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Friday, October 25, 2024 · sitting No. 359
Commons continues privilege debate on Liberal refusal to hand documents to RCMP
The House spent the largest share of its time on a privilege motion concerning the government's refusal to produce documents ordered by the finance committee for an RCMP investigation into Sustainable Development Technology Canada. Conservative MP Larry Maguire said the Liberals had violated ethics rules on multiple occasions and must turn over the material without delay. Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux countered that the Conservative leader had served in the Harper government found in contempt of Parliament.
Question period featured repeated exchanges on immigration levels and foreign interference. Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin pressed the government to align targets with Quebec's integration capacity and share the burden of asylum seekers. Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi said Quebec already controls more than half of temporary-resident admissions and has yet to submit its own reduction plan.
From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard
Question Period – October 25, 2024. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube
Who held the floor · 2024-10-25
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
Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi said national-security experts Ward Elcock and Richard Fadden had stated that a cleared chief of staff is insufficient and that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre must obtain his own top-secret clearance.
Read the exchangeHealth
Liberal MP Lisa Hepfner said she was concerned by the growing number of Conservative caucus members who oppose abortion and warned that access to the procedure is being chipped away.
Read the exchangePublic Safety
Conservative MP Greg McLean said shootings in Toronto are up 45 per cent and gun-related homicides up 62 per cent, citing the Toronto Police Association's criticism of the federal handgun policy.
Read the exchangePublic Services and Procurement
Conservative MP Michael Cooper asked what concrete steps the government is taking to recover $20 million paid to GC Strategies for work that was never performed on the ArriveCan app.
Read the exchangeJustice
Bloc Québécois MP Gabriel Ste-Marie said the federal health minister is threatening to challenge Quebec's move to allow advance requests for MAID and urged Ottawa to step aside.
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 CanadaMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservative Party's lack of a plan instead of addressing the request to call an election.
That is what you get from the Conservative Party, a populist party, a right-wing party.
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to criticizing the member's voting record rather than responding to the call for an election.
where was she when we voted to support Canadian seniors?
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaMrs. Dominique Vien (Conservative) asked Ms. Lisa Hepfner (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots entirely to abortion rights and Conservative positions, ignoring the election question.
On this side, we will always fight for women's rights, like abortion.
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Conservative Party on women's rights instead of addressing the call for a carbon tax election.
Why will the other members of the Conservative caucus not do the same?
- misdirectedLiberal Party of CanadaMr. Michael Barrett (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer criticizes the Conservative leader's record on pensions and benefits rather than addressing the election request.
Seniors who have earned their pensions, not just with their premiums but with decades of hard work, bad backs and busted joints, are facing an opposition leader who has a history of gutting their pensions.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMs. Christine Normandin (Bloc) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.The answer notes Quebec's powers and a missing plan from Quebec but does not address consultation or adjusting levels.
We asked Quebec for its plan to reduce temporary immigration and we are still waiting for that plan.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMs. Christine Normandin (Bloc) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses the general immigration levels plan but avoids the specific issue of asylum seeker burden-sharing.
We are reducing the number of temporary and permanent residents in the short term to alleviate pressures on housing and infrastructure.
- answeredHealthMr. Peter Julian (NDP) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly explains investments and support for public health care in response to the question on fixing the system.
That is why we are making unprecedented investment in our system, working with provinces and territories, with over $200 billion over 10 years.
- misdirectedHealthMs. Leah Gazan (NDP) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). substantive question.Answer ignores the question on enforcing the Canada Health Act and instead attacks Conservatives.
Will the Conservative leader stand up and stand firmly with the rights of women in this country?
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Eric Duncan (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.Answer claims question already answered then pivots to attacking the asker on unrelated queer issues.
Where was the member when Blaine Higgs went after trans kids in New Brunswick?
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Eric Duncan (Conservative) asked Randy Boissonnault (Liberal). substantive question.Answer avoids immigration entirely and attacks the member and Conservatives on queer community issues.
They are simply not truthful with Canadians.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMichelle Rempel Garner (Conservative) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.Answer restates general talking points on responsible immigration without addressing the specific failures or election request.
The government has always taken a very responsible approach to immigration to make sure that Canada continues to grow.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMichelle Rempel Garner (Conservative) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.Answer shifts blame to provincial premiers instead of addressing federal immigration policy failures.
I hope the member opposite is calling her premier, Danielle Smith, to make sure that fake colleges are not getting credentials.
- answeredImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). loaded question.Answer directly explains the new plan as a response to changing needs, countering the blank-page claim.
These reductions are needed to enhance our economic and social prosperity, while ensuring that newcomers are able to succeed.
- deflectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Luc Berthold (Conservative) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). loaded question.Answer explains the plan's rationale but avoids the pyromaniac accusation and election demand.
The new plan reflects what Canada needs today.
- partly answeredJusticeMs. Marie-Hélène Gaudreau (Bloc) asked Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Liberal). loaded question.Answer addresses jurisdiction over education but sidesteps the federal challenge to Bill 21.
As far as jurisdiction over education is concerned, it is the Government of Quebec's responsibility.
- deflectedJusticeMs. Marie-Hélène Gaudreau (Bloc) asked Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Liberal). rhetorical question.Answer agrees on principle but shifts responsibility to Quebec instead of addressing Liberal actions on Bill 21.
We also said that it is the Quebec government's jurisdiction and its responsibility to deal with this issue.
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores immigration entirely and attacks the questioner's caucus on unrelated social issues.
The real question for me today is, how does the member feel about the anti-abortionists she sits with every single day in her caucus, with a leader who will not march in pride with the LGBTQ community, with a leader who will not stand up for the rights of the most vulnerable in this community and with a leader who attacks the most vulnerable people in this community on a daily basis?
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMrs. Tracy Gray (Conservative) asked Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Liberal). loaded question.Answer avoids current immigration failures by criticizing past Conservative policies instead.
When the leader of the Conservative Party was part of the Conservative government, do members know what the Conservatives did on immigration?
- misdirectedImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipMr. Eric Melillo (Conservative) asked Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Liberal). loaded question.Answer pivots to accusing Conservatives of xenophobia rather than addressing the minister's record.
I really fear that under a Conservative government, with this far-right, xenophobic immigration concept, families like my mom's will be sent away.
- misdirectedHousingMr. Eric Melillo (Conservative) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). loaded question.Answer deflects housing and immigration criticism by raising abortion rights instead.
What I have not heard from any members on the Conservative benches is an affirmation that they will also defend a woman's right to choose.
- partly answeredHealthMs. Lisa Marie Barron (NDP) asked Ms. Lisa Hepfner (Liberal). substantive question.Answer agrees on abortion access but shifts focus to Conservative caucus rather than Liberal enforcement of the Act.
What concerns me is the growing anti-abortion caucus on the Conservative side.
- answeredSeniorsMs. Bonita Zarrillo (NDP) asked Mr. Terry Sheehan (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly lists actions taken for seniors including reversing retirement age and enhancing GIS and CPP.
The first thing we did was to reverse the Conservatives' increase in the retirement age from 65 to 67.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.Answer defends the handgun ban but does not address rising crime statistics or policy reversal.
We have banned handguns and assault weapons that were designed for the battlefield, and Conservatives want to make those guns legal again.
- misdirectedPublic SafetyMr. Greg McLean (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores the question about current policy and instead attacks the Conservatives' past record on CBSA cuts.
When Conservatives were in power, they cut $143 million from CBSA.
- misdirectedPublic SafetyMr. Dane Lloyd (Conservative) asked Bill Blair (Liberal). loaded question.Answer deflects by blaming Conservative cuts to police instead of addressing the question on gun policy and listening to police.
Just like Stephen Harper, who cut a thousand RCMP jobs, successive Conservative mayors and premiers have frozen police budgets and police hiring.
- deflectedPublic SafetyMr. Dane Lloyd (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.Answer avoids the question on car theft and RCMP recruitment by accusing Conservatives of hypocrisy and restating gun control talking points.
They think the way to keep our streets safe is by putting more guns in the hands of criminals.
- partly answeredJusticeMr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Bloc) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.Answer acknowledges the complexity of advance requests for MAID and the need for collaboration but does not directly address the threat to Quebec's policy.
MAID is a complex and deeply personal issue, especially when it comes to advance requests.
- partly answeredJusticeMr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Bloc) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.Answer commits to reviewing Quebec's announcement and working with provinces but does not address amending the Criminal Code or reassuring doctors.
We remain committed to working with Quebec and all provinces and territories to carefully evaluate the next step.
- misdirectedFirearmsMr. Doug Shipley (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores the question on current gun policy failures and instead attacks the Conservatives' past CBSA cuts.
if Conservatives are so concerned about illegal guns entering the country through our borders, then why did they cut 1,100 jobs at CBSA
- misdirectedFirearmsMr. Doug Shipley (Conservative) asked Bill Blair (Liberal). loaded question.Answer deflects by contrasting party promises and blaming Conservative cuts rather than addressing police criticism of the handgun policy.
We make it harder to commit gun crime by increasing and strengthening gun control in this country.
- deflectedFirearmsMr. Rob Morrison (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.Answer avoids the question on rising crime stats and police criticism by restating attacks on Conservative cuts to borders and police.
While Conservative governments create cuts, we invest in our police services, invest in our borders and get guns out of our streets.
- deflectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.Answer avoids the specific request for steps to recover funds by pivoting to past Conservative contracts.
I would ask the member opposite how far back he would like to go in terms of these contracts.
- deflectedPublic Services and ProcurementMr. Michael Cooper (Conservative) asked Ms. Jennifer O'Connell (Liberal). loaded question.Answer sidesteps the election demand and recovery measures by accusing Conservatives of misleading and revisiting past contracts.
once again we see the Conservatives completely misleading Canadians.
- misdirectedInnovation, Science and IndustryMr. Larry Maguire (Conservative) asked Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Liberal). loaded question.Answer ignores the request for documents and instead attacks the Conservative leader and party on unrelated matters.
What is the leader of the Conservative Party hiding?
- partly answeredInfrastructureMr. Brian Masse (NDP) asked Mr. Vance Badawey (Liberal). loaded question.Answer acknowledges ongoing discussions but provides no specifics on training, safety, or lobby influence.
Transport Canada is in discussions currently not only with the member but also with the province and the city.
- answeredAgriculture and Agri-FoodMs. Elizabeth May (Green) asked Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Liberal). substantive question.Answer directly addresses the concerns by outlining the review process and confirming examination of the issues raised.
we are committed to ensuring that pesticides used in Canada are safe for human health and the environment.