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Friday, May 24, 2024 · sitting No. 317
Commons debates Canada Labour Code changes for third of sitting
Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux moved that a motion on amendments to the Canada Labour Code be carried on division and the motion was agreed. The House spent the largest share of the day on the bill, which Lamoureux said would support the economy and reflect long-standing labour priorities.
Conservative MP Kelly McCauley said the government had taken nine years to act on an issue it now called urgent and accused it of political opportunism. Bloc Québécois MP Marilène Gill pressed for the bill to take effect upon royal assent and noted repeated earlier attempts by her party to advance similar measures.
Question period featured repeated Conservative attacks on the government over rising homelessness, food insecurity and mortgage renewal costs, with Liberal ministers pointing to falling inflation and existing housing programs as evidence that the fiscal track remains sound.
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – May 24, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2024-05-24
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 Marilène Gill accused Liberals of rushing to protect the president of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, but was twice interrupted by members before she could finish the question.
Read the exchangeLabour
New Democrat MP Alistair MacGregor warned that more than 9,000 CBSA workers had voted for a strike mandate and said the government had failed to offer them fair pensions or resources.
Read the exchangeFinance
Conservative MP Greg McLean cited the superintendent of financial institutions’ risk outlook and said 76 per cent of mortgages would renew by the end of 2026, urging reversal of inflationary spending.
Read the exchangeClimate Change
Bloc Québécois MP Monique Pauzé said federal scientists reported record water temperatures and declining oxygen levels in the St. Lawrence, threatening shrimp stocks and regional economies.
Read the exchangePublic Safety
Liberal MP Valerie Bradford asked the justice minister to highlight a concrete step in the new national action plan on auto theft aimed at organized crime networks.
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
- deflectedThe EconomyMs. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative) asked Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to grocery inflation trends and school food programs without addressing mortgage renewals or homelessness.
it is certainly well known that grocery price inflation is a problem that all countries are facing around the world.
- misdirectedThe EconomyMs. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative) asked Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the questioner's past statements and pivots to housing program stats instead of addressing mortgage renewals or spending.
this is the same member who called for Canada to exit the United Nations.
- misdirectedThe EconomyMs. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses the asker of disinformation on climate and affordability while ignoring the homelessness statistics cited.
We see, yet again, more disinformation from the Conservative members on climate change and affordability, two issues that they either do not understand or simply do not care about.
- partly answeredThe EconomyMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Marie-Claude Bibeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges food bank trends and highlights existing programs like the Canada child benefit but does not address the specific deficit or spending critique.
We are addressing food security.
- partly answeredThe EconomyMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Marie-Claude Bibeau (Liberal). substantive question.The answer recognizes economic struggles and attributes them to pandemic effects but avoids discussing deficits, debt, or taxes raised in the question.
it is true that people are struggling.
- deflectedOfficial LanguagesMrs. Marilène Gill (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Bloc for criticizing the APF president instead of addressing the credibility or French-language concerns raised.
this unrelenting attack on a representative of Canada's francophonie brings dishonour to the Bloc Québécois.
- deflectedOfficial LanguagesMrs. Marilène Gill (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends the APF president and blames the Bloc rather than engaging with the reported insults or assembly credibility issues.
what weakens the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, or APF, is not the fact that more members have joined.
- answeredNorthern AffairsMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Mrs. Jenica Atwin (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly addresses water advisories, cites lifted advisories, and commits to Inuit-led solutions for Nunavut.
We have already lifted 144 long-term drinking water advisories since 2015.
- deflectedLabourMr. Alistair MacGregor (NDP) asked Mr. Anthony Housefather (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes general union negotiations without addressing CBSA pensions, resources or strike risk.
We urge the union to come to the table. We are happy to negotiate with them.
- misdirectedFinanceMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores spending and mortgage warnings and instead attacks the Conservative leader for disagreeing with experts.
Does the Conservative leader intend to fire all the independent experts in the world who disagree with his doomsday narrative?
- deflectedFinanceMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights credit ratings and past Conservative positions instead of addressing OSFI-identified mortgage and financial risks.
Where were the Conservatives over the years? We wanted to support Canadians. They were never there.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Marty Morantz (Conservative) asked Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Liberal). loaded question.The answer quotes the Bank of Canada governor on fiscal guardrails and pivots to attacking the Conservative leader rather than addressing 2020 mortgage warnings.
I wonder if this is why the Conservative leader wants to fire the independent—
- misdirectedHousingMr. Marty Morantz (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses the opposition leader of acting like a dictator and threatening markets instead of addressing mortgage payment shock.
The banana republic promise of the Leader of the Opposition to fire the Governor of the Bank of Canada, sending shockwaves to global markets and exposing homeowners, mortgage holders, to intense interest rate risk.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Tom Kmiec (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer focuses on the opposition leader's alleged threat to the Bank of Canada rather than mortgage renewal risks or spending impacts.
that member should know better than to stand up and talk about financial markets, when his own leader is the person that has promised to send tremors into the international financial system by taking over, like some dictator, the operations of the Bank of Canada
- deflectedHousingMr. Tom Kmiec (Conservative) asked Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists Liberal benefits and attacks the opposition record instead of addressing mortgage payment pain from high rates.
Those same mortgage holders, in years past, benefited from a tax cut to the middle class that the Liberal government introduced.
- deflectedClimate ChangeMs. Monique Pauzé (Bloc) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses marine protection targets without addressing the St. Lawrence temperature, oxygen or pipeline concerns raised.
We are investing record amounts, particularly in partnership with indigenous people across the country, to protect more and more of our territory.
- deflectedClimate ChangeMs. Monique Pauzé (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer promotes government climate plans without addressing the pipeline investment or St. Lawrence impacts.
Members have before them the first government with credible targets and a plan to achieve net zero in 2050.
- misdirectedFinanceMrs. Kelly Block (Conservative) asked Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Liberal). loaded question.The response attacks the opposition leader instead of addressing hunger, homelessness or spending policies.
in the member's constituency, where individuals might find themselves homeless, she can go back and show them the Leader of the Opposition 's housing plan, which unfortunately says nothing about homelessness, zero.
- deflectedFinanceMrs. Kelly Block (Conservative) asked Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends school food programs without addressing the claimed inflationary policies or rising food insecurity.
Food Banks Canada said that the national school food program was a vital initiative.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Stephen Ellis (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists benefits and programs while ignoring the carbon tax and meal-skipping statistics.
It recommends more supports for the working poor, like our Canada workers' benefit.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingMr. Stephen Ellis (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The response criticizes the member for not opposing austerity instead of addressing the carbon tax or food affordability.
The member should stand up for once to the leader who has an austerity agenda and wants to cut the very supports that are keeping his constituents and helping his constituents meet the current cost of living issue.
- partly answeredThe EnvironmentMs. Laurel Collins (NDP) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges concerns about cruise ship waste and endangered species but offers no specific action or regulation change.
Her concerns with respect to the coast and the dangers to whale species and waterborne mammals are important to us and our government.
- deflectedCanadian HeritageMr. Blake Desjarlais (NDP) asked Mr. Taleeb Noormohamed (Liberal). substantive question.The answer blames Conservatives for blocking legislation without addressing support for CKUA specifically.
Much of the support for small communities would have been flowing had Conservatives not chosen to obstruct the passage of legislation that would have had money flowing to small community broadcasters across this country.
- misdirectedThe EconomyMr. Branden Leslie (Conservative) asked Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Liberal). loaded question.The response attacks the Conservatives' empathy instead of addressing housing costs, hunger or government policies in Manitoba.
I apologize in advance for not being able to take the Conservative Party seriously with its new-found empathy for Canadians who are struggling with the cost of living.
- deflectedThe EconomyMr. Gerald Soroka (Conservative) asked Jenna Sudds (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to school food program praise and opposition criticism instead of addressing carbon tax or spending.
On that side of the House, they need to explain to Canadians why they will not support feeding children.
- deflectedThe EconomyMr. Kevin Waugh (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks past Conservative record and accuses them of cuts rather than addressing current food insecurity or government messaging.
this is rich coming from people who sat in a government that led through Canada's worst economic performance in the last 30 years after the 2008 financial crisis.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Colin Carrie (Conservative) asked Gudie Hutchings (Liberal). loaded question.Answer promotes fall economic statement and other programs while urging passage instead of addressing carbon tax pain or housing issues.
I would ask the Conservatives to please pass the FES.
- partly answeredOfficial LanguagesMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). substantive question.Answer explains program history and protections for official languages but does not address the rejected amendment or compliance with the Official Languages Act.
As for protecting the French language and official bilingualism across Canada, we are there for official language minority communities, just as we are there to protect both official languages, which are enshrined in the Constitution.
- partly answeredOfficial LanguagesMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reiterates program protections for both languages but avoids addressing refusal to require compliance with the Official Languages Act or differing situations in Quebec.
This program is designed to protect French outside Quebec and protect English in Quebec, for example.
- misdirectedFinanceMr. Bernard Généreux (Conservative) asked Marie-Claude Bibeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Bloc and Conservatives while defending Liberal help instead of identifying a minister or defending the spending policies.
I am always astonished when I hear my colleagues from Quebec dare to say such things.
- misdirectedFinanceMr. Bernard Généreux (Conservative) asked Marie-Claude Bibeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer questions what to cut and lists benefits rather than addressing empathy for Quebeckers or inflationary policies.
What should we do exactly? Should we drop the dental care benefits when they are helping not only seniors, but also young people and persons with disabilities who need it the most?
- deflectedAgriculture and Agri-FoodMr. Richard Lehoux (Conservative) asked Marie-Claude Bibeau (Liberal). loaded question.Answer contrasts with past Conservative cuts and highlights current investments instead of addressing 4-H funding cuts or farm debt issues.
The last time the Conservatives were in office, they made cuts to agricultural programs.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Corey Tochor (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer avoids the specific accusation of new redactions by citing prior agreement on terms and attacks the opposition instead.
it is pretty insincere for Conservatives to agree to the process and now criticize that very process.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Corey Tochor (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer mocks the questioner's slogans and reiterates the same process point without addressing the broken promise claim.
I am curious as to what point-percentage system the member opposite operates off for repeating Conservative slogans in one question.
- partly answeredHealthMr. Scott Reid (Conservative) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.The answer acknowledges the question and offers to investigate the drug but diverts to promoting unrelated pharmacare legislation.
In relation to the particular medication the member is speaking of, I look forward to looking into it and working with him so that I can give him a more precise answer on the approval process for that particular medication.
- deflectedIndigenous AffairsMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked Mrs. Jenica Atwin (Liberal). substantive question.The answer speaks generally about ongoing conversations without addressing the specific claim that the minister broke her word on building a hospital.
Conversations are ongoing with all partners as every level of government has a role to play to ensure health care for remote communities.
- answeredForeign AffairsMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Ms. Pam Damoff (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly addresses the kidnapping case by confirming awareness, family contact, and the reason for limited disclosure.
We are aware of reports that a Canadian citizen was kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of Congo.