Monday, June 3, 2024 · sitting No. 323

Pharmacare act advances at third reading as opposition raises coverage fears

The House spent the largest share of the sitting on third reading of Bill C-64, the Pharmacare Act. Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi opened the debate by saying the bill would establish principles for a national program and deliver single-payer coverage for contraceptives and diabetes medications in participating provinces. Conservative MP Damien Kurek asked whether the single-payer structure would remove existing private coverage held by up to 97 per cent of Canadians.

In Question Period the main exchanges concerned taxation and official languages. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the government was raising taxes and expanding the federal public service while the Bloc Québécois supported the measures. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland replied that Quebeckers value social programs and that the Conservatives would cut them. Bloc Québécois MP Alain Therrien said several Liberal members had proposed making English an official language in Quebec.

Other exchanges covered missing and murdered Indigenous women, arms exports to Israel and the use of federal land for housing.

Decided that day

Bill C-64 passed third reading and adopted
Opposition motion on summer tax break defeated

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – June 3, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2024-06-03

45Pharmacare Passes, Tax Break Motion FallsThe House adopted the Pharmacare Act at third reading and rejected an opposition motion on a summer tax break. Time was split among committees, taxation and other topics while Question Period produced mostly deflected answers.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

Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act

Bloc Québécois MP Sylvie Bérubé said the party opposed Bill C-293 because it wanted a public independent inquiry into the COVID-19 response rather than the plan proposed in the private member's bill.

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Indigenous Affairs

NDP MP Leah Gazan said only two of 231 calls for justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls have been fully implemented and asked the government to stop stalling.

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Foreign Affairs

NDP MP Heather McPherson said the foreign affairs minister had failed to issue a notice barring weapons exports to Israel's government and called for a two-way arms embargo and recognition of Palestine.

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Housing

Bloc Québécois MP Alexandre Boulerice asked whether the government would devote 100 per cent of available federal land and buildings to social and affordable housing.

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Grocery Industry

NDP MP Alistair MacGregor said the government was not cracking down on corporate greed in the grocery sector and asked Liberal members to support a motion requiring large grocers to pay what they owe.

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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

deflected
TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer ignores the coalition question entirely and shifts to Liberal policies plus Conservative attacks.The only thing the Conservatives understand is cut, cut, cut.
deflected
TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer avoids the tax-cut jurisdiction question and pivots to social programs and an attack on Conservatives.The Conservatives are against it because they are against the people.
deflected
TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer sidesteps the private-jet question and instead discusses climate action while attacking Conservative policies.What the Conservatives want to do is not only cut dental care, child care and pharmacare, but also end our climate action
deflected
TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer evades the gas-tax question and mocks Conservative math without addressing the proposal.it seems that we have, in fact, underestimated the wacko math of the Conservative Party of Canada.
deflected
TaxationPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). rhetorical question.The answer ignores the summer-break tax relief request and continues the mileage rebuttal while dismissing the minister's own record.I am sure the Conservatives will find ways to blame me for that.
misdirected
Official LanguagesMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Bloc's voting record instead of addressing the Prime Minister's past comments or the apology request.the Bloc Québécois's comments are very hypocritical.
misdirected
Official LanguagesMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer dismisses the question as nonsense and accuses the asker of hypocrisy rather than engaging with the listed Liberal statements on French.what is nonsense is my colleague's question.
partly answered
Indigenous AffairsMs. Leah Gazan (NDP) asked Gary Anandasangaree (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists recent federal actions on safety projects and reports but does not confirm full implementation of the 231 calls.Today we tabled the "2023-24 Federal Pathway Annual Progress Report", noting funding for 52 community safety projects, nine safety plans, 47 shelters and a pilot red dress alert system.
deflected
Foreign AffairsMs. Heather McPherson (NDP) asked Mélanie Joly (Liberal). loaded question.The answer restates general support for ceasefire and vague arms policy without addressing the specific demands for action.We will make decisions accordingly.
deflected
TaxationMs. Michelle Ferreri (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the claimed savings and pivots to a quote criticizing Conservatives instead of addressing the motion.When are the Conservatives going to stop that?
misdirected
TaxationMs. Michelle Ferreri (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the questioner's hypocrisy and past votes rather than engaging the tax suspension request.I would remind her once again that she has been voting against measures and then showing up for the announcements about them in her riding.
deflected
TaxationMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer mocks the distance needed for claimed savings and shifts to unrelated government priorities.For the Conservatives, it's 44,000 kilometres in order to realize the benefit that they are selling.
deflected
TaxationMr. John Barlow (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer calls out a supposed flip-flop and pivots to Alberta's gas tax instead of the federal suspension proposal.How do the Conservatives reconcile that with the fact that she has raised the tax on gas by 13¢ a litre?
deflected
TaxationMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer dismisses the math of savings via an absurd driving-distance analogy and avoids the motion.
deflected
TaxationMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats the extreme driving-time rebuttal and insults the proposal without addressing the call to suspend taxes.That is 320 hours of non-stop driving.
misdirected
Official LanguagesMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists what the government supports and accuses the asker of hypocrisy and division rather than addressing the language proposal.It is profoundly hypocritical.
misdirected
Official LanguagesMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the asker's voting record and reading habits instead of addressing the claim about anglicization measures.If my colleague had bothered to read the official languages action plan, then he would have seen that there is money there for French.
deflected
Official LanguagesMr. Mario Beaulieu (Bloc) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer restates government policy on French protection and personal background without engaging the specific accusations about federal employers or immigration levels.with the modernization of the Official Languages Act, our government has made it abundantly clear that French is declining here in Canada.
deflected
TaxationMrs. Shelby Kramp-Neuman (Conservative) asked Jenna Sudds (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to past Conservative votes on unrelated programs rather than addressing the fuel tax or ministerial statements.I have a really hard time believing that suddenly the Conservatives have an interest in doing what is best on behalf of Canadian families.
deflected
TaxationMrs. Shelby Kramp-Neuman (Conservative) asked Jenna Sudds (Liberal). substantive question.Answer highlights child care savings but ignores the fuel tax pause motion and the yes-or-no request entirely.We know that 750,000 Canadian families are now able to access affordable, inclusive, accessible child care through our child care plan.
misdirected
TaxationMr. Martin Shields (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts blame to Alberta premier and defends the rebate instead of responding to the call to cut the carbon tax.When we had a minor increase in the price on pollution this year, guess who increased the price of fuel by 13¢? It was the premier of the Province of Alberta, Danielle Smith.
partly answered
HousingMr. Alexandre Boulerice (NDP) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). substantive question.Answer addresses federal land use via the housing accelerator fund but does not guarantee 100% devotion to social housing.we have an opportunity to use public land to create affordable housing.
deflected
Grocery IndustryMr. Alistair MacGregor (NDP) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer points to competition law changes and calls on Conservatives to act but avoids the motion on taxing grocery CEOs.Guess who voted against it? The Conservatives did.
deflected
The EconomyMr. Marty Morantz (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.Answer lists positive statistics and accuses Conservatives of talking Canada down without addressing GDP per capita decline or spending outcomes.the Conservatives just cannot resist talking Canada down.
deflected
The EconomyMr. Marty Morantz (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservatives and lists positive stats without addressing spending or declining living standards.yet again, the Conservatives are relentlessly talking Canada down and concealing their austerity agenda.
deflected
The EconomyMr. Jamie Schmale (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to praising Canada and workers while accusing Conservatives of talking the country down.it is amazing to hear the Conservatives talking down Canadians, Canada and our prospects.
deflected
The EconomyMr. Jamie Schmale (Conservative) asked Mary Ng (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to trade successes and job creation without addressing economic decline or spending.We need to keep talking up the Canadian economy and Canadian businesses.
partly answered
Climate ChangeMs. Kristina Michaud (Bloc) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly references actions taken on fossil fuel subsidies and a new fund for climate adaptation.we are the only G7 country to have cut fossil fuel subsidies, two years ahead of schedule no less.
deflected
Climate ChangeMs. Kristina Michaud (Bloc) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists policies implemented but ignores the specific tax giveaways and polluter-pays contrast raised.We increased the price on pollution, something that the Conservatives promised to do, but they once again flip-flopped.
misdirected
Public SafetyMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores public safety and Bill C-5 to attack the Conservative leader on dental care.I would remind members that just a few days ago, the Conservative leader told people in my region that the Canadian dental care plan does not exist.
deflected
Public SafetyMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Liberal). loaded question.The answer defends programs while accusing Conservatives of voting against them, without addressing spending or chaos.On our side of the House, we are putting in place programs that the Conservatives consistently vote against.
partly answered
Public SafetyMr. Richard Martel (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.The answer addresses prison staff safety with a specific example of engagement but does not tackle broader violence or policy criticism.Contrary to what he says, we are working with correctional services specifically to protect the safety of people who work in our correctional institutions.
deflected
Public Services and ProcurementMrs. Stephanie Kusie (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the McKinsey contract specifics and pivots to praising the Auditor General and dental care.We look forward to her report tomorrow, of course.
partly answered
Innovation, Science and IndustryMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.The answer outlines actions taken on governance and resignations but avoids committing to shutting down the fund or denying severance.We suspended funding for the organization.
misdirected
Official LanguagesMr. Joël Godin (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' record on French instead of addressing Liberal actions on protecting French in Quebec.However, the Conservative Party and francophones from Quebec have accused me of speaking too much French here in the House.
deflected
Oil and Gas IndustryMr. Charlie Angus (NDP) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.The answer shifts from oil industry disinformation to boasting about green investments and EV production.this country has received a record number of investments in the green industry.
deflected
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alain Rayes (Independent) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). substantive question.The answer offers to pass the question along rather than addressing inconsistent processing times.I will be pleased to pass it on to my colleague, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship , so that he can answer our colleague.