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Friday, June 9, 2023 · sitting No. 210

Commons wraps debate on bill to ease Afghanistan aid before Senate vote

The House spent the largest share of the sitting on Government Orders debating Bill C-41, which would create a framework for humanitarian organizations to deliver aid in Afghanistan. Liberal MP Pam Damoff said the committee had strengthened the bill with an amendment from NDP MP Heather McPherson that shifts responsibility for identifying terrorist-controlled areas to the minister of public safety. Conservative MP Garnett Genuis and Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe welcomed the measure while noting Canada had lagged other countries in responding to the crisis.

Question period featured repeated exchanges on inflation and housing costs. Conservative MP John Nater told the government to end deficit spending that he said had triggered Bank of Canada rate hikes and mortgage defaults. Liberal MP Terry Beech replied that Canada has the lowest deficit in the G7, has created nearly 900,000 jobs since last year and is lowering child-care costs.

Liberal MP Jennifer O'Connell and Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin clashed over the government's response to Chinese interference. Normandin said victims' groups reject the special rapporteur's report and want a public inquiry with powers to compel evidence. O'Connell said opposition members should read the documents before criticizing the process.

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – June 9, 2023. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2023-06-09

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 43%, opposition 57% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0011:0012:0013:00Last speech 13:25Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 3 h 25 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
29Another sitting that went nowhereNearly nine-tenths of the sitting was spent on substantive topics, chiefly the Criminal Code and the economy, yet no bills advanced and no votes were held. Question period produced mostly deflected or misdirected replies.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

Democratic Institutions

Conservative MP Michael Barrett said the prime minister's rapporteur and a former Liberal MP under investigation share the same firm for advice, and that the rapporteur did not interview the MP.

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Labour

Bloc Québécois MP Louise Chabot said the federal government should immediately ban replacement workers after 98 per cent of locked-out Port of Quebec employees rejected management's first offer.

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Housing

NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice said a Bank of Canada rate hike had raised one family's monthly payment from $2,300 to $3,780 and asked what the government would do to prevent foreclosures.

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Persons with Disabilities

NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo said the Canada disability benefit must lift nearly a million people with disabilities out of poverty rather than leave them to suffer.

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Small Business

Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné said 40 per cent of businesses fear they cannot repay the Canada Emergency Business Account loan by the December 31 deadline and will lose the forgivable portion.

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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. deflected
    FinanceMr. John Nater (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists economic positives and claims the lowest G7 deficit but never addresses ending deficit spending or interest rate impacts.Canada has the lowest deficit in the G7.
  2. deflected
    FinanceMr. John Nater (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to child care and the CCB without addressing the budget bill or inflationary spending.I think it is really important to talk about families, because we are the party that introduced the CCB.
  3. misdirected
    FinanceMr. John Nater (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservatives for filibustering instead of addressing wasteful spending or staying to fix the bill.
  4. partly answered
    FinanceMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Greg Fergus (Liberal). loaded question.The answer cites falling inflation and growth forecasts but does not address balancing the budget or mortgage risks.after peaking at 8.1% last year, the inflation rate now stands at 4.4%
  5. deflected
    FinanceMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Greg Fergus (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats growth and job numbers without engaging the IMF warning or plan to balance the budget.One thing my hon. colleague did not mention is the fact that just today, almost 900,000 more Canadians have recovered the jobs they lost during the pandemic.
  6. deflected
    Democratic InstitutionsMs. Christine Normandin (Bloc) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The answer criticizes the Bloc leader for not reading documents instead of addressing the call for a public inquiry.I note that the leader of the Bloc has decided to not actually look at the information that has been provided to him
  7. partly answered
    Democratic InstitutionsMs. Christine Normandin (Bloc) asked Mr. Stéphane Lauzon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer states measures like a transparency registry but does not commit to a public independent inquiry.We want to implement a transparency registry on foreign influence and strengthen oversight mechanisms
  8. partly answered
    HousingMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Liberal). substantive question.The answer references the national housing strategy and budget measures but offers no specific relief for families facing immediate mortgage default.In budget 2023, we also proposed measures and guidelines to protect Canadians who took out mortgages in exceptional circumstances.
  9. partly answered
    Employment InsuranceMr. Matthew Green (NDP) asked Mr. Irek Kusmierczyk (Liberal). substantive question.The answer states they are modernizing EI but spends most time on unrelated economic positives and investments.we are modernizing the EI system to make sure that it is there for all workers when they need it.
  10. deflected
    Democratic InstitutionsMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The answer avoids the inquiry request by accusing Conservatives of partisan attacks and Trump-like behavior instead.unfortunately what we see is another Conservative taking a page out of the Trump playbook, where it is just personal attacks when they do not like the outcome.
  11. deflected
    Democratic InstitutionsMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The answer sidesteps the conflicts and inquiry call by claiming Conservatives asked no foreign interference questions at PROC.the Conservatives did not ask a single foreign interference question in over 15 minutes' worth of time.
  12. deflected
    Democratic InstitutionsMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The answer begins by dismissing the question as Conservatives questioning the report due to prior conclusions rather than addressing the new conflict.
  13. deflected
    Democratic InstitutionsMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the listed conflicts and inquiry demand by accusing the opposition of conspiracy theories and personal attacks only.The Conservatives have nothing more than conspiracy theories and personal attacks, just like the Trump administration did.
  14. misdirected
    Democratic InstitutionsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mr. Stéphane Lauzon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to a past Conservative quote praising Johnston and urges accepting a briefing instead of addressing the firing request.At some point, the Conservatives decided to turn this into a political game.
  15. deflected
    Democratic InstitutionsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mr. Stéphane Lauzon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer claims the rapporteur is qualified and dismisses concerns as political games without engaging the conflicts or inquiry call.The person in question is highly qualified.
  16. answered
    LabourMs. Louise Chabot (Bloc) asked Mr. Terry Sheehan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly states the government is on track to ban replacement workers by the end of the year as requested.we are on track to ban replacement workers by the end of this year.
  17. deflected
    LabourMs. Louise Chabot (Bloc) asked Mr. Terry Sheehan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer promotes the government's own timeline and bill instead of addressing reinstatement of the Bloc bill.We are taking the feedback that we have received from unions, employers and indigenous groups to inform our legislation, which will be tabled by the end of this year.
  18. misdirected
    The EconomyMrs. Shelby Kramp-Neuman (Conservative) asked Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservatives for blocking the budget rather than addressing the call to end deficit spending.If she wants to work together, then I would encourage her to stop blocking the budget, which seeks to give directives to protect Canadians who took on mortgages in exceptional circumstances.
  19. misdirected
    The EconomyMrs. Shelby Kramp-Neuman (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). substantive question.The answer mocks Conservatives as unprepared students instead of responding to the offer to collaborate on a budget.we know that all the students who go to summer school are the ones who did not do their homework throughout the rest of the year, and that is exactly what the Conservatives did.
  20. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Chris Lewis (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists job programs without addressing the request to end deficit spending affecting young adults.youth unemployment has gone down under our budget.
  21. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Chris Lewis (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights inflation progress and attacks Conservative ideas instead of addressing pain from mortgage defaults.No Canadians are convinced that their lives are going to be more affordable by getting rid of dental care, getting rid of child care, eliminating the CBC or stopping to fight climate change.
  22. answered
    Persons with DisabilitiesMs. Bonita Zarrillo (NDP) asked Mr. Irek Kusmierczyk (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly confirms the bill's progress and intent to lift people with disabilities out of poverty.In February, the House unanimously adopted Bill C-22
  23. partly answered
    LabourMs. Lori Idlout (NDP) asked Mr. Terry Sheehan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer states mediators are involved and a ban is planned but does not commit to supporting the NDP bill.We are on track to ban the use of replacement workers by the end of this year, but we need to strike a balance between doing things quickly and getting things done right
  24. misdirected
    The EconomyMrs. Stephanie Kusie (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks Conservative beliefs and lists achievements instead of addressing ending inflationary spending.it is unfortunate that the Conservatives do not believe that we can fight inflation and fight climate change at the same time
  25. deflected
    The EconomyMrs. Stephanie Kusie (Conservative) asked Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to the national housing strategy without addressing deficits or spending.As she is well aware, the national housing strategy is not just about helping Canadians pay their rent.
  26. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Tony Baldinelli (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). substantive question.Responds by discussing global inflation and budget benefits instead of committing to end deficit spending.despite what the Conservatives say, everyone knows that inflation is a global phenomenon.
  27. misdirected
    The EconomyMr. Tony Baldinelli (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' proposals rather than addressing vacation plans or cost of living directly.I hope that Conservatives will do the same.
  28. deflected
    Small BusinessMs. Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Bloc) asked Mr. Arif Virani (Liberal). substantive question.Highlights past supports and opposition votes instead of addressing flexibility for loan deadlines.We have always been there to help and support SMEs.
  29. deflected
    Small BusinessMs. Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Bloc) asked Mr. Arif Virani (Liberal). substantive question.Reiterates loan terms and past actions without offering new flexibility on repayment plans.We are always here to listen to SMEs' concerns.
  30. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Blake Richards (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). substantive question.Defends fiscal responsibility and lists programs instead of addressing new spending and interest rates.we are putting forward a plan that is fiscally responsible.
  31. misdirected
    The EconomyMr. Blake Richards (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.Attacks Conservatives' credibility and past policies rather than addressing impact on lower income Canadians.the Conservatives have no credibility when it comes to supporting families.
  32. deflected
    HousingMr. Bernard Généreux (Conservative) asked Greg Fergus (Liberal). substantive question.Points to budget projections and compares to G7 without committing to eliminate deficits.I invite my hon. colleague to have a look at the budget.
  33. partly answered
    JusticeMr. Gerald Soroka (Conservative) asked David Lametti (Liberal). substantive question.The minister acknowledges the tragedy and commits to reviewing the bill but does not agree to adopt it immediately.I have undertaken publicly, and I will do it again now, to look at the proposed Noah's law to see if it is in conformity with what we are trying to do and to work with members across the floor to see what we can do.
  34. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Michael Kram (Conservative) asked Mr. Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends the government's fiscal record and inflation progress without addressing when deficit spending will end.our plan is fiscally responsible and inflation is coming down.
  35. deflected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Scott Reid (Conservative) asked Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde (Liberal). substantive question.The response restates the priority of resettling Afghans but does not address the minister's availability for meetings.We will not turn our backs on these brave Afghans who have worked with us and we will do everything we can to get Afghans to safety.
  36. deflected
    Natural ResourcesMs. Heather McPherson (NDP) asked Ms. Julie Dabrusin (Liberal). substantive question.The answer describes the general impact assessment system without confirming whether one exists for the specific mine.We put in place a robust impact assessment system that is there to make sure that there are regional assessments and impact assessments to take into account environmental concerns.
  37. deflected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Kevin Vuong (Independent) asked Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde (Liberal). loaded question.The response affirms zero tolerance for racism but neither confirms nor denies the alleged visa process in South Africa.let me be very clear that we have zero tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind.