Parliament AIIndependent · non-official

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Tuesday, May 7, 2024 · sitting No. 310

Commons advances budget bill amid clashes over drugs and language

The House spent most of the sitting on second reading of the Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1. New Democrat MP Alexandre Boulerice said the NDP had secured dental care, pharmacare for diabetics and women, anti-scab legislation and a higher capital gains tax. Liberal MP Bardish Chagger asked whether cross-party work remained worthwhile on programs for Canadians facing difficult times.

In Question Period, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on whether the government would repeat British Columbia's hard-drug decriminalization experiment in Montreal. Trudeau replied that any change would require provincial support and would follow a health-based approach. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet demanded that the Prime Minister remove a Liberal MP from the chair of the Canadian branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie after remarks the Bloc described as insulting to French.

New Democrat MP Peter Julian accused the Conservatives of trying to block free diabetes medication and contraception. Trudeau said the government would deliver both measures and would defend women's rights against what he called the Conservative leader's anti-choice positions.

Decided that day

  • Second reading of Bill C-64 passed
  • Bill C-389 introduced

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – May 7, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2024-05-07

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 40%, opposition 60% of the words spokenGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 10:0011:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:50Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 8 h 50 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
61Pharmacare bill advances on budget dayThe House spent most of its time on the Budget Implementation Act and moved the pharmacare bill forward by passing second reading after rejecting a reasoned amendment. Only three calls to order occurred and nearly all debate stayed on substantive business.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

Official Languages

Bloc Québécois MP Mario Beaulieu said Liberals had called witnesses worried about the anglicization of Montreal extremists. Minister Randy Boissonnault replied that French is in decline across Canada and the government takes the issue seriously.

Read the exchange

Housing

Conservative MP Marty Morantz said the Prime Minister is not worth the cost of housing after the Bank of Canada governor noted affordability problems will persist. Housing Minister Sean Fraser said the Conservatives plan to cut funding for home construction and raise taxes on new apartments.

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Ethics

Conservative MP Michael Cooper said Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon had misled a committee by claiming the Ethics Commissioner had cleared payments from a firm owned by his business partner. MacKinnon replied that the minister complies with all requirements of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Read the exchange

CBC/Radio-Canada

Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux accused CBC/Radio-Canada president Catherine Tait of planning to merge French and English operations to shield the CBC from future cuts. Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said French programming will remain separate and independent.

Read the exchange

Foreign Affairs

Conservative MP Garnett Genuis said the government should list the IRGC as a terrorist organization to stop its operations in Canada. Foreign Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said listing decisions rest on advice from security agencies.

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 avoids yes/no on the BC mistake and instead attacks the asker's ideology.The Leader of the Opposition knows this very well, but he continues down his ideological path, the same one as the Harper government.
  2. deflected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reframes to BC modifications and science without answering the yes/no on specific locations.we accepted its request to modify its pilot project on exactly those issues.
  3. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the asker for scoring points and mentions rights suspension instead of ruling out the policy.we have seen the extent to which the Leader of the Opposition will continue to try to use tragedies and ongoing challenges that Canadians and vulnerable people are facing to try to score political points.
  4. deflected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer accuses political point-scoring and restates provincial-only approach without ruling out Toronto.once again, we see the Leader of the Opposition trying to score cheap political points on the backs of vulnerable people to promote an ideology that does not work.
  5. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer disputes the timeline and accuses falsehoods rather than addressing the 10-day delay claim.We actually received the completed request from British Columbia only on Friday last week, and we approved it the following Monday, three days later.
  6. deflected
    Official LanguagesMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer defends Liberal record on French but does not address the specific member or resignation request.We were the first government to recognize that the federal government also has a special responsibility to protect the French language, including in Quebec.
  7. deflected
    Official LanguagesMr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer reiterates general support for French without demanding the member's resignation from APF.Unlike the Bloc Québécois, we continually show that we are here to protect the French language across the country.
  8. misdirected
    PharmacareMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). substantive question.Answer pivots to Conservative opposition on abortion instead of addressing collaboration on pharmacare.Perhaps we learned today why the Conservatives are so vehemently opposed to it.
  9. partly answered
    PharmacareMs. Leah Gazan (NDP) asked Justin Trudeau (Liberal). loaded question.The answer confirms delivery of contraceptives but spends most time attacking Conservatives.The reality is that we are delivering prescription contraceptives for Canadians right across the country.
  10. deflected
    FinanceMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.Avoids the economic question by shifting to social issues and Conservative positions.The Conservatives are voting against our budget because they do not believe that a young woman should control her life and her body.
  11. misdirected
    FinanceMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The response focuses on the Conservative's stance on abortion rather than the fiscal policy question.I noticed that the deputy leader of the Conservative Party did not clarify her own position on a woman's right to choose.
  12. deflected
    FinanceMr. Marty Morantz (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Labels the question as disinformation and defends without committing to changes.yet again, this is just basic disinformation from the Conservatives.
  13. misdirected
    HousingMr. Marty Morantz (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.Turns to criticizing Conservative plans and past record rather than responding to current housing issues.it is difficult to accept criticisms from the Conservative Party when it comes to housing, when both its record and its plan demonstrate it has no interest in solving the housing crisis.
  14. misdirected
    FinanceMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.Ignores the question about spending and Bloc support, instead highlights housing numbers.The right answer is that the Conservative leader built six affordable housing units during his entire term as minister responsible for housing.
  15. deflected
    FinanceMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.Responds by accusing the opposition of wanting cuts instead of addressing the described struggles.Their plan is to make cuts: cuts in dental care; cuts in help for children and families; cuts in investments for seniors.
  16. partly answered
    Official LanguagesMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.Acknowledges the decline of French but does not address the committee incident or insults mentioned.French is in decline across Canada, including in Quebec.
  17. deflected
    Official LanguagesMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the data and insults by restating a general commitment to French without addressing the premise.we will not be drawn into a fight about the French language.
  18. misdirected
    Official LanguagesMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the listed examples and instead attacks the Bloc for not caring about francophones outside Quebec.the Bloc Québécois could not care less about that.
  19. misdirected
    HousingMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to attacking Conservatives as extremists with no plan instead of addressing housing spending or the van-living claim.Canadians are not going to take any advice from the Conservatives, who are flirting with extremist groups in this country.
  20. partly answered
    HousingMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Marie-Claude Bibeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer provides FHSA signup numbers but mocks the member and does not address the bureaucracy or van-living claims directly.while my colleague is hooting and hollering as practice for his next appearance on Infoman , we are putting real programs in place for young people.
  21. misdirected
    The EconomyMr. Richard Lehoux (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservative leader's past record on housing and questions the member's municipal views rather than addressing current spending or food-bank use.has the House heard about the six affordable housing units? That is the number of affordable housing units the Conservative leader built when he was minister responsible for housing
  22. deflected
    HousingMr. Richard Lehoux (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). substantive question.The answer highlights past Conservative failures and current unit counts but does not engage with the $500 billion spending critique or timeline for action.the Conservative Party is using the most vulnerable people as political pawns.
  23. answered
    Democratic InstitutionsMs. Jenny Kwan (NDP) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly references new legislation introduced to address foreign interference threats raised in the question.yesterday, for example, we introduced important legislation in the House.
  24. partly answered
    Northern AffairsMs. Lori Idlout (NDP) asked Dan Vandal (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists existing nutrition and food programs but does not address Amazon shipping fees or corporate greed specifically.we have invested close to $150 million in the nutrition north program, including $124 million for the harvesters support grant and $15 million for the community food program.
  25. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsMr. Frank Caputo (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the drug policy question entirely and pivots to attacking the opposition leader on Charter rights.The notwithstanding charter-ripping policies of the current Conservative Party need an answer.
  26. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsMr. Marc Dalton (Conservative) asked Anita Anand (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the drug policy question and instead emphasizes unrelated Charter and abortion rights.On this side of the House, what we want to emphasize is that a woman's right to choose and charter rights generally are non-negotiable.
  27. answered
    Mental Health and AddictionsMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Ya'ara Saks (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly addresses the B.C. amendment request and explains the public health approach taken.Today, we said yes to B.C.'s request for an amendment to its pilot project, the pilot program that B.C. asked the federal government to work with it with compassion, conviction, science and health expertise.
  28. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sidesteps the drug policy question and attacks the opposition on white supremacists and Charter rights.What is important is to review the past couple of weeks, a very disturbing trend in the country, where the Leader of the Opposition has refused to disavow, to say that it is unwelcome to have the support of white supremacists.
  29. partly answered
    CBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Pascale St-Onge (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses the independence concern but does not fully engage with the CEO's motives or CBC protection angle.French programming and content will never be connected to the CBC.
  30. deflected
    CBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Pascale St-Onge (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the specific question about the minister's side and instead attacks Conservatives while defending the broadcaster.
  31. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsKerry-Lynne Findlay (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer dismisses the overdose and safe supply question and pivots to attacking the Conservative leader on white supremacists and abortion rights.It is that over the past few weeks we have seen the leader of the Conservative Party openly associate with white supremacists and refuse multiple opportunities to disavow their views.
  32. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsKerry-Lynne Findlay (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer claims the question was answered and redirects to criticizing the Conservative leader on rights and white supremacists.that question has been asked and answered, but I will tell members what the Conservatives really do not want to answer.
  33. misdirected
    Mental Health and AddictionsMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). substantive question.Answer attacks opposition leader instead of addressing drug legalization question.The reality now is that he is delivering for them.
  34. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.Answer claims questions answered then pivots to attacking Conservatives on Charter rights.What that member needs to answer is how he will approach this new à la carte rights campaign by the Leader of the Opposition
  35. misdirected
    EthicsMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.Answer dismisses question as a red herring and shifts to criticizing Conservatives' recent performance.the Conservatives are quite understandably taking this red herring to try to distract from a very bad couple of weeks.
  36. partly answered
    Foreign AffairsMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.Answer explains listing process and acknowledges concerns but does not address the specific vote request.decisions to list certain entities on the terrorist listing under Canada's Criminal Code are made based on the advice of security and intelligence services.
  37. partly answered
    Fisheries and OceansMs. Lisa Marie Barron (NDP) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). substantive question.Answer discusses transition plan for fish farms but ignores investigation and scientist muzzling allegations.our government remains committed to developing a responsible transition plan for open-net aquaculture.
  38. deflected
    SportMs. Niki Ashton (NDP) asked Carla Qualtrough (Liberal). substantive question.Answer highlights World Cup funding and economic benefits while ignoring the request for indigenous and northern youth support.last week, our government announced an investment of $220 million to host the FIFA World Cup games in Vancouver and Toronto.