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Wednesday, January 31, 2024 · sitting No. 272

Commons debates fall economic statement amid clashes over auto theft and carbon tax

The House devoted the largest share of its sitting to debate on the fall economic statement implementation act. Liberal MP Chandra Arya defended the bill's support for employment growth and dental benefits while Conservative and Bloc members criticized its approach to housing supply and carbon emissions.

In question period Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on rising auto theft rates and port mismanagement, arguing that catch-and-release policies and port failures drove the increases. Trudeau replied that the government is organizing a national summit and has already intercepted stolen vehicles through border measures.

New Democratic Leader Jagmeet Singh questioned Trudeau about housing affordability and the eviction of long-term tenants, while Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet raised medical assistance in dying and immigration cost-sharing with Quebec.

Decided that day

  • Bill S-202 concurrence passed
  • Bill C-321 concurrence passed
  • Bill C-355 second reading passed
  • Bill C-290 third reading passed
  • Public Accounts committee report passed
  • Finance committee report passed
  • Agriculture committee report passed

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – January 31, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2024-01-31

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 48%, opposition 52% of the words spokenQuestion PeriodGovernment businessPrivate members▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 14:0015:0016:0017:0018:0019:0020:00Last speech 21:05Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 7 h 5 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
62Bills advanced while answers stayed scarceThe House passed several bills and committee reports after focused debate on economic, foreign and safety files. Question period produced mostly deflected replies yet no procedural disruptions arose.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

Ukraine

Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux urged all parties to support the Canada-Ukraine trade agreement and reject the MAGA right.

Read the exchange

Emergencies Act

Conservative MP Dane Lloyd said the Federal Court found no national emergency when the government invoked the act and called for a committee investigation.

Read the exchange

Foreign Affairs

Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden called for a ceasefire, Hamas surrender, hostage release and more humanitarian aid after 116 days of conflict.

Read the exchange

Indigenous Affairs

New Democratic MP Leah Gazan said more Indigenous children are now in care than at the height of residential schools and highlighted NDP amendments to Bill C-318.

Read the exchange

Foreign Affairs

New Democratic Leader Jagmeet Singh asked why Canada continues arms exports while cutting support for Palestinian children through UNRWA.

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
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer blames past government and promotes own investments without addressing reversal of specific policies.the former Conservative government made cuts to programs to protect civilians and prevent auto theft by cutting funding for police and ports.
  2. deflected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts to announcing a summit and border intercepts instead of addressing policy reversal.The ministers have just announced a national summit on auto theft that will bring together leaders from several different jurisdictions and sectors to tackle this issue head-on.
  3. deflected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer criticizes slogans and highlights intercepts while avoiding any commitment to reverse policies.We are pulling together stakeholders and leaders from across governments to look at what more we can do.
  4. misdirected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to attacking Harper budget cuts and gun control instead of addressing auto theft policies.While the Conservatives cozy up to the American gun lobbyists, we have continued to step up in keeping Canadians safe.
  5. deflected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer defends facts in press release and criticizes lack of solutions from opposition without addressing the summit question.His solution is to throw his hands in the air and blame a raft of political attacks on us.
  6. partly answered
    HealthMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges the balance needed and openness to suggestions but does not commit to considering the specific proposal.We will continue to be open to all suggestions as we work responsibly.
  7. answered
    HealthMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly confirms consideration of advanced directives while balancing choices and protections.Yes, we will continue to consider advanced directives.
  8. deflected
    HousingMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer lists housing investments and measures without addressing the specific claim about Liberal MPs or the crisis in Toronto.we have been there investing in housing across the country, including with hundreds of millions of dollars directly to the City of Toronto for investing in housing, housing affordability and fighting homelessness.
  9. deflected
    HousingMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer gives general housing policy details but ignores the specific eviction case and accusation about real estate giants.we are taking concrete steps to get hundreds of thousands of new homes built across the country by signing agreements directly with municipalities, provinces and territories, Quebec and all of Nunavut.
  10. deflected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses the asker of not caring and pivots to government spending instead of addressing the bail and port policy reversals requested.what is interesting about the Leader of the Opposition is that he does not actually care about auto theft.
  11. misdirected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the asker for allegedly accusing Quebeckers of incompetence rather than engaging the policy questions on bail and ports.there he goes again accusing the people of Quebec of being incompetent.
  12. misdirected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts entirely to gun control and accuses the asker of being a puppet of the American right instead of addressing auto theft policies.Why, then, is he going along with the American gun lobby, which wants to put assault weapons back on our streets and in our communities?
  13. deflected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates the assault weapons order in council and Conservative positions but does not address the timeline for enforcement or the deer hunting spending claim.The order in council that made assault-style weapons illegal to use, purchase, share or sell is still in place.
  14. deflected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats the ban status and accuses the opposition of misinformation without addressing the enforcement delay or hunting rifle list.as of a number of years ago, it is illegal to buy, sell, use or bequeath assault-style weapons in this country.
  15. deflected
    Public SafetyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer reiterates the ban and buyback plan but avoids the questions on enforcement timeline and rising shootings under current policies.in May of 2020, we rendered it illegal to buy, sell, use or bequeath 1,600 different models of assault-style weapons in this country.
  16. partly answered
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the burden and ongoing discussions but stops short of committing to full repayment as asked.We are in discussions with that government to determine how we can support it properly.
  17. deflected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer restates general cooperation without addressing the specific commitment or trustworthiness accusation.at every step, we know how to work respectfully, while keeping our word and focusing on what is in the best interests of citizens across this country.
  18. misdirected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the asker's past actions toward the farm instead of explaining how the family will pay the carbon tax bill.back in 2014, when the Medeiros family came to him in government and asked him for some support as they were trying to make investments and trying to continue to move forward, he told them that their project needed to "stand on its own two feet".
  19. deflected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to climate change impacts on farmers without addressing the carbon tax bill or food price increases.We know what is making farmers vulnerable across this country. It is climate change.
  20. deflected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer shifts to defending rebates and attacking the opposition's proposal rather than addressing the planned tax hike or affordability.what is the Leader of the Opposition proposing to cut for Canadians? It is the carbon rebate, the cheques that Canadians get while the price on pollution is in place
  21. deflected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer repeats the rebate claim without engaging the PBO statistic or the request to cap the tax for electricity bills.The carbon rebate cheques that go right across the country in areas where the federal price applies help out eight out of 10 families with more money than they pay for the price on pollution.
  22. partly answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses support for UNRWA and investigations but does not directly respond to the claim of fuelling the war with Canadian arms.we will work with the agency and other donors to support the investigation into the serious allegations against its staff.
  23. partly answered
    Grocery IndustryMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses Competition Bureau actions on grocery chains but ignores the specific Halifax poverty and MP criticism.we are passing legislation that strengthens its ability to go after the large grocery chains in this country, which are making record profits while Canadians are struggling with food prices.
  24. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservative MPs for not supporting a trade deal instead of addressing the energy policy or Ukraine support claims.In this House, everyone except Conservative MPs stood up to support Volodymyr Zelenskyy—
  25. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the questioner's past comments on Ukraine and voting record instead of addressing equipment deliveries or trade policy.when the Leader of the Opposition refers to Ukraine as some "faraway foreign land", when he continues to insist that all of his MPs, including Ukrainian Canadian MPs, vote against a free trade agreement
  26. misdirected
    Foreign AffairsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to demanding an apology and vote on trade rather than responding to claims about detonators, turbines or carbon tax in agreements.the leader of the official opposition has an opportunity to correct the record of him having called Ukraine a faraway foreign land by allowing his Ukrainian Canadian MPs
  27. deflected
    Foreign AffairsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer begins by noting past unity on Ukraine but cuts off without addressing the housing or division accusations.this House used to be united in its support of Ukraine and in its support of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, yet now we see—
  28. partly answered
    CBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer affirms support for CBC/Radio-Canada and the need for investments but does not address job reinstatement or funding conditions.we need a strong CBC/Radio‑Canada to protect our culture, protect our democracy and tell our stories from one end of the country to the other
  29. partly answered
    CBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer highlights Bill C-18 for journalism support but does not commit to extending wage subsidies to all media outlets.That is why we introduced Bill C‑18 , which will help our journalists operate at all levels
  30. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the rent comparison and instead demands an apology on Ukraine.I would like to give the Leader of the Opposition another opportunity to apologize for referring to Ukraine disparagingly as a faraway foreign land
  31. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer again demands an apology on Ukraine and lists housing measures without addressing rent trends or construction forecasts.once again, I did not hear an apology to Ukrainians
  32. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer focuses on defending the Hansard record regarding Ukraine instead of responding to housing price or policy questions.If the Leader of the Opposition is suggesting that Hansard, in which he said that Ukraine is a faraway foreign land, is somehow misinformation or disinformation, then he should come right out and say so
  33. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' other policies instead of addressing housing starts or red tape.Their plan offers cuts and austerity, not solutions.
  34. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer sidesteps the affordability comparison by restating government housing measures.I am going to leave aside the question of where exactly he is living rent-free and focus on the supports we are giving to Canadians.
  35. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the questioner over Quebec instead of responding on bureaucracy or housing starts.the Conservative leader's housing plan mainly consists of accusing Quebec's elected representatives of being incompetent.
  36. answered
    Northern AffairsMs. Lori Idlout (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly commits to resolving the passport processing issue for Nunavut athletes.That is why we are committed to working to resolve this issue.
  37. partly answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Mike Morrice (Green) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer describes the export regime but does not address imposing an embargo on Israel.Canada has one of the strongest export control regimes in the world that puts human rights and protection of human rights at the centre of all our decision-making.