All sittings← 2022-05-032022-05-05 →
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 · sitting No. 64
Commons holds day-long debate on missing and murdered indigenous women
The House devoted nearly half the sitting to a take-note debate on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. Minister Marc Miller opened the discussion by acknowledging the ongoing tragedy and outlining federal investments, while opposition members pressed for faster action on the national action plan.
Question period featured repeated Conservative challenges over ethics, health mandates and housing costs, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defending the government's record and accusing opponents of personal attacks. Bloc Québécois and NDP members also raised immigration backlogs and access to abortion services.
Decided that day
- Motion to proceed to Orders of the Day passed
- Bill C-242 passed second reading
- Bill C-8 third reading passed then failed
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – May 4, 2022. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2022-05-04
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
Ethics
Conservative MP Luc Berthold asked whether the RCMP should investigate criminal cases six years old when new facts emerge, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau replied that the force would do its job.
Read the exchangeHealth
Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman pressed the Prime Minister to end travel mandates, and Justin Trudeau said measures would continue to be guided by experts.
Read the exchangeImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Bloc Québécois MP Yves-François Blanchet asked whether Ottawa was challenging Quebec's immigration authority, and Justin Trudeau said the government recognized the Canada-Quebec accord.
Read the exchangePublic Safety
Conservative MP Dane Lloyd asked if any minister or staff spoke with Justice Rouleau before his appointment to the Emergencies Act inquiry, and Justin Trudeau defended the process as transparent.
Read the exchangeCarbon Pricing
Conservative MP Gérard Deltell criticized the April 1 increase in the carbon tax amid 6.7 per cent inflation, and Justin Trudeau said pricing pollution remained the right policy.
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
- misdirectedEthicsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer attacks Conservatives and shifts to unrelated topics instead of addressing agreement on justice principle.
Conservatives will stop at nothing to distract from their support of the illegal protests that cost our economy dearly, put people out of work and made many people feel unsafe in their own communities.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer claims RCMP does its job but immediately pivots to criticizing Conservatives on economy and other issues.
It is interesting to see how determined the Conservatives are to avoid taking about the economy, about housing and about the budget we tabled just a few weeks ago.
- deflectedHealthMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer discusses past pandemic efforts and science guidance but does not address ending health measures or returning employees to offices.
We will continue to be guided by the science and by the best recommendations of experts to keep Canadians safe.
- deflectedHealthMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer praises Canadians and economic recovery but avoids explaining why mandates persist unlike other countries.
That strength of response is why we have not only had less impact from the pandemic than many other countries, but our economic recovery has come back so much stronger than many other countries'.
- deflectedHealthMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer begins responding about divisions but is cut off and does not address specific expert advice or ending mandates.
we see the Conservative Party talking an awful lot about divisions among Canadians, but that has not been the experience of most Canadians, over 90% of whom stepped up to get vaccinated
- misdirectedHealthMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.Question is rhetorical and incomplete; answer attacks Conservatives on divisions rather than engaging the topic.
the Conservatives never miss an opportunity to try to pretend that Canadians are divided, when in fact Canadians were united
- answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly addresses Quebec's immigration authority under the accord and willingness to work with Quebec.
We recognize that under the Canada-Quebec accord Quebec can choose to accept up to 28% of new permanent residents who arrive in Canada every year.
- partly answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer notes Quebec sets targets and recent increases but does not fully address backlogs or whether Quebec should handle its own affairs.
Quebec sets its own immigration targets.
- deflectedWomen and Gender EqualityMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer affirms abortion rights in general but does not address the concrete proposal to cover birth control costs.
We will never back down from protecting and promoting access to safe abortion in Canada and around the world, and we cannot take any rights, including this most fundamental one, for granted.
- partly answeredWomen and Gender EqualityMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists specific actions taken on abortion access but does not give a yes-or-no on covering birth control costs.
as we said, we have not hesitated to take action, including by withholding funding from New Brunswick in light of its continued refusal to fund Clinic 554 and by investing $45 million to help community organizations expand access to reproductive health care information and services.
- misdirectedHealthMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots from mandates to an attack on the questioner's stance on women's rights rather than addressing the UK comparison.
I wonder if he is willing to extend that to the personal choice of women to control their own bodies.
- deflectedHealthMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats general claims about following science and economic recovery without engaging the listed countries or evidence on mandates.
every step of the way, we have been guided by one principle: to have Canadians' backs.
- misdirectedHealthMr. Stephen Ellis (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the questioner's language on mandates instead of addressing the specific Novavax travel delay case.
I cannot help but pause on the language that the Conservative Party continues to use around vaccinations, words like "punitive" and words like "vindictive"
- deflectedHealthMr. Stephen Ellis (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes recognition of mandates' purpose but avoids naming any date or benchmarks for ending them.
That Canadians stepped up, with over 90% getting vaccinated, is part of why we have had a pandemic that hit us less hard than many places around the world.
- deflectedHealthMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer cites general success of Canadian measures without addressing whether Quebec or other listed jurisdictions are wrong.
Although we did lose some people, the decisions that Canada made in partnership with the provinces are why the pandemic hit Canada less hard and why we are experiencing a stronger economic recovery than many other countries.
- misdirectedHealthMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to criticizing Conservatives on vaccines rather than explaining continued federal mandates after provinces lifted theirs.
once we delivered those vaccines, it was unfortunately the Conservatives who fought to prevent people from being persuaded that vaccines were a good idea.
- partly answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses processing speed and collaboration but shifts focus to Quebec sending more files instead of directly answering fault or control.
Yes, it would be better if Quebec sent us more files, because then we could ensure higher immigration levels.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer avoids the processing delay question entirely by attacking the Bloc and restating federal control.
I realize our Bloc friend is not happy about this, but Quebec is not yet its own country, nor will it ever be if Canadians continue to do their job.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Dane Lloyd (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the specific question on contact with Justice Rouleau and instead attacks Conservatives for supporting blockaders.
I can understand the Conservatives are concerned about this. They are worried that it is going to show the level to which their support for these blockaders contributed to the difficulties of so many Canadians.
- answeredPublic SafetyMrs. Cheryl Gallant (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly states the flight was a pre-planned unrelated training exercise.
The flight in question was part of a Canadian Armed Forces training exercise that was planned prior to and was unrelated to the convoy protest.
- deflectedPublic SafetyKerry-Lynne Findlay (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer avoids confirming details and instead accuses the opposition of misinformation without addressing the surveillance question.
What the member opposite just engaged in is dangerously close to misinformation and disinformation designed to gin up fears and conspiracy theories around what happened a number of months ago.
- answeredPublic SafetyMrs. Rachael Thomas (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly states the flight was a pre-planned unrelated training exercise.
the flight in question was part of a Canadian Armed Forces training exercise that was planned prior to and unrelated to the convoy protest.
- misdirectedInfrastructureMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to the environment commissioner's findings and climate lens instead of addressing the Infrastructure Bank recommendation.
Infrastructure Canada is strengthening the climate lens it uses to assess the environmental impacts of projects as we continue to build a clean, competitive economy.
- partly answeredHealthMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses investments and harm reduction but does not address support for the specific private member's bill on decriminalization.
A significant number of the investments we have made have been in safe supply, but we know there is always much more to do.
- deflectedHousingMr. Matt Jeneroux (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists general investments without addressing the cited low approval numbers for specific programs.
That is why, since we brought in 2017's national housing strategy, we have seen millions of families move into new homes supported by government programs.
- answeredHousingMr. Eric Melillo (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly outlines the three-part housing plan from budget 2022 aimed at young Canadians.
we put forward a housing plan that focuses on three things, particularly for young Canadians.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer criticizes opposition to carbon pricing instead of addressing the request to freeze tariffs or the inflation comparison.
I am disappointed to hear one of our Quebec colleagues speak out against putting a price on pollution.
- deflectedHousingMrs. Stephanie Kusie (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer blames the prior government and lists past investments without specifying when new homes will be built.
when we took office in 2015, we started from a standing start in terms of federal investments in housing because the previous Conservative government, for 10 years, had not seen housing as a priority for it to invest in.
- partly answeredSeniorsMs. Andréanne Larouche (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer details actions for seniors but does not commit to raising OAS for those aged 65-74.
To help seniors, we brought the retirement age back down from 67, where Mr. Harper set it, to 65.
- deflectedSeniorsMs. Andréanne Larouche (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer justifies extra help for those 75+ without addressing an increase for all seniors starting at 65.
the fact that seniors are living longer and longer is good news.
- answeredNatural ResourcesMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer states ongoing advocacy with Michigan and US federal government to keep Line 5 operating.
That is why we have been consistently and continually advocating for its continued operation with the Government of Michigan and the federal government in the United States
- misdirectedNatural ResourcesMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses Conservatives of inventing conspiracy theories rather than addressing any change in position on Line 5.
once again we see the Conservatives trying to invent conspiracy theories where there simply are none.
- partly answeredNatural ResourcesMs. Lianne Rood (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Addresses actions taken on Line 5 but does not directly assure no shutdown.
We have taken strong steps to defend Line 5, including formally invoking the bilateral pipeline treaty.
- answeredCanada Revenue AgencyMr. Jake Stewart (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Directly addresses the CRA investigation, review findings, and whistle-blower protections.
an expert third party review found that there was no wrongdoing in this case, and the agency did not provide any form of preferential treatment to the taxpayer.
- deflectedCanada Revenue AgencyMr. Jake Stewart (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Ignores the specific CRA question and pivots to partisan attacks on Conservatives.
While members opposite insist on making partisan, personal attacks against me, we will continue to stay focused on Canadians
- deflectedEthicsMr. Dan Albas (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Avoids the Tofino/Paradise Papers question by attacking Conservatives and restating CRA denial.
once again we see Conservatives choosing to sling mud, to make partisan attacks and to focus on me while we stay focused on Canadians.
- answeredIndigenous AffairsMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Directly responds with details on the national action plan and funding for MMIWG.
In June 2021, partners from across the country came together and released the national action plan, including the federal pathway to finally end this ongoing tragedy.
- partly answeredSeniorsMr. Mike Morrice (Green) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Acknowledges the issue but does not address the missing new funding or safe long-term care act.
We are continuing to move forward, working with and recognizing the jurisdiction of provinces, but also knowing that the federal government has a role to play in ensuring that every senior in this country is treated with the dignity and care that they so richly deserve.
- answeredPoints of OrderMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Directly addresses the point of order by clarifying the intended remark.
in the heat of the moment, I forgot one word. I meant to say, "Shame on Quebec Conservatives", as reported in—
- misdirectedPoints of OrderMr. Alain Rayes (Conservative) asked Mrs. Sophie Chatel (Liberal). substantive question.The answer from Mrs. Chatel addresses a different matter entirely and ignores the demand for apology.
I was in the House when the Liberal Party and the opposition parties, with the exception of the official opposition, stood up—
- misdirectedPoints of OrderMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Mrs. Sophie Chatel (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores the point of order entirely and shifts to an unrelated topic about US abortion rights.
What is happening in the United States is a step backwards.
- deflectedPoints of OrderMr. John Brassard (Conservative) asked Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges the request but broadens it to all sides instead of addressing the specific call to check Hansard for the Prime Minister.
you should check what was said on all sides of the House and provide a detailed report
- misdirectedPoints of OrderMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). substantive question.Answer completely ignores the point of order and instead delivers a tribute to a deceased former Speaker.
I rise today to speak about the life of former Speaker and member of Parliament John Bosley