All sittings← 2024-05-082024-05-10 →
Thursday, May 9, 2024 · sitting No. 312
Conservatives move supply motion to halt hard-drug legalization
The House devoted the largest share of its sitting to a Conservative motion on the business of supply that calls on the government to reject requests from Toronto and Montreal to legalize hard drugs and to redirect funds toward treatment and recovery. Pierre Poilievre moved the motion, which cites a 166 per cent rise in opioid deaths since the Prime Minister took office. Debate on the motion remained ongoing at adjournment.
Question period featured repeated exchanges over the carbon tax, housing costs and reproductive rights. Conservative MPs pressed the government on rising mortgage payments and the July 1 moving crisis in Quebec, while Liberal ministers accused the opposition of planning to restrict abortion access. NDP members urged enforcement of the Canada Health Act to guarantee abortion services nationwide.
Decided that day
- Time allocation for Bill C-59 passed
- S-276, S-264 and S-269 reached second reading
- C-355 advanced in the first chamber
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – May 9, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2024-05-09
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
Damien Kurek told the House that a sophisticated cyber-attack on British Columbia government systems underscored the need for stronger protocols to protect members of Parliament from foreign interference.
Read the exchangePetitions
Mike Morrice presented two petitions calling for a guaranteed livable income to replace the current patchwork of federal and provincial assistance programs.
Read the exchangeHousing
Gérard Deltell warned that the Bank of Canada’s forecast of higher mortgage and rent payments will worsen Quebec’s annual July 1 moving crisis.
Read the exchangeOfficial Languages
Alain Therrien demanded that the Prime Minister remove a Liberal member from the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie after the member insulted witnesses concerned about the decline of French.
Read the exchangeCBC/Radio-Canada
Martin Champoux pressed the government to guarantee Radio-Canada’s independence after the public broadcaster’s chief executive discussed closer integration with the CBC.
Read the exchangeQuestion 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
- misdirectedFinanceAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores mortgage question entirely and attacks Conservatives on abortion rights instead.
Now we know the truth. Conservatives are going to attack our charter rights.
- misdirectedFinanceAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer pivots from spending critique to accusing Conservatives of associating with white supremacists and attacking rights.
Canadians have seen that they hang out with white supremacists and do not disavow them.
- misdirectedFinanceAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer shifts from carbon tax and spending to demanding Conservatives defend abortion rights.
It is time for the Conservatives to stand up and clearly say whether they are going to defend a woman's right to choose
- misdirectedHousingMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores housing and moving day question to lecture Quebec Conservatives on abortion rights.
Are the Conservative members from Quebec prepared to reaffirm the right of every woman in Canada?
- misdirectedHousingMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer evades inflation and spending question by returning to abortion rights and Quebec members' positions.
What is affecting every woman in Canada, Quebeckers and Canadians alike, is our right to control our own bodies.
- partly answeredOfficial LanguagesMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges French decline and government support but avoids calling for member's resignation.
We understand and agree that French is in decline across Canada, in Quebec and in the other provinces.
- partly answeredOfficial LanguagesMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer affirms support for French language but sidesteps demand to remove the member from international role.
our government believes French across the country is very important.
- partly answeredGrocery IndustryMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses grocery competition and fair share taxation but ignores donation and CEO profit critique.
We understand that we need more competition in the grocery sector.
- deflectedGrocery IndustryMr. Alistair MacGregor (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to investments and competition law without addressing donations or CEO favoritism.
When it comes to the grocery sector, we know that Canada needs more competition.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservative tax plans instead of addressing fairness of the carbon tax increase.
if my hon. colleague is concerned about tax increases, I suggest he talk to the leader of his own party
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives on unrelated issues rather than responding to the carbon tax question.
It has been a very bad couple of weeks to be a Conservative in this country.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Scot Davidson (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.Answer defends carbon pricing policy without addressing the PBO claim or rural impacts directly.
the price on pollution is an effective way to fight climate change, but it is also a way to actually help with affordability.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Scot Davidson (Conservative) asked Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal). loaded question.Answer begins to respond but cuts off without addressing rural classification or rebate eligibility.
- partly answeredPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges public servants and spending cuts but does not commit to firing consultants.
the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance also presented a plan to cut spending.
- misdirectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.Answer accuses Conservatives of cuts instead of answering whether consultant contracts will be cancelled.
the Conservatives never miss an opportunity to offend, threaten, even propose vicious cuts to our public service.
- deflectedCBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Mr. Taleeb Noormohamed (Liberal). substantive question.Answer defends supporting both broadcasters but does not address protecting Radio-Canada's independence.
the only way to protect Radio-Canada and the CBC is to support them both.
- deflectedCBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Mr. Taleeb Noormohamed (Liberal). substantive question.The answer avoids the firewall question by praising the government and attacking Conservatives instead.
but what is really important is that on this side of the House, we believe in a CBC, in a Radio-Canada that is independent, that is powerful and that gives Canadians from coast to coast to coast a voice, not in what the Conservatives want to do, which is simply to say they will gut it, or worse, shut it.
- deflectedCBC/Radio-CanadaMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the independence question and shifts to praising the French fact across Canada.
We have a public broadcaster here in Canada to sustain the French fact from coast to coast to coast.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Bob Zimmer (Conservative) asked Dan Vandal (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the questioner's voting record instead of addressing the carbon tax and food insecurity in Nunavut.
the member opposite has a lot of nerve.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Bob Zimmer (Conservative) asked Dan Vandal (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists past funding votes rather than responding to the current carbon tax impact on food prices.
two years ago, in Nunavut, I announced $143 million of new funding for nutrition north.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Jeremy Patzer (Conservative) asked Jenna Sudds (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to a school food program instead of addressing the carbon tax and food bank crisis.
I am very proud to be part of a government that believes that every child should have access to food while at school.
- partly answeredWomen and Gender EqualityMs. Leah Gazan (NDP) asked Ms. Lisa Hepfner (Liberal). substantive question.The answer agrees on protecting rights and acknowledges more work is needed but does not address enforcing the Canada Health Act in New Brunswick.
- partly answeredPersons with DisabilitiesMs. Bonita Zarrillo (NDP) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses the summit and need for solutions but does not explain why the minister will not intervene directly.
- deflectedMental Health and AddictionsMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Ya'ara Saks (Liberal). substantive question.The answer reframes around harm reduction and attacks the Conservative approach instead of addressing the motion to end hard drug legalization.
The Conservatives continue to want to criminalize family members rather than getting them harm reduction, prevention and treatment.
- misdirectedMental Health and AddictionsMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Ya'ara Saks (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives and ends with 'Shame' instead of addressing the vote request.
- deflectedMental Health and AddictionsMr. Arpan Khanna (Conservative) asked Ya'ara Saks (Liberal). loaded question.Answer accuses of misleading and restates policy without addressing the motion or compassion request.
Why do the Conservatives continue to think that it is okay to criminalize loved ones who need help?
- deflectedMental Health and AddictionsMs. Michelle Ferreri (Conservative) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reframes to shared grief and scientists without addressing whose problem it is or ending legalization.
- deflectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.Answer defends public service and attacks Conservatives and Bloc instead of addressing efficiency or encroachment.
We are never surprised to hear the Conservatives threaten to hack up the public service, nor should we be surprised when the Bloc Québécois, which does not believe in the federal state, does the same thing.
- partly answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.Answer notes member is not invited and coordination is needed but avoids specific demands or referendum stance.
My colleague will have to hold his breath a little while longer.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservative leader's record instead of addressing July 1 crisis numbers or ignorance claim.
The Conservative leader and former minister responsible for housing created only six affordable housing units across the country compared to the 8,000 that were built by Quebec's municipalities.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to 8,000 units and again attacks Conservative leader instead of addressing July 1 readiness or failures.
By comparison, the fact that the Conservative leader built six units during his time as minister responsible for housing looks pretty bad.
- deflectedFinanceMr. Richard Lehoux (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer dismisses slogans and pivots to investments without addressing spending, prices, or housing stock.
We are not building the future by asking questions.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the payment question and pivots to attacking the Conservatives on unrelated issues.
However, during this bad couple of weeks for the Conservative Party, with Diagolon, white extremists and now the right to choose being put on the table, it is no surprise that they want to distract.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer avoids the RCMP investigation query and instead attacks Conservative MPs on abortion rights.
the Campaign Life Coalition publishes a list of Conservative MPs whom they deem anti-choice and anti-LGBT enough to endorse in the election.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Frank Caputo (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer dismisses the specific security lapse question as exaggeration without addressing the hospital incident details.
my hon. friend does not serve to reassure Canadians when he exaggerates and distorts a series of elements that he knows are misleading.
- partly answeredClimate ChangeMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer provides emissions data but does not address the TMX pipeline or COP26 promise directly.
just last week the national inventory report came out and showed that, since before the pandemic, our emissions have gone down 44 million tonnes.
- partly answeredDiversity and InclusionMr. Kevin Vuong (Independent) asked Kamal Khera (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes local authorities' role and affirms free speech limits but does not confirm any federal investigation into funding.
we know that the local authorities are engaged in their jurisdictions on this matter.
- answeredBusiness of the HouseAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly lists the upcoming House business items for the week and following week.
- misdirectedPrivilegeMrs. Rachael Thomas (Conservative) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). substantive question.The answer raises a point of order on language instead of addressing the Speaker's statement inconsistency.
I was really disappointed with the use of the word "addicts" to describe people who are struggling with substance use.