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Monday, April 24, 2023 · sitting No. 183
Commons debates budget bill as strike and Trudeau Foundation dominate question period
The House spent the largest share of its time on Government Orders considering the Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No. 1. Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux defended the government's national housing strategy and pandemic spending while Conservative MP Marty Morantz questioned the projected $40 billion in debt interest payments. Bloc Québécois MP Denis Trudel and NDP MP Gord Johns pressed the government on the limited housing measures and infrastructure funding shortfalls in British Columbia.
Question period focused on the ongoing public service strike. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the government of incompetence that left 700 soldiers without heat at CFB Petawawa and told Canadians not to apply for passports. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier replied that the government is bargaining in good faith for a fair and reasonable agreement.
Opposition members also raised ethics concerns over the Trudeau Foundation. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Bloc Québécois MP René Villemure pointed to meetings in the Prime Minister's office and Beijing-linked donations. Government House Leader Mark Holland said the meetings involved only public servants and that David Johnston's review remains independent.
Decided that day
- Bill C-27 passed second reading
- Motion to proceed to Presenting Petitions failed
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – April 24, 2023. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2023-04-24
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
Automotive Industry
Liberal MP Majid Jowhari asked Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne to update the House on Volkswagen's $7-billion electric-vehicle battery plant in St. Thomas, Ontario. Champagne called the project a home run for Canadian auto workers.
Read the exchangeNational Defence
Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant said the strike left soldiers at Petawawa without heat and hot water and asked why those services were not deemed essential. Defence Minister Anita Anand replied that an agreement has restored operations at the heating plant.
Read the exchangeHealth
Liberal MP Brenda Shanahan noted National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week and asked Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos what the government is doing to improve donation rates. Duclos said the organ donation and transplantation collaborative is working with provinces and territories.
Read the exchangeFisheries and Oceans
Conservative MP Rick Perkins said DFO enforcement officers have not monitored the East River-Chester for illegal elver fishing despite repeated calls. Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray said the department has doubled enforcement officers and continues to make arrests.
Read the exchangeForeign Affairs
Conservative MP Kevin Vuong asked Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly for an update on plans to evacuate Canadians from Sudan. Parliamentary Secretary Robert Oliphant said diplomats are working with international partners on an evacuation plan.
Read the exchangeCommittees of the House
Liberal MP John McKay presented the National Defence committee's report on a secure and sovereign Arctic. Liberal MP Bardish Chagger tabled four reports from the Procedure and House Affairs committee requesting extensions on electoral boundary objections.
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
- deflectedLabourPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mona Fortier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids any mention of cost or strike resolution details.
We are committed to reaching agreements that are fair and reasonable for Canadians, and that is what we are doing.
- deflectedLabourPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mona Fortier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids any mention of cost or strike resolution details.
Canadians can expect both parties to bargain in good faith and find compromise.
- misdirectedEthicsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the questioner's motives instead of addressing the foundation meetings.
His interest again and again is to disrupt and be partisan rather than provide productive solutions to the issues that face this country right now.
- misdirectedEthicsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to mocking the asker rather than addressing the foundation claims.
sometimes I stay up at night, and I wonder how the Leader of the Opposition got to the position of recommending to people to opt out of inflation by recommending cryptocurrency as a solution
- deflectedEthicsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer denies links without addressing the specific office meetings or prior claims.
There is no link. There has been no direct or indirect link between the foundation and the Prime Minister for over 10 years.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer rejects the premise without addressing the deputy ministers meeting.
The Prime Minister had no stake in the meeting and no information about it.
- misdirectedEthicsMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer mocks the questioners as novelists instead of addressing access or inquiry.
Perhaps there is another career awaiting members on the other side; maybe they can be novelists.
- partly answeredLabourMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Mona Fortier (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses the bargaining process and demands but not the minister's seriousness or PR criticism.
The union came to the table with 570 demands. I am proud to say that there are only a handful left on the table.
- answeredLabourMs. Rachel Blaney (NDP) asked Mona Fortier (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly explains ongoing negotiations and remaining demands in response to the strike question.
our team has been working around the clock to negotiate new collective agreements that are fair, competitive and reasonable.
- misdirectedLabourMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' past record instead of addressing the strike or tax refunds.
Canadians well remember the decade of darkness under Harper.
- misdirectedLabourMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer criticizes Conservatives' voting record and offers unrelated praise rather than confirming no delays for refunds.
The Conservatives are experts at two things because they talk out of both sides of their mouths.
- partly answeredLabourMrs. Stephanie Kusie (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses online filing but avoids committing to ending the strike or taking responsibility.
for those who file their taxes online, their tax returns will not be impacted at all.
- deflectedLabourMrs. Stephanie Kusie (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). substantive question.The answer restates respect for bargaining without addressing ending the strike or basic services.
We are going to make sure we get a good deal for both public servants and Canadians.
- deflectedLabourMr. Adam Chambers (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.The answer repeats the online filing claim and pivots to attacking Conservative history instead of continuity plans.
Let us look at the contrast between nine years of economic stagnation on the other side
- misdirectedLabourMr. Adam Chambers (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservatives' votes on benefits and claims best tax season without addressing costs or service continuity.
the Conservatives are two-faced.
- deflectedEthicsMr. René Villemure (Bloc) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer dismisses the premise as conspiracy without addressing the meeting or ties.
that is a good conspiracy theory.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. René Villemure (Bloc) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the call for an inquiry by defending Johnston and implying the question attacks his character.
I hope that the member opposite is not calling into question Mr. Johnston's character and who he is as a person.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMs. Marie-Hélène Gaudreau (Bloc) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids addressing the need for an independent inquiry by claiming no connection exists and praising parliamentary institutions instead.
I will state clearly that I fully understand that the Bloc Québécois wants to make a connection, but there is no connection to be made.
- deflectedLabourMs. Michelle Ferreri (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the question on fixing passport services and costs by accusing the opposition of disliking the truth and restating strike rules.
I understand that the Conservatives have an issue with the truth, but I am just going to tell it.
- misdirectedLabourMs. Michelle Ferreri (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). substantive question.The answer turns to attacking Conservative memory and past pandemic spending rather than addressing fixing the passport system or its costs.
I know the Conservatives have a short memory, but the public service was increased by 50% because we were delivering the Canadian emergency response benefit to eight and a half million Canadians.
- deflectedLabourMichael Chong (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). substantive question.The answer restates strike rules and pivots to criticizing Conservative memory on pandemic aid instead of responding on travel documents or fixes.
I have grave concerns with the short-term memory loss of the Conservatives.
- partly answeredTelecommunicationsMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses lowering costs via competition but ignores the revolving-door issue with the former minister joining Rogers.
The way to bring costs down in Canada is to have more competition.
- deflectedTelecommunicationsMr. Matthew Green (NDP) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer focuses on past actions against the merger and competition but avoids naming any insiders or addressing the approval process.
Actually, we denied the transfer of licence from Shaw to Rogers.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer denies any connection to the Prime Minister and accuses Conservatives of fabricating links rather than addressing the call for investigation.
Again and again, the Conservatives are looking for any way they can to connect this when no such connection exists.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer mocks the asker about buildings instead of explaining access to the PM's office.
I am not sure which building the member is in. Maybe he is in the Confederation Building, and now I know that he is aware of every meeting that takes place in the Confederation Building.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer uses an external quote and accuses the opposition of conspiracy rather than addressing the meeting details.
It is entirely possible that the Prime Minister did not even know that the meeting with deputy ministers had taken place.
- misdirectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores all questions about the meeting and pivots to unrelated attacks on opposition policies.
let us talk about the walls that protect our institutions. Let us talk about the CBC and Radio-Canada.
- answeredLabourMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Mona Fortier (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly states that negotiations are ongoing at the table with progress made.
we are currently at the table. We are negotiating with the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
- partly answeredLabourMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Mona Fortier (Liberal). substantive question.The answer covers mediation progress but does not address the request for the Prime Minister's personal involvement.
we have been in mediation for three weeks now, and our team is working tirelessly to negotiate new collective agreements
- partly answeredNational DefenceMrs. Cheryl Gallant (Conservative) asked Anita Anand (Liberal). loaded question.The answer first addresses the heating issue but then shifts to defending spending records instead of the essential services question.
first of all, an agreement has been reached that allows the heating plant to resume operations and provide heat and hot water to those living at the garrison.
- deflectedNational DefenceMr. James Bezan (Conservative) asked Anita Anand (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the troops' conditions by referencing past Conservative spending and listing unrelated achievements.
it is somewhat surprising, when the Conservatives let defence spending dip below 1%, for my hon. colleague to suggest that we are not paying attention
- misdirectedNational DefenceMr. Richard Martel (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.The answer completely ignores the soldiers' conditions and attacks the opposition on CBC funding instead.
I think that many Canadians would like to know where Conservative MPs from Quebec stand on their leader's proposal to make cuts at CBC/Radio-Canada.
- deflectedTelecommunicationsMr. Ryan Williams (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to competition and conditions without addressing the former minister's Rogers appointment.
The way to do that in Canada is through more competition with a fourth national player.
- deflectedTelecommunicationsMr. Ryan Williams (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer dismisses the question as conspiracy theories and returns to the same talking point on competition.
Canadians who are watching at home know the Conservatives.
- partly answeredFisheries and OceansMr. Rick Perkins (Conservative) asked Joyce Murray (Liberal). substantive question.The answer details general enforcement actions but does not explain the lack of monitoring on the East River-Chester.
This enforcement continues for the closed elver fishery.
- misdirectedLabourMr. Gord Johns (NDP) asked Helena Jaczek (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses McKinsey contracts instead of Deloitte and ignores the outsourcing and pay equity query.
there was absolutely no political interference in the contracts awarded, particularly to McKinsey.
- answeredForeign AffairsMr. Kevin Vuong (Independent) asked Robert Oliphant (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly discusses ongoing diplomatic efforts and registration for evacuation support.
The minister is in constant conversation with her counterparts around the world.