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Thursday, March 21, 2024 · sitting No. 293

Commons debates non-confidence motion over carbon tax

The House spent the largest share of its sitting on a Conservative motion declaring non-confidence in the Prime Minister and his government for the April 1 carbon-tax increase of 23 per cent and calling for an election. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre argued the tax punishes families already struggling with the cost of living while Liberal ministers defended the rebate and climate measures. The motion remained before the House at adjournment.

Question period featured repeated exchanges on the carbon tax, with Conservative MPs Andrew Scheer and Poilievre accusing the government of driving up food-bank use and Liberal ministers François-Philippe Champagne and Gudie Hutchings insisting eight out of ten households receive more in rebates than they pay. Bloc Québécois members pressed the government on immigration processing delays and lack of opt-outs for Quebec programs while ministers Pablo Rodriguez and Marc Miller accused the Bloc of rejecting federal cooperation.

Decided that day

  • Bill C-68 passed second and third reading
  • Bill C-67 passed second and third reading
  • Interim supply and estimates concurred in
  • Opposition motion on carbon tax defeated

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – March 21, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2024-03-21

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 37%, opposition 63% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0511:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:30Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 8 h 25 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
61Supply bills pass, carbon tax motion failsThe House devoted most of its time to supply business and approved multiple appropriation bills at second and third reading along with interim supply and estimates. An opposition motion on carbon pricing was defeated while Question Period produced few direct answers.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

Privilege

Bloc Québécois MP Alain Therrien raised a question of privilege over an English-only government amendment introduced during an NDP opposition motion, saying francophone members could not debate without a translation.

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Privilege

Conservative MP Kelly McCauley said the refusal of GC Strategies witnesses to answer questions at committee showed a troubling pattern of ignoring parliamentary authority and called for lines to be drawn to defend Parliament's dignity.

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Housing

NDP MP Peter Julian said rents in Montreal have risen at the highest rate in 30 years and urged the government to create a fund to protect affordable units, while Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada pointed to a new $1.9-billion agreement with Quebec.

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin said asylum seekers wait 21 months for work permits and cannot feed their families, calling on Immigration Minister Marc Miller to speed up processing rather than pick fights with Quebec.

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Justice

Bloc Québécois MP Rhéal Éloi Fortin said the justice minister is fighting a Federal Court ruling instead of filling vacancies that the Chief Justice of Canada has warned threaten access to justice, while Minister Arif Virani said he has appointed 74 judges in seven months.

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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. misdirected
    Carbon PricingAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives on climate inaction instead of addressing the election call.What he is advocating on that side of the House is inaction on climate change.
  2. deflected
    Carbon PricingAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Gudie Hutchings (Liberal). loaded question.Answer promotes rebate benefits but ignores the PBO data and election demand in the question.the carbon rebate puts more money in the hands of eight out of 10 Canadians.
  3. deflected
    Carbon PricingAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Gudie Hutchings (Liberal). loaded question.Answer highlights rebate amounts without engaging the PBO testimony or election request.With the rural top-up on April 15, the average family of four in my riding all throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and part of St. John's, will be getting $1,430 a year to offset prices.
  4. misdirected
    Bloc QuébécoisMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to Conservative inaction on climate rather than addressing the Bloc support or debt question.it is clear to the thousands of Canadians watching us on television today that that is the party of inaction.
  5. misdirected
    Bloc QuébécoisMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reminds about past Conservative promises instead of answering what was promised to the Bloc.I would like to remind my colleague that, during the last election campaign, the Conservative Party of Canada promised Canadians that it would implement carbon pricing.
  6. deflected
    Intergovernmental AffairsMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.Answer lists federal yeses and attacks Bloc as chorus of no without addressing the specific Quebec opt-out refusals.Bloc members have become a chorus of "no": no to collaboration, no to discussion and no to getting along.
  7. deflected
    Intergovernmental AffairsMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.Answer repeats federal yes list and attacks Bloc motives without addressing the long list of Quebec requests denied.Our "yes" means that the federal government is working with Quebec to support health, dental care, seniors, families, children and the environment.
  8. partly answered
    HousingMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly addresses housing investments and recent Quebec agreement but does not commit to a new tenant protection fund.We will continue to enter into agreements like the one we just made with Quebec, where we announced $1.9 billion for affordable housing throughout the regions of Quebec.
  9. deflected
    HousingMs. Jenny Kwan (NDP) asked Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses general housing efforts but ignores the specific NDP proposal mentioned.We have the accelerator fund, are working on the right to have a home, and are working on homelessness to make sure people have a roof over their head.
  10. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). substantive question.Instead of addressing the election call, it attacks Conservatives and defends the policy.Shame on you for that. While his climate plan is essentially to let the planet burn, the Conservatives essentially have a policy that is both reckless on the environment and reckless on affordability.
  11. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). substantive question.The response repeats rebate figures and attacks the Conservatives rather than addressing the election proposal.What these folks are going to do is make poor people poorer, and they are going to essentially sacrifice the future of our children going forward. Shame on them.
  12. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMrs. Shannon Stubbs (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to attacking Conservatives on rebates instead of responding to the call to cancel the tax hike.What is cruel is that the Conservatives would cut the carbon rebate, which is on a price on pollution.
  13. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMrs. Shannon Stubbs (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.The response defends the rebate and attacks opponents on climate instead of addressing the election or tax hike request.These guys want to let the planet burn. We are going to defend the planet and put more money in the pockets of Albertans.
  14. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMr. Kyle Seeback (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' past platform instead of addressing the current request to spike the hike or call an election.when the citizens of Dufferin—Caledon saw on their doorsteps a Conservative candidate who was solemnly promising to put a price on pollution
  15. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMr. Kyle Seeback (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The response attacks the Conservatives on rebates and past votes rather than addressing the election call.The Conservatives want to vote against that. What they have also voted against is a 20% rural area top-up for rural residents in the province of Ontario.
  16. partly answered
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the issue and states a commitment to partnership but does not commit to specific actions on processing or work permits.We told Minister Fréchette and the Government of Quebec very clearly that we will work in partnership with them.
  17. deflected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMs. Christine Normandin (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses provincial collaboration but sidesteps the timeline for issuing permits.We are certainly willing to work with Quebec to speed up access to work permits.
  18. partly answered
    Agriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Yves Perron (Bloc) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). substantive question.The answer confirms the application status but provides no timeline or decision.the application has been received, and it is being assessed.
  19. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends the policy and attacks the opposition instead of addressing the election request.Why does my hon. colleague, with the Conservative Party of Canada, want to take $450 quarterly out of people's pockets?
  20. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Lawrence MacAulay (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats the rebate defense and criticizes the colleague rather than responding to the election call.What I cannot understand is why my hon. colleague wants to take that money out of their pockets.
  21. misdirected
    Bloc QuébécoisMr. Richard Lehoux (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer ignores the Bloc question and launches an attack on Conservative climate policy.The Conservative Party does not even believe in climate change.
  22. partly answered
    Oil and Gas IndustryMs. Laurel Collins (NDP) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the need for fair contributions but does not address the windfall tax proposal.it is extremely important that all sectors of the economy pay their fair share.
  23. partly answered
    National DefenceMs. Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP) asked Bill Blair (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes meetings and encouragement to bargain but offers no position on scab labour.We have met with both parties, and we are encouraging them to meet again at the bargaining table.
  24. misdirected
    Carbon PricingMr. Mark Strahl (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer praises past policy and insults the opposition instead of addressing the election demand.it is a shame to see British Columbians like that who deny the reality of climate change.
  25. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Mark Strahl (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the demand for a vote by invoking a generic principle about opinions.every party is entitled to its opinion—
  26. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Rick Perkins (Conservative) asked Gudie Hutchings (Liberal). loaded question.The response ignores the specific request to spike the hike and pivots to climate impacts and rebates.The conversation we all need to have in the House is what happens to our kids and grandkids if we do not take action on climate change.
  27. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Rick Perkins (Conservative) asked Gudie Hutchings (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids addressing the PBO figures or election call and lists unrelated programs instead.On April 4, the average family outside of Halifax is going to get $989.
  28. partly answered
    JusticeMr. Rhéal Éloi Fortin (Bloc) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). substantive question.The minister provides appointment numbers and compares to prior government but does not address the court order or timeline for remaining vacancies.I have already appointed 74 judges in seven months.
  29. deflected
    JusticeMr. Rhéal Éloi Fortin (Bloc) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). loaded question.The reply shifts to defending against partisanship claims rather than explaining delays or the court challenge.We put measures in place to prevent partisanship, to appoint top-notch judges who reflect the diversity and bilingualism needed by judges
  30. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Joël Godin (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer evades the question about any Bloc deal and accuses the Conservatives of inaction.What the member just said does not apply to Quebec.
  31. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Joël Godin (Conservative) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The response dismisses the query about a secret deal and pivots to climate inaction without addressing the Bloc arrangement.it is another example of inaction.
  32. deflected
    Carbon PricingMr. Gerald Soroka (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer rejects the premise on numbers but does not engage with the call for an election or axing the tax.the member of Parliament for Yellowhead is simply wrong.
  33. deflected
    Public Services and ProcurementMrs. Stephanie Kusie (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses general fraud detection efforts without addressing the specific ArriveCAN cost requested.Thanks to better data since the pandemic, and thanks to having a better ability to analyze and use that data, we are now able to proceed much more quickly and much more efficiently with identifying and prosecuting cases of fraudulent overbilling in Canada in 2024.
  34. deflected
    Public SafetyMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids addressing the MP's actions by redirecting to the general principle of not commenting on ongoing police investigations.It is widely known that the RCMP has confirmed that the specific issues raised by my colleague are the focus of a police investigation.
  35. partly answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Marty Morantz (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses sanctions and monitoring of Iran but does not respond to the call for banning the IRGC.The government has put in place a series of very robust sanctions and used immigration legislation to bar many of those people from visiting Canada.
  36. partly answered
    HealthMr. Randall Garrison (NDP) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.The answer affirms general commitment to HIV efforts and community work but does not commit to restoring or doubling the specific funding.Our government remains committed to supporting all those endeavours.
  37. answered
    Climate ChangeMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly agrees with using science and education on climate change in the House.We are interested in finding many ways to educate those in the House who continue to deny the reality of climate change.
  38. misdirected
    Business of the HouseAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the questioner's vote on rebates instead of addressing the request about calling an election or future business.that member knows very well that he is about to stand up this evening to remove $376 that will be landing in the bank accounts of all of his constituents on April 16.