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Monday, April 13, 2026 · sitting No. 101

Lawful access bill advances to committee after second-reading debate

Government Orders on Bill C-22, An Act respecting lawful access, consumed half the sitting as Sean Fraser moved second reading and referral to committee. Frank Caputo questioned data-retention provisions in part 2 while Marilène Gill raised concerns over a 15 per cent cut to the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency budget. Fraser replied that the bill is constitutionally compliant and that last year's budget added 1,000 RCMP officers and 1,000 border staff.

Question Period opened with Melissa Lantsman pressing for immediate suspension of federal fuel taxes and François-Philippe Champagne replying that the government had already lowered taxes for 22 million Canadians and was monitoring the Middle East conflict. Alexis Deschênes then asked why the Minister of Finance had not distanced himself from Alto executives before introducing legislation that eases expropriations for high-speed rail; Steven MacKinnon answered that the project would benefit 40 million Canadians.

Private Members' Business on Frank Caputo's Criminal Code amendment bill was carried on division after brief remarks from Caputo and Kevin Lamoureux.

From the Hansard record of the sitting. Full Hansard

Question Period – April 13, 2026. Video from CPAC. Watch on YouTube

Who held the floor · 2026-04-13

Government (Liberal)OppositionOver the day: government 36%, opposition 64% of the words spokenPrivate membersGovernment businessQuestion PeriodGovernment business▲ Government side held the floor▼ Opposition held the floorOpened 11:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:00Last speech 18:10Time of day, Ottawa · the House sat 7 h 10 min · each dot is a stretch of debate, placed at the minute it began
28Another sitting that went nowhereThe sitting focused almost entirely on the Lawful Access Act, 2026, with no recorded votes or bills advancing any stage. Question period produced mostly deflected or misdirected 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

Indigenous Affairs

Chak Au asked whether the government would reverse its decision to abandon the fee-simple argument in the Cowichan case; Rebecca Alty replied that Canada had appealed the ruling and would continue to defend the validity of Crown-granted fee-simple title.

Read the exchange

Transportation

Michael Kram noted that Regina's federally subsidized electric buses could operate only three hours daily in winter and asked why the government claimed to be unaware of such failures; Gregor Robertson pointed to ongoing improvements in battery technology and cited Edmonton's northern fleet as evidence that the buses can function in Canadian conditions.

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Grocery Industry

Leah Gazan called on the government to support an NDP motion banning surveillance pricing by grocery chains; François-Philippe Champagne said the Competition Bureau's strengthened powers already address the issue through greater competition.

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Sikh Heritage Month

Sukh Dhaliwal and Sonia Sidhu both marked Sikh Heritage Month and Vaisakhi, noting the founding of the Khalsa in 1699 and the commitment to equality and seva shown by Sikh Canadians.

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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

  1. deflected
    TaxationMelissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer avoids the tax suspension question by referencing Middle East conflict and general support.we will not take lessons from the Conservatives.
  2. deflected
    TaxationMelissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer shifts to past tax cuts instead of addressing current gas tax suspension.
  3. misdirected
    TaxationMelissa Lantsman (Conservative) asked Patty Hajdu (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks Conservatives' voting record rather than addressing the gas tax question.They sure would not spend it on training for young people, because they voted against that.
  4. deflected
    TaxationGabriel Hardy (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.Answer congratulates an unrelated politician then pivots to past actions and Conservative opposition.As a member from Quebec, and on behalf of the government, I first want to congratulate Christine Fréchette on getting elected to lead the Coalition Avenir Québec.
  5. deflected
    TaxationGabriel Hardy (Conservative) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists past benefits instead of addressing suspension of the gas tax.Let me remind him that the first thing we did was to lower the taxes of 22 million Canadians.
  6. misdirected
    TaxationJason Groleau (Conservative) asked Joël Lightbound (Liberal). substantive question.Answer lists unrelated benefits and notes the member's votes against them rather than answering on the gas tax.I would remind everyone that these are all measures that my colleague voted against.
  7. deflected
    Rail TransportationAlexis Deschênes (Bloc) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). loaded question.Answer dismisses the question as personal attacks and false allegations without addressing the expropriation concerns.Old-fashioned political tactics, personal attacks and false allegations against public sector employees are not the kind of politics that Canadians want to see right now.
  8. misdirected
    Rail TransportationAlexis Deschênes (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.Answer attacks the question and Bloc Québécois instead of addressing the minister's ties or expropriation powers.this question dishonours the Bloc Québécois and the member across the way.
  9. deflected
    Rail TransportationAlexis Deschênes (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes high-speed rail benefits without addressing Terrebonne residents' concerns or expropriation.the ones who stand to benefit are the 40 million Canadians who have been dreaming of high-speed trail for 40 or 50 years.
  10. deflected
    TaxationJasraj Hallan (Conservative) asked Wayne Long (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists Liberal measures but does not address removing fuel taxes or the yes/no question.We just launched a groceries and essentials benefit, putting up to $1,900 in the pockets of working families.
  11. deflected
    TaxationJasraj Hallan (Conservative) asked Wayne Long (Liberal). loaded question.The answer repeats Liberal affordability measures without addressing fuel tax removal.We continue to make life more affordable for Canadians by cutting taxes, with the groceries and essentials benefit, the automatic federal benefits and the list goes on.
  12. misdirected
    TaxationLianne Rood (Conservative) asked John Zerucelli (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservative voting record instead of addressing the gas tax cut proposal.On that side of the House, Conservatives voted against every measure to make life more affordable for Canadians, such as delivering a tax cut that is benefiting 22 million Canadians
  13. deflected
    TaxationLianne Rood (Conservative) asked Rechie Valdez (Liberal). loaded question.The answer highlights Liberal benefits without addressing suspension or elimination of fuel taxes.We have delivered the Canada groceries and essentials benefit.
  14. deflected
    TaxationRichard Bragdon (Conservative) asked Heath MacDonald (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses unrelated investments and geopolitics instead of fuel tax cuts for rural Canadians.When we talk about investments, we are talking about $1.5 billion towards initiatives to adopt clean technologies for our farming communities
  15. misdirected
    TaxationRichard Bragdon (Conservative) asked Stephanie McLean (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to a personal anecdote about an income tax cut rather than addressing fuel tax relief.Here is the thing, he wanted to know why it would be better to vote for me than for the Conservatives.
  16. misdirected
    TaxationKelly DeRidder (Conservative) asked Stephanie McLean (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks Conservative record on seniors instead of addressing the gas tax reduction proposal.What they remember is that those Conservatives wanted to cut their old age security from them.
  17. misdirected
    Rail TransportationRhéal Éloi Fortin (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer attacks the Bloc Québécois for opposing the project rather than addressing the alleged ministerial ties or use of the budget bill.even though the Bloc Québécois has a new critic, that does not make it any less shameful to raise this question.
  18. deflected
    Rail TransportationRhéal Éloi Fortin (Bloc) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer shifts to general project benefits and consultation without addressing the recusal or bill provisions benefiting Alto.the people of Terrebonne want this project as much as anyone, but they want to be listened to.
  19. misdirected
    TaxationGérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Joël Lightbound (Liberal). loaded question.The answer pivots to the Conservative voting record on unrelated benefits instead of addressing fuel tax suspension.What he can control is how he votes in the House.
  20. deflected
    TaxationGérard Deltell (Conservative) asked Joël Lightbound (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists other tax cuts and benefits without addressing suspension of fuel taxes or carbon tax changes.We lowered taxes for 22 million Canadians.
  21. deflected
    TaxationJoël Godin (Conservative) asked Nathalie Provost (Liberal). substantive question.The answer lists existing benefits without addressing the request to suspend excise tax and GST on fuel.we are providing assistance to Canadians right now.
  22. deflected
    TaxationJoël Godin (Conservative) asked Nathalie Provost (Liberal). substantive question.The answer emphasizes past benefits and voting record instead of responding to the call for immediate tax suspension on fuel.every time these solutions were proposed, my esteemed colleague voted against them.
  23. deflected
    TaxationBernard Généreux (Conservative) asked Carlos Leitão (Liberal). substantive question.The answer attributes price rises to global events and lists benefits without addressing suspension of federal fuel taxes.The problem is the war in the Middle East.
  24. deflected
    TaxationSandra Cobena (Conservative) asked Evan Solomon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer promotes other affordability measures without addressing the request to drop the per-litre tax on gas.We cut tax for 22 million Canadians.
  25. deflected
    TaxationSandra Cobena (Conservative) asked Evan Solomon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer promotes unrelated investments instead of addressing the request to drop federal gas taxes.we realize we are in a trade war and have to support our businesses.
  26. deflected
    TaxationTamara Jansen (Conservative) asked Jill McKnight (Liberal). loaded question.The answer discusses new benefits and funds without addressing removal of federal gas taxes.we are helping make food more affordable by introducing the new Canadian groceries and essentials benefit
  27. deflected
    TaxationTamara Jansen (Conservative) asked Jill McKnight (Liberal). loaded question.The answer lists general affordability measures while avoiding the question on returning extra GST revenue via tax relief.Our commitment to improving affordability remains unchanged and unwavering.
  28. answered
    Indigenous AffairsChak Au (Conservative) asked Rebecca Alty (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly states the government's position and appeal on fee simple title.At trial, Canada defended the validity of fee simple title granted by the Crown, and we will continue to do so on appeal.
  29. partly answered
    Indigenous AffairsChak Au (Conservative) asked Rebecca Alty (Liberal). loaded question.The answer clarifies the Musqueam agreement scope but does not commit to future transparency agreements.The agreement was Musqueam's constitutionally protected aboriginal rights in the specific areas of fisheries, stewardship and marine emergency management
  30. answered
    Indigenous AffairsTamara Kronis (Conservative) asked Sean Fraser (Liberal). loaded question.The answer directly addresses the misconstrual claim and confirms the appeal to protect property rights.We are seeking to advance arguments, as we have at trial, that would protect the private property rights of citizens
  31. deflected
    Indigenous AffairsJeff Kibble (Conservative) asked Gregor Robertson (Liberal). loaded question.The answer accuses Conservatives of misinformation rather than addressing future agreements or property rights.They do not want the fear and misinformation that these Conservatives are pushing out in an attempt to divide Canadians.
  32. deflected
    Indigenous AffairsTako Van Popta (Conservative) asked Jill McKnight (Liberal). loaded question.The answer asserts no change to property rights but avoids committing to directing lawyers on the issue.Reconciliation is our path forward for our country, and we will continue to move forward for both.
  33. deflected
    Rail TransportationMichael Barrett (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer claims the question was already answered and pivots to praising the project instead of addressing committee appearance.As for Alto and high-speed rail in Canada, it is a generational project, one that is desired by people in that member's riding and people all over Canada.
  34. deflected
    Rail TransportationMichael Barrett (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). substantive question.The answer repeats that the question was answered and cites ethics rules without addressing the specific request for the minister to appear.the minister has answered that question repeatedly and we follow, as everyone must, the highest ethics code and the most stringent ethics code in the western world.
  35. deflected
    Rail TransportationPhilip Lawrence (Conservative) asked Steven MacKinnon (Liberal). loaded question.The answer ignores the waste and 'train to nowhere' framing by instead claiming Conservative support for the project.High-speed rail is something that Conservatives used to talk about.
  36. partly answered
    TransportationMichael Kram (Conservative) asked Gregor Robertson (Liberal). substantive question.The answer addresses cold-weather performance with examples but does not explain the reported unawareness of issues.Edmonton, as some members opposite will know, is fairly far north in Canada, and those buses are running well.
  37. deflected
    Grocery IndustryLeah Gazan (NDP) asked François-Philippe Champagne (Liberal). substantive question.The answer discusses competition policy without stating whether the government will support the NDP motion to ban surveillance pricing.We have already increased the power of the Competition Bureau because we know that competition is the best way to ensure that we can stabilize prices in the country.