What they said. What they meant.

Plain-language translations from the House of Commons.

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A motion to debate the CRTC ordering online streaming services to pay more tax. The Conservatives argued this tax increase will be passed on to consumers. The Bloc argued the real issue is the government failing to implement a tax on digital products that would fund culture. The debate devolved into partisan bickering, with the Conservatives accusing the Liberals of controlling the CRTC, and the Liberals bringing up unrelated past statements by Conservatives.

Official Hansard ↗

Kerry Diotte

Conservative
“Speaking for all Canadians is a bit much. I want people to keep their small pleasure of streaming shows. The government trying to take that away is bad.”
Our translation 63% shorter

Rosemarie Falk

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling to afford basic needs. The government's existing affordability measures are not working. Why does this government keep raising taxes and not seem to care about rising costs that burden Canadians?”
Our translation 71% shorter

Kerry Diotte

Conservative
“Why does this government keep piling on new taxes when Canadians are already having trouble affording rent and food? This luxury tax won't help. It'll actually hurt us twice by risking trade with the US too.”
Our translation 39% shorter

Ziad Aboultaif

Conservative
“This luxury tax won't just hurt consumers. The Americans won't like it either. Our trade deal could be in trouble.”
Our translation 62% shorter

Kerry Diotte

Conservative
“You're right. The Americans already said they don't like this tax. We shouldn't make them mad. We need them to buy our stuff.”
Our translation 60% shorter

Heather McPherson

NDP
“I want the government to take money from web giants and give it to Canadian content producers.”
Our translation 98% shorter

Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal
“I don't like that you might not support tax dollars going to all of the arts performers who are very important to who we are as a nation. Taxpayers must spend on my preferred program! I want you to attack the Conservatives some more instead.”
Our translation 60% shorter

Heather McPherson

NDP
“I want to say that I support arts spending in my riding. The Conservatives are bad for not spending enough on the arts. The Liberals are also bad for not taxing web giants enough and giving money to Donald Trump. Too much money going out, not enough tax in, and I want to highlight how everyone else is wrong.”
Our translation 58% shorter

Jonathan Rowe

Conservative
“I want to know if the NDP thinks this tax is revenge against Donald Trump, or if they just want the tax for its own sake. I don't care what the motive is, I just want to highlight that the NDP wants this tax.”
Our translation 24% shorter

Heather McPherson

NDP
“Canadian content creators are good. I want to tax foreign content creators to help the Canadian ones. Donald Trump is bad. The Conservatives are bad because they want to let Donald Trump decide our cultural policy.”
Our translation 69% shorter

Xavier Barsalou-Duval

Bloc Québécois
“I'm going to attack the Conservatives while ignoring that I'm asking you about the Liberals.”
Our translation 90% shorter

Heather McPherson

NDP
“I want to scare you that Trump is a threat to French content and indigenous content. The Liberals are doing what Trump wants. The Conservatives are doing what Trump wants. You should support us instead.”
Our translation 71% shorter

Abdelhaq Sari

Liberal
“I want global streaming companies to give money to Canadian producers like Canadian broadcasters must. This helps Canadian jobs and economy. It's not a tax or penalty, it's investment. Other countries do this too. We need to support Canadian culture and stories.”
Our translation 96% shorter

Jonathan Rowe

Conservative
“I think the bill is too big and controls too much. I want the government to make it smaller. I'm exaggerating and naming extreme cases to say it goes too far.”
Our translation 71% shorter

Abdelhaq Sari

Liberal
“Make them repeat the question. I want to talk about our virtuous goal, not who pays the tax.”
Our translation 84% shorter

Xavier Barsalou-Duval

Bloc Québécois
“You're interesting but not reassuring. The government keeps caving to America's demands.”
Our translation 85% shorter

Xavier Barsalou-Duval

Bloc Québécois
“I'm so mad about this that I'm saying names I shouldn't. The government isn't doing enough to defend Quebec's culture. The minister didn't even say the CRTC decision was right. Web giants are taking revenue without giving back to our culture. Why aren't the Liberals doing more to defend our culture?”
Our translation 50% shorter

Abdelhaq Sari

Liberal
“We all care about Quebec culture. But we shouldn't rush into anything. We're negotiating with the US right now. We need to be careful how we proceed.”
Our translation 70% shorter

Louis Villeneuve

Liberal
“I want to defend our party against the Bloc. We're not caving! I should ask a question about how the CRTC decision will help protect Canadian and francophone culture. That will make us look good.”
Our translation 39% shorter

Abdelhaq Sari

Liberal
“I already said we want to protect French. But I came to list all the ways our government spent more of your money on it. Numbers! Big numbers! That's what we do.”
Our translation 70% shorter