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Wednesday, June 5, 2024 · sitting No. 325
Commons debates first nations clean water bill for most of sitting
The House spent the largest share of the day on government orders for Bill C-61, the first nations clean water act. Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux said the bill follows years of consultation and marks a step beyond the 2015 pledge to end long-term drinking water advisories. Conservative MP Eric Melillo and NDP MP Blake Desjarlais questioned the pace of progress and the adequacy of consultation with treaty nations.
Question period featured repeated exchanges on foreign interference. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressed for names of members who assisted hostile states, while Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the Leader of the Opposition should obtain security clearance to review the report.
Further clashes centred on the carbon tax and ethics allegations involving the employment minister. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland highlighted the Bank of Canada's interest-rate cut, and Conservative MPs Michael Cooper and Michael Barrett demanded details on a company linked to the minister.
Decided that day
- Bill C-293 passed third reading
- Bill C-317 passed third reading
- Bill C-377 passed second reading
- Bill C-353 passed second reading
- Opposition motion on food prices defeated
- 19th finance committee report defeated
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – June 5, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2024-06-05
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
Innovation, Science and Industry
Conservative MP Gérard Deltell asked whether the minister would support an RCMP investigation into Sustainable Development Technology Canada after the Auditor General found administrators awarded funds to themselves 186 times.
Read the exchangePublic Services and Procurement
Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné cited the Auditor General's finding that 71 per cent of McKinsey contracts were untendered, and Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos replied that the government has already acted on similar earlier findings.
Read the exchangeImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe said Quebec seeks a temporary reduction in immigration levels and one billion dollars for asylum-seeker costs ahead of Monday's meeting with the premier.
Read the exchangeAir Transportation
NDP MP Taylor Bachrach said more than 70,000 complaints remain unresolved and airlines are suing passengers, while Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the Conservatives took no action until the current government introduced rules.
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
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer refuses to identify individuals and instead criticizes the asker for lacking information.
no government, including the former government, of which he was a member, is going to discuss particularities of intelligence information publicly.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the RCMP request and pivots to unrelated economic talking points.
it is no surprise that the Conservatives do not want to talk about the economy today
- deflectedMental Health and AddictionsPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer changes the subject to interest rates instead of addressing injection-site policy.
once again, it comes as no surprise that the Conservative leader does not want to talk about the economy
- deflectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer avoids the carbon-tax report and shifts to hockey and rate cuts.
it is really sad and shameful that the Conservatives continue to talk down the Canadian economy
- deflectedCarbon PricingPierre Poilievre (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer sidesteps the gag-order allegation and attacks the asker for negativity.
the person who seems to be labouring under a gag order is the Conservative leader
- partly answeredDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer points to Bill C-70 as current action while thanking the asker for past support.
This bill will strengthen our national security institutions and our collective ability to recognize and counter foreign interference.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer ignores the call for parties to act and pivots to interest-rate news.
to me it is a bit surprising that even the Bloc Québécois does not want to talk about the economy
- partly answeredDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes the government's creation of the committee and ongoing use of its recommendations.
We have always acted to put in place strengthened measures when we receive thoughtful analysis
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Jagmeet Singh (NDP) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the foreign interference question entirely and pivots to an unrelated economic topic.
I thought that the NDP shared our concerns about the cost of living.
- misdirectedDemocratic InstitutionsMichael Chong (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition's past record instead of addressing the Prime Minister's inaction.
The Conservatives did absolutely nothing, so I find it somewhat ironic that my friend would stand in this place and would say that our government
- partly answeredDemocratic InstitutionsMichael Chong (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly explains why names cannot be released but does not address the request for disclosure.
my colleague knows full well that no responsible government would disclose names involved in specific intelligence situations.
- deflectedDemocratic InstitutionsMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer criticizes the question as irresponsible and redirects to security clearances rather than addressing disclosure.
I am rather concerned about the irresponsibility of our colleagues across the way.
- deflectedCarbon PricingAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the opposition's math and attendance instead of addressing the report release request.
math is really not the long suit of the party over there.
- misdirectedCarbon PricingAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the Conservatives' environmental record and changes the subject rather than addressing the report.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMs. Leslyn Lewis (Conservative) asked Chrystia Freeland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer pivots to interest rate news and avoids the carbon tax report question.
I am glad that the Conservatives are finally asking a couple of questions that are at least in the neighbourhood of the economy.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the Bloc's hypocrisy instead of addressing Quebec's immigration requests.
the height of hypocrisy was when a Bloc member spoke during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance to oppose the government's proposed reforms
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks opposition and defers to a future meeting instead of addressing work permit delays.
- deflectedCarbon PricingTim Uppal (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.Answer repeats rebate talking point and ignores the request to release the internal report.
eight out of 10 Canadians are better off today than they were before because of the price on pollution.
- deflectedCarbon PricingTim Uppal (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to a prior PBO statement and rebate figures rather than addressing the secret report.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer issued a report, about a month and a half ago, saying that he accidentally overestimated the economic impact of the carbon price on Canadians.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Dan Mazier (Conservative) asked Gudie Hutchings (Liberal). loaded question.Answer lists rebate amounts by province and avoids any mention of releasing the report.
No matter how we do the math, eight out of 10 families are better off with the carbon rebate, especially families in rural Canada.
- deflectedCarbon PricingMr. Richard Lehoux (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.Answer reiterates the rebate claim and calls the premise nonsense without addressing the report.
- partly answeredNorthern AffairsMs. Lori Idlout (NDP) asked Dan Vandal (Liberal). substantive question.Answer states an internal review and future external audit are underway but gives no timeline for reform.
We are currently doing an internal review of nutrition north.
- deflectedGrocery IndustryMs. Lisa Marie Barron (NDP) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer discusses inflation numbers and a code of conduct instead of the proposed price cap motion.
if the member really wants to help, she should ask all the members, especially on the opposition, to support us in pushing Walmart and Costco to adopt the grocery code of conduct.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.Answer cites ethics rules and committee appearance without identifying Randy or addressing the allegations.
The minister in question appeared yesterday before committee for one hour and answered all of those questions.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.Answer restates general ethics rules and committee appearance instead of identifying Randy.
Canada has among the most stringent ethics and conflict of interest provisions in the world for public office holders.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.Answer dismisses the question by claiming it was already answered without providing the name.
I, of course, just answered that question, so I would invite the member to move on.
- deflectedEthicsMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). rhetorical question.Answer cuts off without engaging the sarcastic scenario or naming Randy.
I, of course, just answered all—
- partly answeredPublic Services and ProcurementMs. Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Bloc) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges Auditor General findings and notes prior government actions taken.
Yesterday, we heard the Auditor General reach findings that are very similar, and at times identical, to the findings of reports that the government published about a year ago.
- partly answeredPublic Services and ProcurementMrs. Julie Vignola (Bloc) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). substantive question.Answer references prior actions aligned with recommendations but does not commit to new steps.
We have been taking significant action for more than a year now on the issues my colleague mentioned.
- answeredInnovation, Science and IndustryMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer details investigations launched, resignations, and new governance model in response to the RCMP proposal.
we launched investigations, one by Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and one by the law firm McCarthy Tétrault.
- deflectedInnovation, Science and IndustryMr. Gérard Deltell (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives and restates prior actions instead of addressing the whistle-blower contradiction.
the people watching us know that the Conservatives are asleep at the wheel.
- deflectedInnovation, Science and IndustryMr. Larry Brock (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer pivots to unrelated economic news and repeats prior actions without addressing recovering funds.
- deflectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the McKinsey contracts entirely and pivots to unrelated economic news.
A question that has not been answered, however, is why are the Conservatives not sharing today's good news about the interest rate being lowered for the first time in four years, a first among G7 countries?
- deflectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Garnett Genuis (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer claims the question was already answered but immediately shifts to interest rate news without addressing McKinsey.
it may indeed be that our colleague was distracted when I spoke about the matter many times during question period.
- misdirectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Jacques Gourde (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the opposition on dental care instead of responding to the McKinsey contracts question.
members on the other side of the House clearly have a listening problem, because I have answered this question many times today.
- deflectedAir TransportationMr. Taylor Bachrach (NDP) asked Pablo Rodriguez (Liberal). substantive question.The answer blames the previous government rather than addressing the current complaint backlog or airline rules.
The Conservatives did not do anything at all until we came here and put rules in place.
- partly answeredThe EnvironmentMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists general climate measures but does not address the specific decisions threatening killer whales.
just last year, the government announced important measures to help this country continue to lead the way in the fight against climate change.