loaded question.Answer directly corrects the premise and explains the actions taken regarding genocide allegations and the boycott.
we have asked the UN human rights committee to investigate the matter.
- misdirectedTaxationMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the Conservatives' record instead of addressing the question on tax hikes and inflation impacts on businesses.
it is a bit rich of the Conservatives to presume to offer our government any advice at all.
- deflectedPensionsMrs. Shelby Kramp-Neuman (Conservative) asked Kamal Khera (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists existing supports but does not address reversing the CPP tax hike or the GIS clawback.
That is why the government is delivering on its promise to increase the OAS by 10% for those 75 and older, strengthening the support for all Canadians later in life.
- misdirectedPensionsMr. Larry Brock (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer attacks the Conservatives' narrative and highlights GDP instead of addressing the CPP tax and its impact on families.
the Conservatives continue to irresponsibly perpetuate a false economic narrative and talk down the Canadian economy.
- deflectedPensionsMrs. Anna Roberts (Conservative) asked Kamal Khera (Liberal). substantive question.The answer promotes existing enhancements without addressing reversal of CPP hikes.
We have enhanced the CPP and the OAS and raised GIS for single seniors.
- answeredHousingMr. Matt Jeneroux (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly denies the premise of supporting new taxes on primary residences.
our government is not considering charging capital gains or surtaxes on primary residences.
- misdirectedCOVID‑19 Economic MeasuresMr. Joël Godin (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to attacking the Conservatives instead of outlining new support for 2020 startups.
I must once again point out that the Conservative Party has been very hypocritical about Canada's small and medium-sized businesses.
- partly answeredCOVID-19 Economic MeasuresMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists existing supports but does not address stopping subsidies to grocery chains or restoring hero pay.
Our government is very pleased to have been able to put measures in place throughout COVID to support these workers, including measures like paid sick leave
- deflectedNatural ResourcesMr. Mike Morrice (Green) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.The answer defends the technology in general without confirming it will scrap the proposed subsidy.
we have to look at every possible technology that will help us reduce greenhouse gases.