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Monday, September 18, 2023 · sitting No. 219

Justice minister tables bail reform bill as second reading begins

Government orders on Bill C-48, an act to amend the Criminal Code on bail reform, occupied the largest share of House time. Minister of Justice Arif Virani moved second reading and referred the bill to committee, noting it aims to protect communities while remaining Charter compliant.

Conservative MP Raquel Dancho questioned the minister on whether Canadians feel less safe and criticized his earlier Reuters comments. Bloc Québécois MP René Villemure asked if the bill in its current form is fair, prompting Virani to affirm its balance between safety and rights.

Decided that day

  • C-48 advanced to second reading
  • Four new bills introduced

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – September 18, 2023. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2023-09-18

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 40%, opposition 60% of the words spokenPrivate membersGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 11:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:35Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 7 h 35 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
59Bills creep ahead while answers dodgeThe House spent most of its time on questions and returns, with only 59 percent of words on substantive business and weak answers during Question Period. A handful of bills were introduced and one advanced to second reading, but no votes were held.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

Housing

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the Prime Minister doubled housing costs in eight years and asked how long it would take to fix the problem. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau replied that the government is building more units by cutting GST on apartments and working with municipalities such as London.

Read the exchange

Grocery Industry

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said corporate greed is driving up prices and called for the Competition Bureau to gain real powers. Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the government met grocery CEOs and is reforming competition law to remove the efficiencies defence.

Read the exchange

Carbon Pricing

Conservative MP Luc Berthold said the Liberal-Bloc carbon tax raised carrot prices 74 per cent and asked if the grocery meeting would reverse the increase by Thanksgiving. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said the government is fighting climate change while the Conservatives offer no plan.

Read the exchange

Veterans Affairs

Bloc Québécois MP Luc Desilets said the government rejected a Quebec jury's winning design for the Afghanistan memorial and gave the contract to an Ontario team. Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said the Stimson design better reflected what veterans wanted after 10,000 consultations.

Read the exchange

Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of credible allegations linking Indian agents to the killing of Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre offered condolences and said Canadians must be safe from extrajudicial killings on Canadian soil.

Read the exchange

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
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer lists government actions without addressing the timeline for fixing housing affordability.That is why we are taking immediate action to build more apartment buildings by removing the GST on construction work, to support small businesses by extending their loan repayment deadlines and to invite the sector CEOs to a meeting today to make sure that they lower grocery prices.
  2. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer highlights specific housing projects but avoids the question on eliminating inflationary deficits.We are building thousands of housing units in London and cutting red tape.
  3. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer describes municipal partnerships without addressing how long it will take to fix housing costs.we said we would work with municipalities to get housing built faster.
  4. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer dismisses the question as bickering and pivots to criticizing the opposition leader instead of addressing home building numbers.the opposition leader 's bickering will not help get houses built.
  5. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition on unrelated issues like abortion and climate instead of responding to the budget balance question.In contrast, we are actually linking public transit dollars to apartments and housing density, and we are doing so without the Conservative plan to restrict access to abortion, to deny the impact of climate change and to put more assault weapons on our streets.
  6. partly answered
    HousingMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses a $4-billion plan and GST removal but does not confirm release of the specific $900 million requested.That is why we implemented a $4‑billion plan to speed up densification, improve zoning and help municipalities build more housing more quickly.
  7. deflected
    HousingMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer accuses the Bloc of squabbling and restates the $4-billion plan without committing to releasing the withheld funds.We are here to work hand in hand with the provinces and municipalities.
  8. partly answered
    Grocery IndustryMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer mentions a meeting with CEOs and competition changes but does not commit to forcing price reductions.The Minister of Innovation met today with the CEOs of the large grocery chains to reinforce the immediate need to stabilize food prices and improve competition.
  9. misdirected
    HousingMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer pivots entirely to grocery prices and competition policy instead of housing construction.The Minister of Innovation met today with the CEOs of the large grocery chains to reinforce the immediate need to stabilize food prices and improve competition.
  10. misdirected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the questioner's past advice on crypto rather than addressing the carbon-tax impact on food prices.this is coming from someone who advocated for crypto as advice to Canadians.
  11. deflected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts to condolences and general climate action instead of responding to the carbon-tax question.With the reality of climate change, any responsible government has to invest in climate action and support Canadians in these challenging times.
  12. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the Conservative position on climate policy instead of answering whether the grocery meeting will cut carrot prices.What does the Conservative Party have to suggest? It has absolutely no suggestions to make when it comes to fighting climate change.
  13. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer defends the clean-fuel program and cites canola growers instead of addressing the carbon-tax motion or Bloc position.I would like to remind my hon. colleague that his party's most recent election platform included a proposal for a clean fuel program.
  14. partly answered
    Carbon PricingMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer addresses the grocery meeting but does not answer whether it will reduce lettuce prices by Thanksgiving.This is the first time in Canadian history that the grocers have come to Ottawa.
  15. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer quotes canola growers praising the program instead of addressing the projected carbon-tax cost or lettuce prices.We're pleased to see the CFR provides options that would minimize regulatory burden and allow canola to be used to reduce [greenhouse gas] emissions through biofuel production.
  16. answered
    Climate ChangeMs. Kristina Michaud (Bloc) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly acknowledges the question and states the government's record and upcoming actions on emissions reduction.between 2019 and 2021, Canada had the best record in the G7 in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  17. partly answered
    Climate ChangeMs. Kristina Michaud (Bloc) asked Ms. Julie Dabrusin (Liberal). loaded question.Addresses attendance at the congress but does not answer when real action will begin.Regarding the World Petroleum Congress, it is true that the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources is there.
  18. answered
    Climate ChangeMs. Kristina Michaud (Bloc) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). rhetorical question.Directly explains the national adaptation strategy as the response to increasing disasters.That is why, when faced with the issue of climate change and the increase in natural disasters, we presented the first national climate change adaptation strategy
  19. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMr. Jake Stewart (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.Ignores the carbon tax and lettuce price question entirely and shifts to housing policy.what Canadians across the country and in Atlantic Canada need right now is for more homes to be built faster.
  20. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Rick Perkins (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.Avoids the grocery price and carbon tax question by blaming climate change instead.one of the driving costs behind the increase in produce is climate change itself.
  21. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. John Williamson (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Changes subject from carbon tax impact to accusing Conservatives of not helping with food prices.I am sure that Canadians watching at home are feeling insulted by what they are hearing from that side.
  22. answered
    Grocery IndustryMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Lists specific competition law reforms in direct response to the call for action.Last week, we announced that we are carrying out the country's most comprehensive competition law reform to give the head of the Competition Bureau the power to compel the production of information and file court applications.
  23. partly answered
    HousingMs. Lori Idlout (NDP) asked Dan Vandal (Liberal). substantive question.Cites budget allocations but does not address the specific pending request from Nunavut.In budget 2022, we moved $4 billion for distinctions-based housing, including $800 million for Inuit Nunangat.
  24. deflected
    HousingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.Ignores the deficit and mortgage cost question and pivots to defending the housing plan.Mike Moffatt said that the housing plan announced by the Prime Minister last week is "hugely important.... This will make the numbers work."
  25. deflected
    HousingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservative proposals instead of addressing responsibility for housing costs.I find it fascinating to watch the Conservatives' line of questioning.
  26. deflected
    HousingMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights deficit ratings and new measures without addressing ending inflationary policies.Canada has the lowest deficit in the G7.
  27. misdirected
    HousingMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer blames Conservatives for lacking solutions rather than committing on deficits.The Conservatives are advancing half measures that would not make a meaningful lick of difference
  28. deflected
    Veterans AffairsMr. Luc Desilets (Bloc) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). substantive question.The answer explains veteran input but avoids identifying who overruled the jury.In the end, the concept of the Stimson group more accurately reflected what veterans want.
  29. deflected
    Veterans AffairsMr. Luc Desilets (Bloc) asked Ginette Petitpas Taylor (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats veteran consultation without addressing the contract reversal or rules.They told us clearly that the Team Stimson design really represented what they wanted the monument to look like.
  30. misdirected
    HousingMs. Raquel Dancho (Conservative) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition leader's past record instead of addressing current housing affordability.When he had the file, he failed hard.
  31. deflected
    HousingMs. Raquel Dancho (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to hypothetical Conservative cuts rather than ending deficits.What would Conservative austerity do to Canada?
  32. misdirected
    HousingMr. Richard Martel (Conservative) asked Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition leader's attitude toward municipalities instead of addressing spending.They do not need a condescending, arrogant Leader of the Opposition who treats municipal officials like incompetents.
  33. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Arpan Khanna (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to opposition voting record and rebates without addressing the carbon tax impact on food prices or the grocery meeting outcome.This includes a rebate that leaves eight out of 10 families in the province of Ontario better off as a result of putting a price on pollution.
  34. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Shuvaloy Majumdar (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to global inflation and dental care cuts instead of addressing the carbon tax effect on potato prices or future increases.what is irresponsible to a weary planet that is going through some of its darkest days is that although Canada has some of the lowest food inflation and some of the lowest inflation in the world
  35. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Branden Leslie (Conservative) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses climate investment and a storm instead of responding to the carbon tax burden on farms or calls to axe the tax.The fact is that if we do not deal with the economy the cost of everything will go up.
  36. partly answered
    Emergency PreparednessMr. Richard Cannings (NDP) asked Harjit S. Sajjan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the issue and commits to resources but does not directly endorse or reject a national wildfire-fighting service.We need to make sure we have the right resources at the right place at the right time, and that is what we are committed to doing.
  37. partly answered
    Emergency PreparednessMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Harjit S. Sajjan (Liberal). substantive question.The answer agrees on learning from emergencies and resource placement but avoids committing to the specific task force or national fleet requested.We will learn from them and put the appropriate resources in place.