Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Andrew Lawton

Conservative on Business of Supply 2026-05-28

127 words · 7 sentences · 7 clauses

Replying to Rachael Thomas (Conservative)

“Madam Speaker, I would ask my colleague this. He talked about the fact that more government control equals more cost for the Canadian consumer and ultimately less choice, so more cost with less choice. That is what the government has done through Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act. Ultimately, the government is picking and choosing winners and losers: which shows get promoted and which shows do not, which shows get to be in front of the eyeballs of Canadians and which ones get hidden. That ultimately, therefore, dictates to Canadians what their cultural choice should be. Is it up to the government to determine Canadian culture, or should that maybe be left up to the Canadian people?”

Statement grade

D–

44 / 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.

Thanks 12%Claims 74%Positioning 14%

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

Madam Speaker, Thanks · 15 wordsI thank my colleague, the member for Lethbridge, for her incredibly important work on this.¹Thanks Claims · 94 wordsI know the minister responsible for this is the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.²Partly on point This is the minister who thinks someone should be criminally charged if they quote a Bible verse that he does not like.³ This is the minister who stood behind the Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ decision to malign parental rights as being a hateful discussion.⁴ This is the minister who is championing the return of the online harms act.⁵ We know the Liberal government has used that to weaponize the Canadian Human Rights Act against people for dissident opinions.Off pointUnearned certainty Positioning · 18 wordsEverything about the government’s handling of the heritage file is about control and eliminating Canadians’ freedom and choice.PositioningPartly on point

At a glance

Lost points for
Didn't answerNone of this reply addressed the specific point raised or the topic under debate.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 68

2 of 9 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.

Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I thank my colleague, the member for Lethbridge, for her incredibly important work on this.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Everything about the government’s handling of the heritage file is about control and eliminating Canadians’ freedom and choice.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 14

6 of 9 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.

Staying near the subject without addressing the matter at hand: what was asked, or what the bill, motion or speech is about.What the tags mean “I know the minister responsible for this is the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.”It only names the responsible minister and does not address the question about who controls culture.
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 is the minister who thinks someone should be criminally charged if they quote a Bible verse that he does not like.”About an alleged remark on Bible verses, not the streaming tax or who should shape Canadian culture.
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 is the minister who stood behind the Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ decision to malign parental rights as being a hateful discussion.”About the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and parental rights, not the streaming tax or cultural control.
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 is the minister who is championing the return of the online harms act.”About the online harms act, a different measure from the one under debate.
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 know the Liberal government has used that to weaponize the Canadian Human Rights Act against people for dissident opinions.”About the Canadian Human Rights Act and dissident opinions, not the streaming tax or who determines culture.
Staying near the subject without addressing the matter at hand: what was asked, or what the bill, motion or speech is about.What the tags mean “Everything about the government’s handling of the heritage file is about control and eliminating Canadians’ freedom and choice.”On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from it.

Respect · 100

0 of 9 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 · 77

1 of 9 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.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “We know”The phrase asserts certainty in place of citing a source for the claim about the government’s use of the act.

Claims · 5

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 member for Lethbridge”Rachael Thomas, who asked the preceding question, is the member of Parliament for Lethbridge.search
2“the minister responsible for this is the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture”The minister responsible for the CRTC streaming tax file is the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.search
3“someone should be criminally charged if they quote a Bible verse that he does not like”The Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture has said someone should be criminally charged for quoting a Bible verse he dislikes.search
4“the Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ decision to malign parental rights as being a hateful discussion”The Canadian Museum for Human Rights made a decision characterizing discussion of parental rights as hateful, and the minister stood behind it.search
5“championing the return of the online harms act”The Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture is championing the return of the online harms act.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20