Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Steven MacKinnon

Liberal on Government Business No. 9—Changes to the Standing Orders 2026-04-27

131 words · 8 sentences · 9 clauses

Replying to Greg Fergus (Liberal)

“Mr. Speaker, in their speeches, the opposition members are saying that what is happening here in Parliament is unprecedented. I have a question for my hon. colleague, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Can he give us an example of any place in Canada or even under the British parliamentary system of a majority government that did not control or hold a majority of seats on committees?”

Statement grade

A+

Average 95 / 100

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

Greeting 4%Aside 6%Claims 73%Reasoning 17%

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

Mr. Speaker, Greeting · 5 wordsthat is an excellent question.Greeting Aside · 8 wordsNaturally, good questions always come from the Outaouais.Aside Claims · 55 wordsWe did a search and looked for examples. We have to admit that the situation before us is highly unusual: a government that changed status during its mandate. The fact that we came within one or two hundred votes of winning a majority in Canada during the last election plays a part in this situation.¹ Reasoning · 22 wordsIt should therefore come as no surprise that certain adjustments and electoral events like by-elections have since changed things here in Parliament. Claims · 41 wordsI can tell my hon. colleague that we found no comparable examples. At the same time, however, there are no examples of a situation where a government that had a minority in the House held a majority of seats on committees.²

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 86

2 of 2 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 “that is an excellent question.”A greeting: no claim, reason or ask.
A remark off to the side of the point.What the tags mean “Naturally, good questions always come from the Outaouais.”An aside: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 2 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, and the motion under debate.

Nothing lost points.

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 · 100

0 of 2 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.

Nothing lost points.

Claims · 2

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“we came within one or two hundred votes of winning a majority in Canada during the last election”The Liberal Party came within one or two hundred votes of winning a majority of seats in the most recent Canadian federal election.search
2“there are no examples of a situation where a government that had a minority in the House held a majority of seats on committees”There is no historical example in the Canadian Parliament of a minority government holding a majority of seats on committees.search

Analysed on 2026-09-16