Question Time

[Blair]

To ask the Prime Minister why members of his cabinet are openly giving their support to an Atlasian presidential candidate who openly supports imperialist annexation of Canada, Mexico, and Central America. For all of this government's lamenting and obsessing over diplomatic relations with Atlasia, one would think they would at least have a coherent position on that.

Well as the Prime Minister stated in his remarks President Bore has opened up relations with our great nation only a couple of days ago, and I'm sure my esteemed colleagues across the house will agree with that.

I endorsed Griffin for President because he's always been an active voice for Atlasia, and much like the Conservative-Liberal Government here he's been a clear voice for reform and good governance. I don't support his plans to expand into Canada, Mexico and Central America. It's as simple as that. If Griffin became President I'd oppose his attempts at expansion, just as I would from any other Presidential candidate. It's also worth noting that it's just Griffin's plan-even as President he'd still have to get it through a constitutional convention

[Cranberry]

To ask the Prime Minister when his excuse of a government will finally do its job and govern. His ministers may have published a list of empty platitudes on what they intend to plague our poor nation with, but so far, no one in his government (safe for Mr. Oakvale when crafting a constitution, but exemptions confirm the rule, don't they?) has yet shown any interest in doing the job they were elected to.

[Cranberry]

The Prime Minister seems to rather ignore my question.

[Talleyrand]

Mr. Speaker,

If I may speak on behalf of the Prime Minister, who is busy attending a memorial service in light of the FARC massacre, the government has a comprehensive plan which we are introducing step by step. The latest example is the Foreign Minister's military organization bill. We have chosen not to introduce all our bills at once because railroading them through would be highly undemocratic. I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants us to take a methodical, cautious approach in the early days of our nation rather than pursuing a hyper aggressive, ideological policy.

[Cranberry]

In response to the Deputy Prime Minister:

If I may briefly note that there is a vast difference between introducing the government's agenda in a "methodical, cautious approach" and not introducing any piece of that agenda in 22 days - a whole third of parliament's maximum term - ending this streak only when the public was being alerted by the Opposition. This is truly bleak and inexcusable, and frankly, no words will make this any better.

[Talleyrand]

Mr. Speaker,

With all due respect to the Leader of the Opposition, much of those "22 days" were spent dealing with the FARC Crisis. The lives of innocent citizens came first during that time period, and this government is not going to apologize for that. We have been working diligently behind the scenes on good policy on that time, and we have already received diplomatic recognition from the Republic of Atlasia, a goal which seemed impossible just a short while ago. We have elected our first ever Judge and first ever President, in addition to passing a comprehensive, reasonable Constitution (which all members of the government contributed to, I might add). To imply we have been sitting on our knees and doing nothing is frankly quite absurd! Mr. Cranberry is quite intelligent, as proven by his diligent appointment of a shadow cabinet to keep us accountable, but it's clear he is just playing the political game here.

[Cranberry]

It is the Deputy Prime Minister accusing me of "playing the political game", when at the same time it is beyond obvious that he is scrambling for excuses for the government's late holiday. I do not deny that the government has played its role in solving the FARC crisis at the beginning of this month (credit for that is at least just as due for our constituent nations of Brazil and Colombia, however); but the nomination of a judge and a president as well as the installation of diplomatic relations with Atlasia - which, seeing a recent legislation within the Atlasian Senate, are far from secure, by the way - are works that require a minimum segment of those twenty-two days. The constiution, as the Deputy Prime Minister refered to that, was alas introduced at the very beginning of those days of silence, thus every labour the government might have had with it was already accomplished by then.

The Deputy Prime Minister has delivered no arguments that could shift me from my opinion. This period of silence from our government is inexcusable.

[Potus]

Mr. Speaker,

I would like to echo the points made by my Deputy Prime Minister and direct the Leader of the Opposition to the notable achievements of this Government. We successfully rescued many hostages, won a victory over FARC, secured our nation's future with a Constitution, and have brought together a fantastic team to solve the issues facing South America.

I would also like to point out that the attention of Parliament has been almost entirely consumed by dealing with the inactivity constitutional crisis caused by the former leader of the Socialist Party. I do hope the gentleman will remember the road he walked to get to Parliament and the great, undemocratic headache it caused this body and the people of our great nation.

Moving ahead, we will deal with my Foreign Minister's defense organization bill. We are eagerly anticipating the introduction of an economic standardization package and comprehensive environmental bill to be brought by my Government.

[Cranberry]

The Prime Minister, when finally finding the unbearable grace to answer to such a lowly subject as yours truly, mocks every interlocutor's intelligence by repeating the same points lacking any real explanation for his government's performance, or better, lack thereof. This government has been in office for longer than a month now, and still can show only one real legislative action. A hostage crisis three weeks ago, whose sucessful end is on top of it all is mostly due to the actions of two constituent nations and not the central government, can not really deceive from the naked truth.

The gentleman's comments about internal issues of the Socialist Party, which at most presented work for the Speaker alone for two days of these dark twenty-two - never one second for one government minister - are just the same as the above - baseless points lacking substance and not able to deceive over this excuse of a government's distastrous record.

[Barnes]

The first IRC Question Time will be held tomorrow afternoon/evening with the Prime Minister and Mr. PJ on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition.

I will post a link to the IRC at the appropriate time tomorrow. Everyone is allowed to view the QT, but only Members may take part in proceedings.

[Barnes]

The IRC Question Time is going to be held in #QuestionTime starting at 6:00 PM EST.  Everyone is welcome to come watch in the galleries.

[Barnes]

Questions Without Notice -- Sunday, September 27, 2015

The Speaker: Questions without notice.  Mr. PJ?

Mr. PJ: To ask the Prime Minister: when he will listen to the reasonable demands of the occupy Cochabamba movement and respect the rights of the people to a decent social safety net?

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) (Interjecting) The Opposition just arrived!

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) (Interjecting) I see!

The Speaker: I call the Prime Minister.

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) Mr. Speaker, I have said this before and I will say it again because of its importance. The people in the streets are good people, but they have been looked down on and lied to by government after government.  Our continent has been forced to endure decades of backwater economics have failed to deliver a shared prosperity.

Mr. Oakvale (Minister for Justice) (Interjecting)  Hear, hear!

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) Our Government is bringing forth several proposals to alleviate concerns of many of these protesters.  The future of this continent is in freedom and growth.  This Government is committed to building a shared prosperity.  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: I call Mr. PJ.

Mr. PJ: To ask the Prime Minister, what are these "proposals" and how will they alleviate the plague of poverty? Both the Conservatives and their so called  socially liberal coalition partners have been too busy passing meaningless resolutions to address one of our continents most important issues.

The Speaker: I call the Prime Minister

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) Mr. Speaker, I don't expect our Opposition to understand the details of the market economy, but there can be no sharing of prosperity until there is a growing economy. My Chancellor is introducing an economic standardization plan within the day to encourage investment in South America and growth of our economy.

To guarantee that the people are adequately protected, we are bringing forth a comprehensive healthcare plan within the next few days. This is a moral calling of ours and I hope to find the support of the Socialists in protecting the most vulnerable among us when they go to see a doctor.

While I understand the gentleman finds reason to object to the government's introduction of resolutions, I must sincerely ask the gentleman to visit the families of those injured by FARC.

While the Socialist Party awkwardly abstains from the government's resolutions, FARC, an organization which shares the Marxist commitment to revolution, kills South Americans.  To hear the stories of those Colombian soldiers who were held prisoner, that is something especially harrowing. I implore the gentlemen to visit the families of the fallen and tell them, as you have told us, that the Government's resolutions commemorating their family member are pointless --

The Speaker: The Prime Minister has a few seconds remaining in his time.

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister)  Thank you, Mr. Speaker

The Speaker: The Prime Minister's time has expired.  Mr. PJ?

Mr. PJ: I don't expect the prime minister to understand the plight of people living paycheck to paycheck, or those without a paycheck at all, if he cannot be bothered to even introduce piecemeal reforms to address the issue until South American workers call for a general strike --

The Speaker: Order!  The Member will ask his question!

Mr. PJ: My next question is directed towards the Deputy Prime Minister: why has nothing been done to address the issue of protection of the Amazon Rainforest. The Social Liberals campaigned on environmental protection, yet we have seen no effort from the Ministry of Lands to protect one of our continent's most beautiful resources while it is slashed and burned.

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) Mr. Speaker, the Government will have a major announcement on that in the next day. It is what I mentioned as the major news I planned to announce at the Social Liberal Conference.

Mr. PJ: (Interjecting) Answer the question!

The Speaker: Order!

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) I have answered the question.  This government will end the destruction of the rainforest --

Mr. Oakvale (Minister for Justice) (Interjecting) Hear, hear!

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) And ensure it will exist for future generations.

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) (Interjecting) Hear, hear!

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) While your party wishes to exploit for the sake of the union bosses!

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) (Interjecting) Aye!

The Speaker: Has the Deputy Prime Minister concluded his answer?

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) Yes, unless the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has a follow-up.

Mr. PJ: Well it seems evident that the Deputy Prime Minister is more interested in attacking the only party interested in the protection of the working person rather than answering a direct question, so no.

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) I have already answered the Deputy Leader's question.  I just didn't give the answer he wanted!

Mr. Oakvale (Minister for Justice) Hear, hear!

The Speaker: Order, order.  We will proceed to the next question.  Mr. PJ?

Mr. PJ: In lieu of the Minister for Foreign Affairs absence, my next question is directed towards the Prime Minister.  Why has this government chosen to effectively ignore the Syrian refugee crisis and instead delegate the responsibility of accepting refugees to South American member states?

The Speaker: I call the Prime Minister to answer on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) Mr. Speaker, this Government accepts that the different nations will have different interests as we build the national community. However, until we get to that point, we must accommodate the complexity of this issue by deferring the existing national governments.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: I call Mr. PJ.

Mr. PJ: To ask the Prime Minister: what exactly makes this issue more complex? Syrians are dying at the hands of radical revolutionaries this government claims to oppose.

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) I believe the gentleman is attempting to insinuate that we're assisting the radicals in Syria. That we're exacerbating the situation. I must object to the very nation of that.

Mr. Oakvale (Minister for Justice) (Interjecting) Hear, hear!

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) But the complexity is clear. Our constituent governments are uniquely qualified to know the logistical capacity of their cities.

For example, would the people of Cochabamba have an interest in taking in refugees?  Of course not!  It is up to the constituent nations to understand their own limitations and respond to the crisis in kind.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: I call Mr. PJ.

Mr. PJ: My next question would normally be for the Minister for Social Protection, but I would like to ask either the Prime Minister or the Minister for Justice to answer why this government has not taken a stance on the issue of abortion. It is well known that a 13 year old Paraguayan victim of rape was denied access to an abortion in violation of her reproductive rights, while this government remained silent.

The Speaker: If Mr. PJ could specify which Minister he intends to ask, that would be helpful.  Otherwise I will call the Prime Minister to answer.

Mr. PJ: The Minister for Justice.

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) I defer to the Minister for Justice.

The Speaker: Have you concluded your question?

Mr. PJ: Yes

The Speaker: I call the Minister for Justice

Mr. Oakvale (Minister for Justice) Mr. Speaker, the South American project is its infancy.  As we've already seen the lines between national and federal power are at best blurry in some cases. One of these must be what's so often termed 'social issues', such as the honorable gentleman's question relating to the legality of abortion.

The Government, as, I imagine, do the Opposition, have members with a wide variety of views on this matter. Some object to the practice of abortion on moral and religious grounds, some call for its pan-South American legalisation on liberal or pragmatic grounds, but as with so many of these issues the unfortunate stark reality is that there is no 'right' answer.  As unfortunate and messy as the current situation is, this Government has no intention of by fiat overruling the very real concerns of people across the continent on both sides of this debate.

The story the honorable gentleman refers to was horrifying, it's true.  But I must be as clear as I can with the house - this Government has no intention of legalising access to abortion on demand.

Mr. Potus (Prime Minister) Hear, hear!

Mr. Oakvale (Minister for Justice) I respect the Honorable Gentleman's position, and those of my colleagues, on this. My private view is irrelevant. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope that's clarified the matter.

The Speaker: I call Mr. PJ.

Mr. PJ: To ask the Chancellor why we have seen no action from the ministry on a currency union. This Union is vital to transforming South America into a unified state.

At this point, a member of the Public Gallery began to make injections during proceedings.

Mr. Oakvale (Minister for Justice) Intruder on the floor!

The Speaker: I take note of the interrupter from the Gallery, and have asked the Sergeant-at-Arms to have the person in question removed from the Chamber.

I call the Chancellor.

Mr. Dereich (Chancellor of the Exchequer) Mr. Speaker, the Member's question is a highly important and relevant one. The Member should expect a bill creating a customs union to be put before the House tonight.

The Speaker: Has the Chancellor concluded his answer?

Mr. Dereich (Chancellor of the Exchequer) I have.

Mr. Talleyrand (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands) I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper, Mr. Speaker.

[Cranberry]

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how he, as Leader of the Social Liberals, can support the bill proposed by the Minister of Justice and currently debated in the house, and unite this support with his party's basic prinicples and ideology.

[Cranberry]

I am still awaiting a response from the Deputy Prime Minister.

[Barnes]

Under the Standing Orders, the Deputy Prime Minister has until tomorrow to answer the Leader of the Opposition's question.

[Talleyrand]

Mr. Speaker,

This bill does not violate our party's principles. We have always supported unionism, but only when it stands for the people. This bill strips the power of corrupt union bosses and is a victory for hardworking South Americans. I fail to see how this bill does anything but increase transparency, accountability in employment, and religious freedom. It is a very fair act and one which I think will wreak wonders on our nation to come for many years.

[Potus]

Mr. Speaker,

With Parliament's dissolution fast approaching, I would ask that you and the Leader of the Opposition discuss the logistics of a second Questions Without Notice session. This Government is proud of the work it has done and I look forward to the opportunity to defend our record.

Thank you.

[Barnes]

Mr. Speaker,

With Parliament's dissolution fast approaching, I would ask that you and the Leader of the Opposition discuss the logistics of a second Questions Without Notice session. This Government is proud of the work it has done and I look forward to the opportunity to defend our record.

Thank you.

I think this is an excellent proposal if the Leader of the Opposition is also willing to participate.  As the dissolution is scheduled at present for late Thursday evening, we will have to plan this quickly.

[Cranberry]

Indeed, I would love to participate in this. Possibly, if some non-partisan figure could join us there, we could also extend this to a proper debate of leaders? I shall contact the Speaker and Prime Minister regarding the details.

[Oakvale]

I'd actually second the idea that a debate during the election campaign would be better than a session of Question Time.

[Barnes]

Given my busy schedule and school this week, and a limited time frame to hold a QT session, I think having a full and proper debate would be best.

Actually, why not two? One with just Potus and Cranberry, and the other with all the party leaders?

[Cranberry]

I'd always be open for that. We would just need an impartisan figure to conduct it. Anyone interested?

This would still be real time on IRC however, correct?

[Barnes]

I'd always be open for that. We would just need an impartisan figure to conduct it. Anyone interested?

This would still be real time on IRC however, correct?

Of course. I think that would be the best option.

[Cranberry]

So we just need a date plus a moderator. What about tomorrow or Friday evening at 10pm CET / 4pm EST?

[Barnes]

Unlocked and bumped for the Second Parliament.