Evidence of meeting #122 for Finance in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Alexandre Roger
Chris Forbes  Deputy Minister, Department of Finance
Grahame Johnson  Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch, Department of Finance
Alison McDermott  Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Minister, your housing agency has no faith in your plan—

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I believe MP Hallan asked me a question.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

—so why should Canadians?

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I certainly believe the point of this exercise is for him to ask me a question. He offered quite a long preamble —

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

The question's on the table, three times now.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

—with lots of points embedded in it.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Why should Canadians have faith in you when your own agency doesn't?

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I'd like to respond to those points, if MP Hallan wants to hear a response.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

MP Hallan, allow the witness, please, to answer the questions.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I'd also like to point out that Conservative senators have been reprimanded for bullying witnesses. It would be terrible to have that kind of behaviour here in the House.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Your Prime Minister has been reprimanded for bullying strong women in his own caucus for standing up to his corruption, so please spare us the lecture.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Let me now speak about housing.

Let me first point out that there is an internal contradiction in what the Conservative members of this committee have done when it comes to voting and their purported scheme on housing.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

It's irrelevant to my question.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

Actually, I believe your votes are very relevant.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca

Yes, MP Dzerowicz.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

The question was clear.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON

You have to stop interrupting. Stop interrupting.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

I'll move on.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

No, I haven't finished answering.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

I'll move on. It's my time. I have only limited time.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

No, I'm afraid it's time for questions and answers, MP Hallan. I would like to answer.

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Minister, this is the reason why—

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

I have things to say about housing—

11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

This is exactly the reason why—