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Thursday, October 24, 2024 · sitting No. 358
House spends third of day on privilege debate over document release
The House devoted the largest share of its time to a privilege debate over the government's refusal to release documents related to the green slush fund, now in its fourteenth day. Conservative MP Damien Kurek said the matter concerned Parliament's fundamental ability to hold the government to account and noted that a majority had not yet ended the debate. Liberal MP Ken Hardie countered that the RCMP already possessed the documents it needed and accused Conservatives of wasting parliamentary time.
Question period featured sharp exchanges on immigration targets. Bloc Québécois MP Alain Therrien said the government had ignored warnings from Quebeckers until a national crisis forced a reduction in targets. Immigration Minister Marc Miller replied that the new plan was reasonable and took account of contributions from across the country.
Decided that day
- 12th report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage passed
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – October 24, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2024-10-24
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
Committees of the House
Liberal MP Brendan Hanley presented the fisheries committee report on Yukon salmon stocks and thanked Yukoners who participated.
Read the exchangePetitions
New Democrat MP Blake Desjarlais tabled a petition signed by nearly 1,000 Canadians calling for changes to the Canada disability benefit.
Read the exchangeWorld Polio Day
Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld marked World Polio Day and noted Canada's additional pledge of $151 million to eradication efforts.
Read the exchangeHealth
New Democrat MP Heather McPherson pressed the government to use the Canada Health Act to guarantee reproductive health care access nationwide.
Read the exchangeFirearms
Conservative MP Raquel Dancho cited police associations saying the handgun freeze fails to stop illegal guns crossing the border.
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
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservative positions on unrelated issues instead of addressing the election call.
it is not the Conservative caucus members who do not want to forgive interest on student loans.
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Marci Ien (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservative policies on women's issues rather than responding to the election demand.
The Conservatives will cut services to survivors of gender-based violence.
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaAndrew Scheer (Conservative) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to criticizing Conservative cuts instead of addressing the call for an election.
He would cut things like the Canada summer jobs program, something that exists in every one of our communities
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses the Conservatives of hypocrisy on diabetes medication instead of addressing the election request.
However, he voted against the bill to provide free medication to people with diabetes.
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservative leader's past housing record rather than responding to the election call.
that is the number of affordable housing units that the Conservative leader built across Canada in his entire term as minister responsible for housing.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.The answer describes the new plan but avoids explaining the delay in listening to Quebec specifically.
The plan is reasonable and carefully crafted.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alain Therrien (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.The answer sarcastically thanks the Bloc for national unity instead of addressing the question about listening to Quebec.
I thank the Bloc Québécois for once again contributing to national unity.
- answeredHealthMs. Heather McPherson (NDP) asked Marci Ien (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly explains the funding measure taken to improve access to reproductive health care.
Through the $45-million sexual and reproductive health fund, we are addressing that.
- partly answeredHealthMs. Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.Addresses access to abortion and reproductive care but does not address the Canada Health Act mechanism.
It is absolutely essential that every woman in every part of this country has access not only to abortion, but to the reproductive tools that she needs to have control and autonomy over her own body.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Tom Kmiec (Conservative) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.Ignores the question on immigration failures and instead attacks the opposition leader's maturity and slogans.
I was flabbergasted to hear the Leader of the Opposition 's answer today, the most immature answer on immigration that I have ever heard.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Tom Kmiec (Conservative) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.Responds by attacking the Conservative leader rather than addressing the immigration admission question.
what I said is that it is garbage to focus on anything other than the circus clown the member is supporting.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Arpan Khanna (Conservative) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.Avoids answering about broken immigration consensus by demanding a Conservative plan and slogan instead.
the leader will have to put forward a plan instead of slogans.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Arpan Khanna (Conservative) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). loaded question.Turns to attacking the member and leader on national security instead of addressing immigration policy failures.
if the member opposite thinks that security certificates from the Modi government are reliable, he needs a little clearance too, on top of his leader, who should probably get a better briefing on the national security of this country.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). rhetorical question.Ignores the call for an election and instead asks the member to comment on the francophone immigration target.
I would like the member's opinion on our francophone strategy outside Quebec.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). rhetorical question.Avoids the election question by criticizing the member for not answering a prior unrelated question and demanding a Conservative plan.
I see the member continued reading from her paper instead of answering my question.
- answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.Directly explains Quebec's jurisdiction under the accord and notes the federal plan is awaiting Quebec's response.
the member opposite is well aware that, since the Canada-Quebec accord, the Government of Quebec has set its own targets.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attacks the questioner on numbers instead of addressing the asylum distribution plan.
It is quite clear that the member opposite is trying to mislead the House.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Bloc) asked Marc Miller (Liberal). rhetorical question.The minister dismisses the entire statement by claiming no question was asked.
I honestly did not hear a question in there.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The response shifts to attacking the opposition's caucus issues rather than the promotion decision.
the member sits just a few seats down from a colleague she criticized just a few years ago for casting aspersions on the LGBTQ2+ community.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMs. Melissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer focuses on counter-attacking Conservatives instead of addressing the minister's record.
The Conservatives are trying to take credit for the number of homes Canadians built.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Dan Albas (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The response highlights immigration successes and attacks opposition stances rather than the promotion.
I am surprised they call it a failure that we provided refuge to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Ukrainians who fled a war of aggression.
- answeredHealthMs. Bonita Zarrillo (NDP) asked Mark Holland (Liberal). substantive question.The answer directly addresses the pan-Canadian licensure commitment and progress made.
- deflectedOil and Gas IndustryMs. Laurel Collins (NDP) asked Steven Guilbeault (Liberal). loaded question.The response avoids the question by criticizing the NDP's past position on carbon pricing.
Well, it looks like, under pressure from the Conservatives, the NDP is no longer conservative, no longer progressive and no longer environmentalist.
- partly answeredFirearmsMs. Raquel Dancho (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). substantive question.The answer explains the firearms policy but does not address listening to police or timing.
We have made those firearms illegal.
- deflectedFirearmsMs. Raquel Dancho (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.Answer shifts focus to past Conservative cuts instead of addressing the handgun freeze or current border issues raised.
Our government, unlike the previous Conservative government, has invested precisely so that the Canada Border Services Agency would be able to interdict the illegal firearms crossing our borders.
- misdirectedPublic SafetyMr. Jamil Jivani (Conservative) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). loaded question.Answer accuses hypocrisy and pivots to assault rifles and past cuts rather than responding to crime statistics or police input.
What I would say is that assault-style rifles are not used for hunting deer.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Jamil Jivani (Conservative) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores the recent shooting incident and instead lectures on Bill C-21 and gender-based violence.
Women are getting killed because guns are in homes.
- answeredJusticeMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly corrects the premise about the Prime Minister's statement and notes jurisdictional responsibility.
Yesterday, on several occasions, the Prime Minister said that it was unacceptable for children in Quebec to be treated in this way.
- deflectedJusticeMr. Martin Champoux (Bloc) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.Answer avoids committing on Bill 21 and instead emphasizes child dignity and Quebec jurisdiction.
The first important thing for everyone in the House to keep in mind, including the people listening to us, is that respect for the dignity and safety of children is everyone's responsibility.
- partly answeredPublic SafetyMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.Answer addresses police support via funding but sidesteps admission of policy failure on crime.
That is why we renewed the guns and gangs program that precisely puts money in the hands of these brave women and men who serve in municipal and provincial police forces
- deflectedPublic SafetyMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Dominic LeBlanc (Liberal). loaded question.Answer highlights past investments and ends by questioning the asker on assault weapons instead of addressing smuggled guns.
Why does she not support our government in removing assault-style firearms from the streets of Canada?
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Don Stewart (Conservative) asked Arif Virani (Liberal). loaded question.Answer refuses to engage with bail policies or crime data and instead defends gun measures while attacking the premise.
if the member expects us to apologize for taking assault-style weapons off of the streets, he is not going to get that apology.
- deflectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Larry Brock (Conservative) asked Jean-Yves Duclos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer invokes the independence of the Auditor General and RCMP without addressing whether funds will be recovered.
the Auditor General is independent, that the RCMP is also independent, that both of those organizations are doing their job, and that we will always be there to help them do it.