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Friday, December 15, 2023 · sitting No. 269
House debates bank merger effects amid Speaker confidence motion
The House spent the largest share of the sitting on a concurrence motion in the report of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology concerning competition policy and the proposed merger of HSBC and the Royal Bank of Canada. Conservative MP Michael Barrett argued that reduced competition would drive up shelter costs for Canadians already facing doubled rents and mortgage payments. Liberal MP Leah Taylor Roy raised points of order on relevance during the exchange.
Question Period featured repeated Conservative attacks on the carbon tax and its impact on farmers and families, with Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman pressing the government to axe the tax before Christmas. Liberal ministers Karina Gould and Adam van Koeverden defended the tax and accused Conservatives of voting against child care, dental care and support for Ukraine.
The Speaker opened proceedings with an apology for recording a partisan video in his office and uniform, while later proceedings addressed a Conservative motion declaring no confidence in the Speaker and seeking an immediate election for the post.
Decided that day
- The House passed a motion to adjourn.
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – December 15, 2023. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2023-12-15
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
Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act
Liberal MP Robert Oliphant accused Conservatives of blocking debate on Bill S-9 twice before, while Conservative MP Pat Kelly countered that the bill should have passed in the previous Parliament rather than arriving on the final sitting day before Christmas.
Read the exchangeDental Care
Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin charged that the federal dental plan favours Sun Life Insurance over Quebec's public RAMQ system, and Minister Mark Holland replied that talks with Quebec's health minister are under way to ensure access across the province.
Read the exchangeInnovation, Science and Industry
Conservative MP Michael Cooper alleged that more than $150 million had been misappropriated at the Sustainable Development Technology Canada fund, and Minister Maninder Sidhu stated that the department acted quickly once allegations surfaced and accepted the CEO's resignation.
Read the exchangeSmall Business
Bloc Québécois MP Sébastien Lemire urged the government to extend the January repayment deadline for CEBA loans to avert bankruptcies, and Liberal MP Bryan May confirmed a one-year extension had already been granted along with further repayment flexibilities.
Read the exchangeNews Media Industry
Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux questioned why $7 million of the Google settlement would go to CBC/Radio-Canada instead of local outlets, and Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden defended the Online News Act as a means to support newsrooms nationwide.
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
- deflectedCarbon PricingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores the carbon tax question and instead attacks Conservative senators.
It was actually Conservative senators who were bullying independent senators.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts to Ukraine trade and farmers instead of addressing carbon tax relief.
Ukraine is the breadbasket of the world.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to listing Conservative votes against programs rather than addressing ministerial travel or tax.
In fact, just last week, they voted against $10-a-day child care.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Bernard Généreux (Conservative) asked Ms. Julie Dabrusin (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives on climate instead of responding to carbon tax impact on holiday meals.
while the Conservative Party wants to see our planet burn, we intend to protect our communities.
- deflectedFinanceMr. Bernard Généreux (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.Answer discusses child benefit and child care instead of inflationary spending or food banks.
I would like to know what the folks at Moisson Kamouraska think of the Conservatives, who oppose the Canada child benefit
- partly answeredDental CareMs. Christine Normandin (Bloc) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges discussions with Quebec but does not fully explain choice of private insurer.
We are having discussions with Minister Dubé—
- partly answeredDental CareMs. Christine Normandin (Bloc) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer states dental care will be accessible but sidesteps jurisdiction and public plan concerns.
Dental care will be accessible to everyone across the country, Quebeckers and Canadians alike.
- answeredGovernment PrioritiesMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly lists government achievements on child care and dental care as requested.
we are very proud of the record we have in delivering $10-a-day child care for families across this country, delivering dental care for low- and moderate-income children and seniors throughout this country
- deflectedGovernment PrioritiesMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes collaboration without addressing the claim that Liberals wait on the NDP.
There is no point in simply criticizing, raising a fuss or creating problems.
- misdirectedFinanceMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' voting record instead of addressing the carbon tax question.
it was especially disappointing, last Friday, to watch the Conservatives vote against measures such as the strategy to bring in a food school program.
- misdirectedFinanceMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to criticizing Conservatives on child benefits rather than responding on taxes or food banks.
How, in 2023, can the Conservatives claim to care about poverty and then oppose what La Bouchée généreuse, Moisson Kamouraska, Moisson Québec and Moisson Bellechasse do every day, namely reduce child poverty?
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the member's past votes instead of addressing carbon tax and food inflation.
that is quite the statement from the member opposite, who in the past has voted to not go ahead with tax cuts for the middle class and who has voted against the Canada child benefit.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.The answer cites external opinions on carbon tax but avoids answering whether farmers will be exempted.
The food report he references said explicitly that it is misleading to suggest that carbon-pricing policies are affecting food prices.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Mr. Francis Drouin (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer congratulates the performance then shifts to markets and voting records without addressing the carbon tax.
I want to congratulate the member. Bravo on the great performance.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer turns to Ukraine, Putin and ethnic communities instead of responding on carbon tax or farming.
It is not just Ukrainian Canadians who are disappointed in the member and his caucus.
- deflectedNews Media IndustryMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses the Google agreement but does not address whether CBC should forgo the funds.
Last month, we announced a historic agreement with Google to compensate local journalists for their important work.
- deflectedNews Media IndustryMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives on journalists instead of addressing the specific assurance requested about the $7 million fund.
we know that the Conservatives do not value the work of journalists, but we do.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Brad Redekopp (Conservative) asked Mr. Francis Drouin (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the member's vote record rather than addressing the question about carbon tax impacts on the named farmer.
last week he had a choice. He had a choice to support dairy farmers and all supply-managed sectors and he voted against dairy farmers
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Brad Redekopp (Conservative) asked Mr. Francis Drouin (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to Bill C-282 support instead of responding to the carbon tax cost question for the farmer.
I do not hear them being as loud in supporting Bill C-282 , a bill we unanimously supported on this side of the House that supports supply management.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Branden Leslie (Conservative) asked Dan Vandal (Liberal). loaded question.Answer insults the member about past votes on unrelated items instead of addressing carbon tax advice to the farmer.
the member for Portage—Lisgar should be embarrassed, and he should be ashamed of himself.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Branden Leslie (Conservative) asked Karina Gould (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the member's votes against supply management instead of answering the carbon tax question posed.
That member and all the members of the Conservative Party voted against farmers.
- answeredInfrastructureMs. Rachel Blaney (NDP) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly acknowledges the need for functional weather stations and offers follow-up discussion on safety.
We have an obligation to ensure that the data and reporting from those weather stations is up to date and fully functional.
- partly answeredHealthMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses the hotline implementation but does not commit to the full national suicide prevention strategy requested.
We continued this strategy by implementing the 988 suicide prevention line on November 30.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Tako Van Popta (Conservative) asked Mr. Francis Drouin (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to Bill C-282 instead of addressing the carbon tax impact question for the turkey farmer.
The one thing that the entire supply-managed sector is asking of us is to support Bill C-282 .
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Tako Van Popta (Conservative) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts entirely to unrelated justice committee filibusters and attacks the asker instead of addressing Bill C-234 or carbon pricing.
That is reprehensible behaviour and that needs to be corrected immediately.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Kelly McCauley (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer pivots to global inflation and dental care while avoiding any direct response on carbon tax impacts to places of worship.
What they need are solutions, like dental care so that seniors can get the dental care they need and one million children can get the dental care they need.
- misdirectedFinanceMr. Richard Lehoux (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives on climate denial and unrelated projects rather than addressing carbon tax effects on food banks.
we know that the Conservatives are no longer welcome in the Magdalen Islands.
- answeredSmall BusinessMr. Sébastien Lemire (Bloc) asked Mr. Bryan May (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly explains the CEBA extension already provided and ongoing support for small businesses.
Last year, our government extended the forgiveness qualification deadline by one year, to the end of this year.
- answeredSmall BusinessMr. Sébastien Lemire (Bloc) asked Mr. Bryan May (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly details the one-year extension and additional flexibilities offered for CEBA loan repayment.
This includes a full one-year extension on the term loan repayment deadline, more flexibility on refinancing and more time to access the loan forgiveness
- partly answeredInnovation, Science and IndustryMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Mr. Maninder Sidhu (Liberal). loaded question.Answer addresses the resignation and investigation steps but does not explain why self-dealing was called normal course of business.
The Minister of Innovation has already accepted the resignation of the CEO Annette Verschuren.
- deflectedInnovation, Science and IndustryMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.Answer deflects by questioning Conservative intentions on climate and MAGA values instead of addressing board self-dealing or minister knowledge.
What this is really about is the Conservatives being against taking action on climate change and being beholden to a base that has MAGA values.
- deflectedInnovation, Science and IndustryMr. Frank Caputo (Conservative) asked Terry Beech (Liberal). loaded question.Answer avoids calling in the RCMP and instead lists unrelated government achievements and global issues.
Despite that, I think Canadians can feel good about the fact that we still have the lowest net-debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7 and that we have lifted millions of Canadians out of poverty.
- deflectedNatural ResourcesMr. Shuvaloy Majumdar (Conservative) asked Mr. Maninder Sidhu (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses general policy on foreign investment without addressing the specific request to review the deal under the Investment Canada Act.
We will continue to ensure Canada's prosperity while acting decisively to protect our national and economic security.
- partly answeredNatural ResourcesMr. Shuvaloy Majumdar (Conservative) asked Mr. Maninder Sidhu (Liberal). loaded question.The answer explains the general application of the Investment Canada Act but refuses to address the specific deal due to confidentiality.
Due to the confidentiality provisions of the act, we cannot comment further about the specific concern of the member.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMrs. Cheryl Gallant (Conservative) asked Mrs. Sherry Romanado (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the member's voting record on military funding instead of addressing the carbon tax question.
I am ashamed that the member opposite from Pembroke, along with every Conservative across the way, actually voted against funding for Op Unifier and military families.
- deflectedIndigenous AffairsMs. Lori Idlout (NDP) asked Ms. Julie Dabrusin (Liberal). substantive question.The answer emphasizes reconciliation and indigenous voices without addressing the specific question about funding a marine safety centre.
When it comes to protecting our lands and including the voices of indigenous peoples, we take that very seriously, and it is at the centre of the work that we do.
- misdirectedIndigenous AffairsMr. Todd Doherty (Conservative) asked Ms. Leah Taylor Roy (Liberal). substantive question.The response is a point of order accusing factual inaccuracy rather than answering the question on the carbon pricing carve-out.
What he said was, in fact, factually incorrect—