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Wednesday, April 17, 2024 · sitting No. 301

House summons consultant to bar for contempt in rare proceeding

The House of Commons devoted the bulk of its sitting to summoning consultant Kristian Firth to the bar, the first such occurrence in more than a century. Speaker Greg Fergus read an admonishment for Firth's refusal to answer questions and prevarication before the government operations committee. Firth confirmed he had consulted a physician about acute mental health flare-ups before appearing and was advised to avoid undue stress.

Question period featured repeated clashes between Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the budget's new spending, housing affordability and the carbon tax. Poilievre accused the government of driving up costs for families while Trudeau defended investments aimed at young Canadians and the middle class. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh pressed Trudeau on corporate profits and the Canada disability benefit.

Decided that day

  • Bill S-209 passed third reading and adoption

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – April 17, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2024-04-17

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 28%, opposition 72% of the words spokenQuestion PeriodPrivate members▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 14:0515:0016:0017:0018:00Last speech 19:15Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 5 h 10 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
54One Bill Passes, Questions Mostly DeflectedThe House devoted most of its time to substantive debate on the budget, housing and carbon pricing, advancing two Senate bills and adopting one at third reading. Question period produced mostly deflected answers and four speaker interventions, yielding a middling overall score.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

Intergovernmental Relations

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet told Trudeau to stop meddling in Quebec's areas of jurisdiction and suggested he run for premier of Ontario instead.

Read the exchange

Indigenous Affairs

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the government prioritized corporate tax breaks over safe housing and schools for indigenous children.

Read the exchange

Families, Children and Social Development

Liberal MP Sonia Sidhu asked about the new national school food program that the budget says will feed more than 400,000 children annually.

Read the exchange

Protection Against Extortion Act

Conservative MP Tim Uppal introduced Bill C-381 to amend the Criminal Code on extortion and blamed Liberal bail policies for rising crime.

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
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes budget benefits without naming who pays for the spending.Yes, we are asking those who are better off to contribute a little more.
  2. deflected
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer contrasts investment versus austerity but does not address the repeated deficits or results.We choose to invest in Canadians because that is how we will build a stronger economy.
  3. deflected
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses the opposition of siding with the wealthy instead of identifying who pays.it is interesting to see the lengths to which the Leader of the Opposition will go to avoid saying that he is choosing to stand with the ultrawealthy against the middle class
  4. deflected
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition's positions rather than addressing the repeated policy outcomes.what the Leader of the Opposition is saying is that he stands with the ultrawealthy 0.1% in this country
  5. deflected
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights budget investments without responding to the debt interest versus health care comparison.this is a budget that invests in fairness for every generation by asking the ultrawealthy to pay a little more
  6. partly answered
    Intergovernmental RelationsMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer affirms partnership with Quebec but does not address the jurisdictional meddling claim.We have invested $6 billion in early childhood education to help Quebec run its child care system.
  7. deflected
    Intergovernmental RelationsMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer emphasizes shared identity and partnership without addressing fiscal imbalance.We are proud to be Canadian and proud to be Quebeckers.
  8. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists investments for young people but does not address corporate greed.we are stepping up to invest in new homes that young people are going to be able to afford
  9. deflected
    The EconomyMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores corporate greed and grocery profits entirely, pivoting to general tax and family support themes.this budget recognizes that our country's success depends on young people's success.
  10. misdirected
    The EconomyPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.The response attacks the opposition leader's past record rather than addressing who has been in charge.The former housing minister, who is now Leader of the Opposition , was responsible for creating exactly six affordable homes
  11. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer gives a broad housing plan but supplies no specific apartment numbers or direct response to the minister's record.our housing plan is the most ambitious and comprehensive in Canada's history. It will unlock close to four million homes by 2031.
  12. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists new measures without explaining why the same 2015-style promises will succeed after nine years of rising costs.Our housing plan will unlock 3.87 million new homes by cutting red tape, by reforming zoning, by lowering the costs of homebuilding
  13. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer defends past choices and attacks the opposition instead of addressing the nine-year delay on federal lands.We made a choice to invest in Canadians, and that started when we took office because the previous government had not invested in Canadians.
  14. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer contrasts the program with opposition plans but does not explain why housing starts are falling under the accelerator.it stands in direct contrast to any plan that the Leader of the Opposition has put forward to pick fights with municipalities and provinces on housing.
  15. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses population growth and fiscal metrics without addressing why Canadian housing costs exceed those in peer countries.Canada's population is growing faster than our fellow countries around the world, and that is a good thing.
  16. partly answered
    The BudgetMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges working with Quebec and cites one specific investment amount but does not address the spending-power or jurisdictional critique.With our housing accelerator fund, we have invested across the country, including in Quebec. Since Quebec was prepared to work ambitiously with us, we were able to invest $900 million directly in the province
  17. deflected
    The BudgetMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the deficit and debt figures and pivots to general partnership rhetoric.We are here to work in partnership with the Quebec government.
  18. misdirected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservative leader's philosophy instead of addressing housing cost increases in Montreal.He sides with those who are better off.
  19. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses tax policy and dental care rather than responding to Emily's specific housing situation.our economy cannot succeed unless young people are successful
  20. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to criticizing Conservative cuts instead of addressing the doubled rental cost for Emily.Their solution is to do less for the investments that are going to support building more infrastructure
  21. deflected
    HousingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer again pivots to austerity attacks and does not engage with the mortgage-to-rent cost comparison.how can the leader of the Conservative Party actually believe that doing less to invest in Emily's future is of help to her?
  22. partly answered
    HousingMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists housing programs but does not address the broken-promise or luxury-apartment claims.in 2017, we created the national housing strategy, which put millions of families into homes across the country.
  23. partly answered
    Indigenous AffairsMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer cites new indigenous housing funds but does not confront the corporate-handout comparison.This budget has put aside a billion more dollars on top of all the investments we have made for indigenous housing.
  24. deflected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights rebates for most families and attacks wealthy opponents instead of addressing the tax-on-food or school-hunger points.millions of Canadians received the Canada carbon rebate in their bank accounts, which puts more money in the pockets of eight out of 10 Canadian families
  25. deflected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.Answer shifts to taxing the wealthy and child poverty stats without addressing carbon pricing impacts on lower-income families.in this budget, we are proposing to ask the ultrawealthy to pay more in taxes to support lower-income Canadians and middle-class Canadians
  26. deflected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer restates commitment to carbon pricing and rebates but ignores the premier's quoted criticism and affordability concerns.Any premier is welcome to come forward with a plan to put a price on pollution that meets the levels required by the federal government instead of complaining
  27. misdirected
    Carbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to blaming a prior Conservative premier's choice rather than addressing PBO data or current gas price impacts on Ontarians.It was the choice of a Conservative premier to scrap the carbon-pricing system that they had and to take on the federal carbon-pricing backstop
  28. deflected
    The BudgetMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.Answer mocks the Bloc's role instead of engaging with fiscal imbalance or deficit concerns for Quebec.I am shocked, shocked I say, to hear the Bloc Québécois complain about a government in Ottawa
  29. deflected
    Intergovernmental RelationsMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists federal investments but avoids the question of federal interference in Quebec jurisdictions and the notwithstanding clause.I will continue to fulfill my responsibility, both as a member from Quebec and as the Prime Minister of Canada, to invest in helping Canadians across the country
  30. misdirected
    TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservative and Mulcair positions on taxes instead of addressing GST revenue going to debt interest.it is interesting to note that, like the Conservative Party, Thomas Mulcair was against increasing taxes on the 1% in order to lower them for the middle class
  31. deflected
    TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer criticizes Conservative austerity proposals without addressing the GST-to-debt-interest equivalence raised.the solution by the Conservatives is for the government to do less, to invest less in supporting Canadians
  32. deflected
    TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer highlights dental care uptake and Conservative opposition but does not engage with debt interest versus health spending comparison.The dental care program we are putting forward is already helping the 1.7 million seniors who have signed up
  33. deflected
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the question about Liberal critics and pivots to attacking Conservatives on wealth.there are people, like the Conservative Party of Canada, who are going to choose to stand with the ultrawealthy and not stand with young people
  34. deflected
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the budget criticism from Liberals and NDP by shifting to inflation stats and attacking Conservatives.while the Leader of the Opposition continues to focus on partisan attacks, we are going to stay focused on building a better future for Canadians
  35. deflected
    The BudgetPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the question on internal attacks and an election call by restating policy choices and attacking Conservatives.the government is making the choice to invest in a fairer future for all Canadians, for every generation
  36. partly answered
    Persons with DisabilitiesMs. Bonita Zarrillo (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses the benefit amount by defending it as a milestone while acknowledging more work is needed.the Canada disability benefit is a major milestone in our strong and unwavering commitment to creating a more inclusive and fairer Canada
  37. partly answered
    Persons with DisabilitiesMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses the disability benefit amount by explaining the investment but does not compare to other spending.we have stepped up regularly over the past years with initiatives to reduce barriers in Canada and to create a Canada disability benefit
  38. misdirected
    House of CommonsAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer turns to attacking the opposition rather than addressing the procedural point on accommodations.What you, Mr. Speaker, have just seen across the aisle is the very confirmation of what I have been saying
  39. misdirected
    House of CommonsMr. Larry Brock (Conservative) asked Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the member for challenging the Speaker instead of addressing the fairness point on rephrasing.I do not think it is appropriate for the member opposite to be challenging the Speaker when the rules, as you expressed them, were very clear