Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Anthony Housefather

Liberal on Adjournment Proceedings 2026-04-23

514 words · 20 sentences · 24 clauses

Replying to Dave Epp (Conservative)

“Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to bring the voices of Chatham-Kent—Leamington to this chamber, and this evening I am pleased to have the opportunity to follow up on a question to the Minister of Agriculture from March 13, when I probed why the government is closing ag research stations. Over 20 ag organizations have written in to the AGRI committee in response to our study examining these closures. “Why?” is the question. We are coming up on one year since the last general election. As part of the preparation for our policy platforms for that election, meetings were held with all ag organizations, and there are an awful lot of ag organizations. We were after the priorities that were on the minds of those in the sector. Those ag organizations do not always agree, but they did agree on five priorities. The primary focus was to maintain, enhance and support funding for research and innovation. Time will not allow me this evening to expand into the other priorities, but I just want to list them: the harmonization of regulations and elimination of red tape; the elimination of the carbon tax; realigning the mandates of the CFIA and PMRA to include an economic lens to decision-making; and finally, ensuring continued access to labour. However, the primary ask was to keep a focus on research and innovation, on science. What did the government do? It just announced three agricultural research station closures and four site-specific field station closures. When I asked the minister why the government would do this when the sector has identified research as foundational to the food sector, I, surprisingly, did not get a defence. I got a confession. When those in the sector told us about their five priorities, we assumed they had also told the Liberal Party those same five priorities. The minister acknowledged the following in his response to me. He said public investment in ag R and D is down 15%. He acknowledged that private sector research at universities has plummeted 77% and that the number of enterprises doing research has shrunk by 30%. He is right about one thing. He concluded by saying we cannot keep going down this path, and he is absolutely right, but what he forgot to say is that it has been Liberal governments driving the ship for the last 11 years. He also acknowledged that academia and the private sector are not in the position, as is sometimes misstated at committee, to take over the shortfall on research. We need to put these cuts to agriculture research in some context. Over the past decade, the size of the federal bureaucracy has grown by 40%, but Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada by only 11%. The Prime Minister has charged many departments to cut their spending by 15% over the next three years, and we absolutely agree that the size of the federal government needs to shrink, but 15% cuts across all departments cut differently when a department has only grown by 11%. The reality is that with the previous cuts to ag, that sector is going to shrink by 27% while all other departments have gone up 40% and will then go down 15%. The minister was right that we should not go down the path that the government is contemplating with these closures. Science should be supported. There are certainly other areas in the ag portfolio where we could help them identify savings. We would be only too happy to help with that. We are talking about the renewal of the five-year ag policy framework right now. I will go back to those ag station closures. The witnesses at committee were critical of both the process and the outcome of the decisions. This needs to be reversed.”

Statement grade

33 / 100, held down by Relevance

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Greeting 2%Claims 98%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Speaker, Greeting · 10 wordsit is always a pleasure to hear from my colleague.Greeting Claims · 504 wordsThe agricultural sector is an incredibly important sector in Canada.Off point I think the minister had explained in that answer why that decision was made.Hidden agency I am pleased to hear, in terms of the five priorities he outlined, that the consumer carbon tax was eliminated as one of the very first acts of this government.¹ As we know, the global economy is more than a year into a profound rupture, with economic security, industrial policy and geopolitical competition increasingly shaping economic, financial and supply chain decisions. In addition, heightened geopolitical tensions, including recent events in the Middle East that disrupted global energy markets and shipping routes, have further underscored the fragility of global supply chains and are now contributing to elevated uncertainty. We, as a government, have been relentlessly focused on bringing down costs for Canadians, because when Canadians keep more of the money they earn, they can better support their families, invest in their communities and build the future they want. Of course, that includes Canadians in all industries, including the agricultural one. Since July 1, 2025, Canadians have been paying less tax, after the government announced lowering the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%.² We, as a House and Senate, adopted that as our very first law. The rate reduction applies to taxable incomes of up to $58,523 in 2026.³ This change ensures that nearly 22 million Canadians benefit from tax relief of up to $420 per person, saving two-income families up to $840 this year.⁴ Notably, most of the tax relief will go to Canadians with incomes in the two lowest tax brackets. Canada’s new government is also using the improvement in the fiscal outlook associated with higher oil prices to provide targeted relief to households and businesses. Specifically, we are reducing pressure on fuel prices at the pump by suspending the application of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel, effective April 20, until August 31, 2026, delivering over $2.2 billion in relief.⁵ The temporary suspension of the excise tax for gasoline and diesel is expected to save Canadians up to an estimated $5.75 on regular gasoline and up to $2.30 on diesel when filling up a typical 50-litre tank of fuel.⁶ To make everyday essentials like groceries more affordable, we introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which builds on the GST credit and will provide additional support for more than 12 million Canadians.⁷ We are providing a one-time payment equivalent to a 50% increase in the 2025-26 value of the GST credit, ⁸which will be delivered on June 5, ⁹and we are increasing the benefit by 25% for five years, beginning in July 2026.¹⁰ We are also setting aside $500 million from the strategic response fund to help businesses address the cost of supply chain disruptions without passing those costs on to Canadians at the checkout line.¹¹ We are creating a $150-million food security fund under the existing regional tariff response initiative for small and medium-sized enterprises and the organizations that support them.¹²Off point

At a glance

Lost points for
Didn't answerOnly 3% of this reply directly addressed the question or point raised.
Echo ×29“We introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit.” Said 29 times by 19 members.Every time it was said
Echo ×7“Since July 1, Canadians have been paying less tax, after the government lowered the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%.” Said 7 times by 7 members.Every time it was said
Echo ×4“Most of the tax relief will go to Canadians in the two lowest tax brackets.” Said 4 times by 4 members.Every time it was said
Echo ×4“Saving two-income families up to $840 this year.” Said 4 times by 4 members.Every time it was said
Echo ×4“This measure builds on the GST credit and will provide additional support for more than 12 million Canadians.” Said 4 times by 4 members.Every time it was said

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 95

1 of 24 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Greetings and pleasantries.What the tags mean “it is always a pleasure to hear from my colleague.”A greeting: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 3

22 of 24 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the point put to the member.

Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “The agricultural sector is an incredibly important sector in Canada.”A general remark about the sector’s importance, not an answer on the station closures.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “I am pleased to hear, in terms of the five priorities he outlined, that the consumer carbon tax was eliminated as one of the very first acts of this government.”Pivots to claiming credit on the carbon tax rather than explaining the closures.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “As we know, the global economy is more than a year into a profound rupture, with economic security, industrial policy and geopolitical competition increasingly shaping economic, financial and supply chain decisions.”Turns to global economic conditions, not the research station question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “In addition, heightened geopolitical tensions, including recent events in the Middle East that disrupted global energy markets and shipping routes, have further underscored the fragility of global supply chains and are now contributing to elevated uncertainty.”Discussion of Middle East tensions and supply chains, unrelated to the closures.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We, as a government, have been relentlessly focused on bringing down costs for Canadians,”General claim about lowering costs, not addressing the closures.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “because when Canadians keep more of the money they earn, they can better support their families, invest in their communities and build the future they want.”Argument about Canadians keeping money, not the question asked.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Of course, that includes Canadians in all industries, including the agricultural one.”Broad mention of agriculture with no answer on the stations.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Since July 1, 2025, Canadians have been paying less tax, after the government announced lowering the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%.”Details of income tax rate cuts, unrelated to the closures.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We, as a House and Senate, adopted that as our very first law.”Legislative history of the tax change, not the question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “The rate reduction applies to taxable incomes of up to $58,523 in 2026.”Income threshold detail on the tax cut, unrelated.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “This change ensures that nearly 22 million Canadians benefit from tax relief of up to $420 per person, saving two-income families up to $840 this year.”Tax relief figures, not responsive to the closures question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Notably, most of the tax relief will go to Canadians with incomes in the two lowest tax brackets.”Distribution of tax relief, not the question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Canada’s new government is also using the improvement in the fiscal outlook associated with higher oil prices to provide targeted relief to households and businesses.”Fiscal outlook and relief measures, unrelated topic.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Specifically, we are reducing pressure on fuel prices at the pump by suspending the application of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel, effective April 20, until August 31, 2026, delivering over $2.2 billion in relief.”Fuel excise tax suspension, not about research stations.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “The temporary suspension of the excise tax for gasoline and diesel is expected to save Canadians up to an estimated $5.75 on regular gasoline and up to $2.30 on diesel when filling up a typical 50-litre tank of fuel.”Savings at the pump figures, unrelated to the question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “To make everyday essentials like groceries more affordable, we introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit,”Groceries benefit, a different topic.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “which builds on the GST credit and will provide additional support for more than 12 million Canadians.”GST credit details, not the closures question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We are providing a one-time payment equivalent to a 50% increase in the 2025-26 value of the GST credit,”One-time GST payment, unrelated to the question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “which will be delivered on June 5,”Payment delivery date, not responsive.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “and we are increasing the benefit by 25% for five years, beginning in July 2026.”Benefit increase details, unrelated.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We are also setting aside $500 million from the strategic response fund to help businesses address the cost of supply chain disruptions without passing those costs on to Canadians at the checkout line.”Strategic response fund for supply chain costs, not the question.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “We are creating a $150-million food security fund under the existing regional tariff response initiative for small and medium-sized enterprises and the organizations that support them.”Food security fund, unrelated to research station closures.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 93

1 of 24 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Wording that hides who did something, or who will.What the tags mean “why that decision was made”The passive names neither who made the decision nor who is accountable for the closure of research stations.

Echo · 5 repeated lines

Words members of Parliament keep repeating, found by the same rule for every member. No score depends on it.

“We introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit.”Said 29 times by 19 members.Every time it was said
“Since July 1, Canadians have been paying less tax, after the government lowered the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%.”Said 7 times by 7 members.Every time it was said
“Most of the tax relief will go to Canadians in the two lowest tax brackets.”Said 4 times by 4 members.Every time it was said
“Saving two-income families up to $840 this year.”Said 4 times by 4 members.Every time it was said
“This measure builds on the GST credit and will provide additional support for more than 12 million Canadians.”Said 4 times by 4 members.Every time it was said

Claims · 12

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“the consumer carbon tax was eliminated as one of the very first acts of this government”The Canadian consumer carbon tax was eliminated as one of the very first acts of the current government.search
2“Since July 1, 2025, Canadians have been paying less tax, after the government announced lowering the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%”Canada lowered the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14%, effective July 1, 2025.search
3“The rate reduction applies to taxable incomes of up to $58,523 in 2026”The reduced 14% first federal income tax rate applies to taxable incomes of up to $58,523 in 2026.search
4“nearly 22 million Canadians benefit from tax relief of up to $420 per person, saving two-income families up to $840 this year”The income tax rate cut benefits nearly 22 million Canadians with relief of up to $420 per person, or up to $840 for two-income families in 2026.search
5“suspending the application of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel, effective April 20, until August 31, 2026, delivering over $2.2 billion in relief”The federal government suspended the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel from April 20 until August 31, 2026, delivering over $2.2 billion in relief.search
6“expected to save Canadians up to an estimated $5.75 on regular gasoline and up to $2.30 on diesel when filling up a typical 50-litre tank of fuel”The excise tax suspension is expected to save Canadians up to an estimated $5.75 on regular gasoline and up to $2.30 on diesel per 50-litre fill-up.search
7“builds on the GST credit and will provide additional support for more than 12 million Canadians”The Canada groceries and essentials benefit builds on the GST credit and will provide additional support to more than 12 million Canadians.search
8“a one-time payment equivalent to a 50% increase in the 2025-26 value of the GST credit”The government is providing a one-time payment equivalent to a 50% increase in the 2025-26 value of the GST credit.search
9“which will be delivered on June 5”The one-time GST credit payment will be delivered on June 5, 2026.search
10“increasing the benefit by 25% for five years, beginning in July 2026”The GST credit will be increased by 25% for five years beginning in July 2026.search
11“setting aside $500 million from the strategic response fund to help businesses address the cost of supply chain disruptions”The government is setting aside $500 million from the strategic response fund to help businesses address the cost of supply chain disruptions.search
12“creating a $150-million food security fund under the existing regional tariff response initiative”The government is creating a $150-million food security fund under the existing regional tariff response initiative.search

Analysed on 2026-09-15