All sittings← 2023-05-102023-05-12 →
Thursday, May 11, 2023 · sitting No. 195
Bloc motion on Century Initiative leads supply day debate
The House spent most of the sitting on a Bloc Québécois supply day motion that rejects the Century Initiative population target of 100 million by 2100. Mr. Yves-François Blanchet moved the motion, which cites impacts on the French language, Quebec's political weight, housing and infrastructure. Mr. Sean Fraser replied that immigration remains essential for economic growth and that Quebec sets its own intake under the Canada-Quebec accord.
Question period featured repeated exchanges on passports, carbon pricing and immigration targets. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressed the government on passport redesigns and a second carbon tax, while Minister Sean Fraser and Minister Steven Guilbeault defended existing policies. Bloc Québécois members Alain Therrien and Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe challenged federal immigration levels opposed by the Quebec National Assembly.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Liberal ministers traded charges over access to abortion services, with Mr. Singh accusing the government of failing to deliver on promises and Minister Jenna Sudds reaffirming federal support for reproductive rights.
Decided that day
- Bill C-13 passed concurrence at report stage
- Bill C-13 passed remaining stages
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – May 11, 2023. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2023-05-11
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
Shooting in Bourget
Liberal MP Francis Drouin and Conservative MP Raquel Dancho both expressed condolences after the fatal shooting of Sergeant Eric Mueller in Bourget, Ontario.
Read the exchangeHousing
Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman said rents in Toronto could reach $3,000 a month and asked when new units would be built; Minister Ahmed Hussen listed federal supply measures already in place.
Read the exchangeDemocratic Institutions
Conservative MP Michael Barrett asked whether the Prime Minister still disputes Globe and Mail reporting on a $200,000 donation linked to Beijing influence; Minister Mark Holland said the foundation is independent.
Read the exchangeOld Age Security Act
Bloc Québécois MP Andréanne Larouche moved second reading of Bill C-319 to raise the full OAS pension by 10 per cent and increase the GIS earnings exemption.
Read the exchangeRural Post Offices
NDP MP Taylor Bachrach said Canada Post pays rural postmasters below-market rents and starting wages under $20 an hour, leaving communities without service for months.
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
- deflectedPassportsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). rhetorical question.The question is a policy announcement with no answerable query, and the response shifts to other commemoration methods without addressing passports.
it is important that we commemorate Canada's history, but let us not pretend that the only place we are able to do that is inside the pages of our passport.
- deflectedPassportsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). rhetorical question.The question is a statement attacking the PM with no query, and the answer pivots to a colleague's advocacy instead of passports.
I would caution the opposition leader against claiming that he somehow has a monopoly on caring about Terry Fox.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.The question asks for the cost of the second carbon tax, but the answer discusses provincial support and unrelated outcomes.
we now have the Conservative premier of New Brunswick, at the request of one of the Conservative members, asking the federal government to put in place our carbon pricing system.
- deflectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.The question demands the cost of carbon tax 2, but the answer quotes the Conservative platform instead of providing data.
if allowed, I will read from the Conservative Party of Canada's election platform from the last election, the platform that this party stood and spoke to Canadians about.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMrs. Rachael Thomas (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). rhetorical question.The interruption is procedural, but the answer redefines 'woke' and attacks critics rather than addressing any point.
the Leader of the Opposition and many members across the way have called me "woke" before, and if "woke" means standing up for the future of my children and grandchildren so that they have access to clean air and clean water, then so be it.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). substantive question.The question asks the cost of carbon tax 2, but the answer attacks the opposition on wildfires and child benefits.
what is exceptionally disappointing from the Leader of the Opposition is that at a time when families in Alberta are experiencing some of the worst wildfires in their history, he is railing against policies that are helping to fight climate change.
- answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). substantive question.The question asks for a commitment on immigration targets, and the answer directly states the Century Initiative is not policy while affirming current approach.
the Century Initiative plan is not our government's policy.
- partly answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The question asks parties to oppose targets, and the answer addresses Quebec's tools and labor needs but not a direct commitment against targets.
Quebec has several tools to control immigration into Quebec.
- deflectedWomen and Gender EqualityMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Ms. Jenna Sudds (Liberal). substantive question.Answer attacks Conservatives instead of detailing concrete Liberal actions on access.
We have seen, on the other side of the House, an attempt to attack a woman's right to an abortion.
- deflectedWomen and Gender EqualityMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer restates general policy and attacks the right rather than addressing specific delivery failures.
We are a feminist government. That includes defending women's rights, including a woman's right to choose and a woman's right to access abortion.
- misdirectedHousingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). substantive question.Answer pivots to criticizing Conservatives' past votes instead of responding to current supply and price issues.
it is really amazing to listen to the Conservatives finally come around to actually proposing some half-baked ideas about housing.
- misdirectedHousingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). substantive question.Answer attacks the Conservative leader's comments on mayors and cryptocurrency rather than addressing housing metrics.
- deflectedTaxationMs. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.Answer shifts to oil import statistics instead of addressing the proposed tax increases on heat, gas and food.
Under the Conservative government, foreign oil imports were double what they are today.
- deflectedTaxationMs. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). substantive question.Answer defends past tax cuts and social programs while ignoring the specific call to cancel upcoming tax hikes.
I note that at every step along the way when we have cut taxes for the middle class or delivered benefits directly to families, the Conservatives have reliably been there to vote against the measures we put forward.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer redirects questions to the foundation and accuses partisanship instead of addressing the Prime Minister's knowledge of the donation.
If members have questions about that organization that gives those scholarships, they should ask the foundation directly.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.Answer repeats independence claim and redirects to the foundation while avoiding the allegation of turning a blind eye.
the foundation in question is independent. The Prime Minister has no direct or indirect involvement in the foundation.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). substantive question.Answer shifts to francophone targets and Quebec powers instead of addressing honesty on immigration levels.
It is obvious that my friend across the way did not read the federal government's plan for immigration levels.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer pivots to labour shortages and Quebec's selection authority without committing on integration capacity.
When I think about immigration, I think about the labour shortage.
- misdirectedHealthMr. Luc Thériault (Bloc) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Bloc absence from negotiations rather than addressing studies on health care capacity for immigration targets.
to my knowledge, there were no Bloc Québécois members present with the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Minister of Health when they were negotiating an additional $8 billion in health transfers to Quebec.
- deflectedFinanceMr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.Answer criticizes Conservative filibuster tactics instead of explaining minister's committee absence.
This morning, once again, the Liberals showed up to work to listen to testimony on the budget implement act, but what did the Conservative MP for South Shore—St. Margarets want to talk about?
- deflectedFinanceMr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists economic metrics and accuses Conservatives of filibustering rather than addressing minister's availability.
it is very clear that the Conservatives are not happy about the fact that Canada has maintained its AAA credit rating
- deflectedThe EconomyMr. Bernard Généreux (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists government actions on groceries and health without addressing cost increases from carbon tax or vacations.
Listening to Canadians is exactly what we did.
- partly answeredWomen and Gender EqualityMs. Heather McPherson (NDP) asked Ms. Jenna Sudds (Liberal). substantive question.Answer cites the Health Act and a funding program but does not address timeline for expanded access.
Through the $45-million sexual reproductive health fund, we are making sure that Canadians facing obstacles to accessing abortions are supported financially
- deflectedGovernment ProgramsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Ms. Jenna Sudds (Liberal). substantive question.Answer emphasizes MP input process without explaining approvals for the specific group.
Throughout this process, we know MP input is critical.
- partly answeredPassportsMrs. Rachael Thomas (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses passport backlogs but deflects the history-erasure accusation by noting design timelines and shared national pride.
With regard to the ability of Canadians to get their passports in a timely way, I want to credit the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development for her work to eliminate the backlogs so Canadians can get passports for travel where and when they were needed.
- deflectedPassportsMr. Marc Dalton (Conservative) asked Ms. Pam Damoff (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the passport design question entirely by accusing the opposition of politicizing Terry Fox and referencing the convoy.
it breaks my heart to hear anyone in the House politicize a Canadian hero such as Terry Fox.
- deflectedPassportsMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Ms. Pam Damoff (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the erasure claim by declaring pride in Terry Fox and again attacking the opposition over the convoy statue incident.
I want to remind the members opposite, who seem to stand here wanting to politicize one of the greatest Canadians ever, that they said nothing when Terry's statue was defaced on Wellington Street during the convoy.
- partly answeredPassportsMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer explains the consultation process and themes chosen for the passport but deflects the specific accusation of erasing history.
The reality is that over the past 10 years, an exercise to consult Canadians was taken on to understand what people wanted reflected in their travel document.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. René Villemure (Bloc) asked Marco Mendicino (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the count of briefings and instead states general policy on foreign interference without addressing the specific question.
The 2023 budget provides funding for the establishment of a national counter-foreign interference coordinator and for the RCMP.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMs. Marie-Hélène Gaudreau (Bloc) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates the government's seriousness on foreign interference but does not address whether the Prime Minister would have acted without public disclosure.
we have said many times that we are a government that takes the threat of foreign interference extremely seriously.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Eric Duncan (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to listing housing programs and attacks the Conservatives for voting against them instead of addressing the CMHC bonus question.
All of these measures are helping Canadians, and what did the Conservatives do? They voted against each one of them.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Scott Aitchison (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition for insulting mayors and avoids explaining the CMHC executive bonuses or fee increases.
We have not decided that it would be a successful housing strategy to insult the mayor of Montreal, the mayor of Toronto and the mayor of Vancouver.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Scott Aitchison (Conservative) asked Ahmed Hussen (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives instead of addressing the $26 million bonuses or housing supply question.
The problem is that the Conservatives keep voting against all these measures, and then they get up to talk about how they are talking to communities and want to do something about housing, but when it comes time to take action, they fail every time.
- deflectedThe EconomyMr. Philip Lawrence (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer mocks the question with absurdity claims rather than addressing tax rates or carbon tax.
Why does the hon. member not add 80%, 90% or 100% tax in this fictitious world he lives in?
- misdirectedPassportsMr. John Nater (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts to past Conservative record and unrelated issues instead of explaining passport designs.
They spent more time on symbols than on action.
- deflectedFinanceMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to committee filibuster instead of responding to Prime Minister's spending.
If the Conservatives are genuinely worried about the cost of living, they can stop the filibuster and work with us to pass the budget implementation bill.
- answeredWomen and Gender EqualityMs. Bonita Zarrillo (NDP) asked Ms. Jenna Sudds (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly addresses the request by citing a specific federal investment in reproductive health care.
earlier this week we are able to announce a $4.2-million investment to SCI Action Canada Lab and UBC so that they can continue to serve women with vital, reproductive health care and access to abortion.
- partly answeredDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Kevin Vuong (Independent) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer covers national security lens on investments and diplomat expulsion but omits mining claims and indigenous consultation.
we have a very important Indo-Pacific strategy that includes our China strategy.