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Tuesday, April 30, 2024 · sitting No. 305

Commons spends day on budget debate amid drug policy clashes

The House devoted the largest share of its time to debate on the ways and means motion implementing budget 2024. Conservative MP Kelly Block opened the discussion by criticizing nine years of deficit budgets and inflationary spending under the Liberals. The motion remains before the House.

Question period featured repeated exchanges on drug decriminalization and overdose deaths. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reverse policies that he said had tripled overdose deaths in British Columbia. Trudeau defended the approach as rooted in health care and science.

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet challenged the government on respect for provincial jurisdiction and transfers without conditions. Trudeau replied that the federal government works in partnership with the provinces to deliver services to Canadians.

Decided that day

  • Budgetary policy amendment defeated
  • C-29 and S-209 granted royal assent
  • C-387 introduced

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – April 30, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2024-04-30

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 39%, opposition 61% 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 18:50Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 8 h 45 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
68Two bills pass, budget amendment failsThe House devoted most of its time to the budget yet managed to grant royal assent to two bills and introduce a third. An opposition amendment on budgetary policy was defeated after limited recorded votes.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

Pensions

New Democrat MP Heather McPherson introduced Bill C-387 to protect the Canada pension plan from any Alberta withdrawal plan and asked whether the Liberals would support it. Trudeau said the government would stand against any effort to dismantle the plan.

Read the exchange

Housing

New Democrat MP Alexandre Boulerice asked when the Liberals would build housing affordable to the one in four Quebeckers living below a modest income. Trudeau pointed to budget 2024 investments aimed at unlocking millions of new homes.

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Firearms

Bloc Québécois MP Kristina Michaud asked why the government had again postponed the assault-weapons buy-back program until 2025. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the program would proceed this year and next.

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Official Languages

Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe urged the government to add French-language requirements for temporary foreign workers under the international mobility program. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Ottawa had already provided billions for French integration in Quebec.

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Carbon Pricing

Conservative MP Martin Shields questioned the carbon tax rebate for farmers facing high electricity costs for irrigation. Liberal MP Francis Drouin said farmers already receive exemptions on several fuels and that regional approaches remain possible.

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
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer defends the policy approach without addressing reversal or the specific claim of tripling deaths.We need responses that are rooted in compassion and based on health care, science and proven processes.
  2. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores the question on recriminalization and instead attacks the asker about Diagolon.What has not been answered by the Leader of the Opposition is why he chooses to continue to court extreme right nationalist groups like Diagolon.
  3. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer cuts off without addressing any policy question and attacks the asker's leadership instead.the leader opposite is showing us exactly what shameful, spineless leadership looks like.
  4. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsMrs. Rachael Thomas (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.Answer continues prior attack on the opposition leader regarding Diagolon rather than engaging the procedural statement.the leader opposite is showing us once again what he will do try to earn votes through personal attacks.
  5. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer again pivots to attacking the asker over Diagolon and fundraising instead of addressing drug policy reversal.Any leader who needs the support of a far right, white nationalist group to fundraise and get closer to power does not deserve elected office.
  6. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). rhetorical question.Answer continues the Diagolon attack without responding to the withdrawal or drug policy question.Diagolon hates that minorities in this country get the same protections as everyone else, and they are charter-protected rights.
  7. partly answered
    Intergovernmental AffairsMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses the call for no-strings transfers by explaining the federal role in partnering with provinces on services.We will continue to be there to invest in communities, to invest in Canadians and to invest in their future in partnership with the provinces and municipalities.
  8. deflected
    Intergovernmental AffairsMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reframes the question as Bloc troublemaking and lists federal investments without addressing jurisdiction transfers or the motion.the Bloc Québécois's agenda is about stirring up trouble between Quebeckers and Ottawa.
  9. partly answered
    HousingMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Addresses housing investments but ignores oil companies criticism and Quebec specificity.We are here to make those investments with the most ambitious housing plan Canada has ever seen.
  10. partly answered
    PensionsMs. Heather McPherson (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Supports protecting CPP but does not address supporting the specific bill.we are pleased to see the NDP joining us in the fight to protect the Canada pension plan.
  11. misdirected
    Intergovernmental AffairsMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.Ignores the question and attacks the Bloc for voting patterns instead.I am worried about my friends in the Bloc Québécois.
  12. misdirected
    Intergovernmental AffairsMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). substantive question.Ignores the jurisdiction question and attacks the Bloc as Conservative offshoot.Does the Bloc Québécois realize that it has become a separatist offshoot of the Conservative Party?
  13. partly answered
    Official LanguagesMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.Mentions past funding for French but does not commit to new language requirements for federal workers.We have provided $5.4 billion to Quebec since 2015, specifically for French integration classes in Quebec, and it is working well.
  14. deflected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMs. Jenny Kwan (NDP) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.Vague reassurance without addressing processing times or permit renewals.we continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong.
  15. partly answered
    HealthMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). substantive question.Reassures ongoing talks but does not explain why funding was withdrawn.We are working with the province and with the region to make sure that everyone can access quality health care, no matter where they live.
  16. partly answered
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.Corrects the percentage but does not address equitable distribution request.If we look at all the humanitarian streams that Quebec covers, the figure comes down to 24% or 25%.
  17. misdirected
    Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.The answer turns the question back on the asker rather than addressing French language support responsibilities.If he thinks that we should accept more asylum seekers from Haiti, would he be willing for Quebec to take in more?
  18. partly answered
    Canada Border Services AgencyMr. Xavier Barsalou-Duval (Bloc) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The minister agrees the program is flawed and offers to investigate alternatives without confirming details.I would be happy to talk to the Canada Border Services Agency to see if it is possible to find an alternative.
  19. answered
    Canada Border Services AgencyMr. Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay (Bloc) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The response directly commits to reviewing the program and shares the concern raised.we absolutely will review the facts that my hon. colleague has presented.
  20. deflected
    Fisheries and OceansMr. Alistair MacGregor (NDP) asked Mr. Mike Kelloway (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the economic impact and data justification by deferring to a future private discussion.I will set some time aside to discuss the item with the member opposite very soon.
  21. deflected
    TaxationMs. Niki Ashton (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses capital gains changes but provides no estimate of revenue lost to wealthy Canadians.That is why, in the budget, we are proposing to increase the capital gains inclusion rate.
  22. partly answered
    FirearmsMs. Kristina Michaud (Bloc) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The response reaffirms the buy-back commitment but does not address the postponement or planning failures.we are already working to develop a buy-back program that will be in place this year and next.
  23. partly answered
    FirearmsMs. Kristina Michaud (Bloc) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats the long-term commitment without outlining immediate actions or timeline adjustments.We will continue to work in a very specific way to ensure that the commitment we made a number of years ago to implement an effective buy-back program is kept.
  24. answered
    PensionsMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked Anita Anand (Liberal). substantive question.The response explains the conciliation process and pending decision as the path to equality.We are waiting for the decision of that body.
  25. deflected
    Persons with DisabilitiesMr. Mike Morrice (Green) asked Kamal Khera (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes the benefit as a milestone without naming any group or individual who requested the criticized features.This is the first-ever federal benefit designed for persons with disabilities.