Analysis · Question Period answer · beta

Steven MacKinnon

Liberal on Finance 2026-05-05

93 words · 6 sentences · 8 clauses

Replying to Joël Godin (Conservative)

“Mr. Speaker, our young people need hope for the future. The Liberals seem to think that everything is fine and there is nothing wrong with the cost of living, but what I hear in Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier is that everything costs more. Taxes are higher, debt is rising and we are maxing out the national credit card. The deficit is huge: $1 trillion since the Liberals took office. When will this costly Liberal Prime Minister stop spending recklessly and mortgaging our young people’s future?”

Statement grade

30 / 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.

Procedure 8%Claims 69%Promise 17%Positioning 6%

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

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 7 wordsI will continue along the same lines.Procedure Claims · 15 wordsMy colleague, the Minister of Jobs and Families, just spoke about the workforce training program. Promise · 16 wordsWe will obviously invest the same amount of money on a pro rata basis in Quebec. Claims · 49 wordsThat means 51,000 jobs, mainly for young people, people in the fields of engineering and construction, ¹and all kinds of people who will help us achieve this great ambition of building a high-speed train in Canada. It is called Alto, ²and it will be built with our young people. Positioning · 6 wordsIt will truly give them hope.PositioningOff pointVague promise

At a glance

Lost points for
Didn't answerNone of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 81

2 of 10 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.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I will continue along the same lines.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It will truly give them hope.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 0

7 of 10 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 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 “My colleague, the Minister of Jobs and Families, just spoke about the workforce training program.”About a workforce training program, not the spending or deficit the question asked about.
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 will obviously invest the same amount of money on a pro rata basis in Quebec.”About investing program funds in Quebec, not when spending will stop.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “That means 51,000 jobs, mainly for young people, people in the fields of engineering and construction,”About jobs created by the program, not the cost of living or deficit raised.
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 all kinds of people who will help us achieve this great ambition of building a high-speed train in Canada.”About building a high-speed train, not the spending 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 “It is called Alto,”About the train project’s name, 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 “and it will be built with our young people.”About who will build the train, not the deficit or spending.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “It will truly give them hope.”About hope from the train project, not when spending will stop or the cost of living.

Respect · 100

0 of 10 deductions are Respect

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.

Nothing lost points.

Clarity · 91

1 of 10 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.

A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “It will truly give them hope”The commitment names no actor, measure or way of knowing the hoped-for result will follow.

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“51,000 jobs”The workforce training program is expected to create 51,000 jobs, mainly for young people.search
2“It is called Alto”Canada’s planned high-speed train project is named Alto.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20