Analysis · Speech on a motion · beta

Heather McPherson

NDP on Business of Supply 2026-05-28

988 words · 60 sentences · 77 clauses

Statement grade

B+

84 / 100, held down by Signal

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

Procedure 9%Anecdote 4%Promise 8%Positioning 29%Claims 38%Reasoning 9%The ask 3%

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

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 24 wordsI will be splitting my time today with the member for Bourassa. I want to start by talking about the workers who this impacts.Procedure Anecdote · 35 wordsI want to talk about the grip in Sudbury, the indigenous filmmaker in Winnipeg and the French-language screenwriter in Rimouski. I want to talk about my friend Marcus, who is a boom operator in Vancouver.Anecdote Procedure · 6 wordsI will state this very plainly: ProcedurePromise · 37 wordsNew Democrats will continue to fight for workers’ rights, Vague promiseand that includes those who work within the arts and culture sector in this country. We will not stand with multi-billion-dollar corporations and web giants over Canadian workers. Positioning · 35 wordsThat is the ultimate contradiction that we see with this motion today. The leader of the official opposition claims to stand for working Canadians, but today he is standing up for Netflix, Amazon and Disney.Positioning Claims · 31 wordsThe CRTC’s new framework requires streaming services to direct 15% of their Canadian revenues to support domestic programming.¹ That is part of a $2-billion support system for Canadian and indigenous content.² Positioning · 6 wordsIt is not a punitive surprise.Positioning Claims · 30 wordsIt follows the Online Streaming Act that was passed three years ago, after repeated calls from Canadian entertainment companies, broadcast workers and artists to modernize a decades-old Canadian content regulation.³ Procedure · 7 wordsLet us put these numbers into perspective.Procedure Claims · 32 wordsTraditional broadcasters like CTV currently pay between 30% and 45%.⁴ Under the new framework, they will actually lower that payment to 25%, ⁵so we are asking the web giants to pay 15%. Positioning · 14 wordsIt is not radical. That is fair. That is fairness to Canadian content producers.Positioning Claims · 24 wordsCanada’s film and television production industry generates nearly $12 billion in GDP and $10.2 billion in production volume, ⁶and it supports over 181,000 jobs.⁷ Reasoning · 6 wordsThose jobs do not fund themselves. Claims · 10 wordsCritically, the contributions are not a direct tax on consumers. Positioning · 10 wordsThat is clearly a Conservative talking point, not a fact.Positioning Claims · 7 wordsIt is a contribution requirement on corporations. Procedure · 13 wordsI want to quote the Toronto president of ACTRA, Kate Ziegler, who said: ProcedureClaims · 110 wordsDecisions to strengthen support for Indigenous and Canadian content and to improve discoverability are a step in the right direction.⁸ For ACTRA Toronto performers, this has the potential to generate new opportunities, strengthen domestic production, and help ensure Canadian audiences continue to see themselves reflected on screen. The Canadian Media Producers Association said the CRTC’s decisions: reflect the underlying philosophy of the Online Streaming Act, namely that broadcasters and streaming services that generate significant revenues from Canadian subscribers and viewers must also invest in Canadian programming.⁹ This is also about supporting French and indigenous production, to ensure that we have that content, to ensure that those stories are being told. Reasoning · 11 wordsThat is an important role that we have in this country. Positioning · 31 wordsThe Conservatives are trying to stop the creation of that content at a moment in time where our cultural sovereignty is at risk. We are New Democrats, and workers need us.Positioning Promise · 42 wordsWe need to be supporting them, and we will.Vague promise We always will.Vague promise Today, we are going to stand with the 15,000 ACTRA members and the 181,000-plus workers in the creative sector.¹⁰ We are not going to stand with the shareholders for Netflix. Claims · 17 wordsYes, Canadians are struggling with the cost of living. New Democrats have been saying that for years, Reasoning · 14 wordsbut the answer to that is not to let web giants off the hook, Claims · 25 wordsbecause Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and Apple TV+ are not struggling small businesses. They are trillion-dollar corporations that are extracting billions from Canadian subscribers every year, ¹¹Reasoning · 12 wordsand they should pay into the system that they are benefiting from. Positioning · 82 wordsIf the Leader of the Opposition is so worried about the cost of living for ordinary Canadians, why is his solution to cut the levy on some of the wealthiest corporations in the world? Who is he actually fighting for? The NDP believes in making the ultrawealthy and giant corporations pay their fair share so that we can fund the services, the storytelling, the creation and the building of our cultural sector, as well as the jobs that Canadians are depending on.Positioning Reasoning · 16 wordsThe strategy of appeasement does not work. History has told us that it does not work. Claims · 39 wordsWe know, as we negotiate with the United States, that there is an explicit exception in CUSMA that allows us to take measures to support and protect cultural industries.¹² Canada fought for that clause.¹³ It is in the agreement, The ask · 6 wordsand we should be using it. Positioning · 50 wordsI understand that the Conservatives want to pre-emptively roll over. They want to pre-emptively gut our own cultural policy to soothe Trump’s trade hawks, but we do not make domestic policy based on what Donald Trump wants. We make our policy based on what Canadians want and what Canadians need.Positioning Reasoning · 18 wordsIf we abandon content funding every single time Donald Trump objects, we no longer have a cultural policy. Procedure · 10 wordsI want members to think about the absurdity of that.Procedure Reasoning · 16 wordsIf we have a policy dictated by Washington, we have already given up our cultural policy. Procedure · 13 wordsI want to get back to the people who work in this industry.Procedure Claims · 51 wordsI want to talk about the actor in Edmonton who got their first gig on a CAVCO-funded production, the indigenous storyteller whose documentary in Edmonton was made possible because of the system that requires investment and the journalists in a small market who kept their job because local news got funded. Procedure · 11 wordsThese are the stakes that we are talking about right now.Procedure Positioning · 30 wordsThe NDP stands for a Canada that tells its own stories, employs its own workers and refuses to be hollowed out by corporations that are being cowed by foreign governments.Positioning The ask · 25 wordsWe call on the House to reject this motion, to stand with Canadian workers and to affirm that Canadian culture is not a trade irritant. Positioning · 32 wordsIt is who we are. The Conservatives want to bow to Trump. They want to support big corporations trying to rip Canadians off. New Democrats will always choose Canadians over corporate profits.PositioningVague promise

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 54

34 of 38 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 be splitting my time today with the member for Bourassa.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I want to start by talking about the workers who this impacts.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I want to talk about the grip in Sudbury, the indigenous filmmaker in Winnipeg and the French-language screenwriter in Rimouski.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I want to talk about my friend Marcus, who is a boom operator in Vancouver.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I will state this very plainly:”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 “That is the ultimate contradiction that we see with this motion today.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “The leader of the official opposition claims to stand for working Canadians,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “but today he is standing up for Netflix, Amazon and Disney.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It is not a punitive surprise.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Let us put these numbers into perspective.”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 is not radical.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “That is fair.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “That is fairness to Canadian content producers.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “That is clearly a Conservative talking point, not a fact.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I want to quote the Toronto president of ACTRA, Kate Ziegler, who said:”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 “The Conservatives are trying to stop the creation of that content at a moment in time where our cultural sovereignty is at risk.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “We are New Democrats,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and workers need us.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “If the Leader of the Opposition is so worried about the cost of living for ordinary Canadians, why is his solution to cut the levy on some of the wealthiest corporations in the world?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Who is he actually fighting for?”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “The NDP believes in making the ultrawealthy and giant corporations pay their fair share so that we can fund the services, the storytelling, the creation and the building of our cultural sector,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “as well as the jobs that Canadians are depending on.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I understand that the Conservatives want to pre-emptively roll over.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “They want to pre-emptively gut our own cultural policy to soothe Trump’s trade hawks,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “but we do not make domestic policy based on what Donald Trump wants.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “We make our policy based on what Canadians want and what Canadians need.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I want members to think about the absurdity of that.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I want to get back to the people who work in this industry.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “These are the stakes that we are talking about right now.”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 “The NDP stands for a Canada that tells its own stories, employs its own workers and refuses to be hollowed out by corporations that are being cowed by foreign governments.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It is who we are.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “The Conservatives want to bow to Trump.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “They want to support big corporations trying to rip Canadians off.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “New Democrats will always choose Canadians over corporate profits.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 38 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 motion under debate.

Nothing lost points.

Respect · 100

0 of 38 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 · 96

4 of 38 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 “will continue to fight for workers’ rights”A commitment by the speaker’s party to keep fighting, naming no action, date or measure.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “and we will”A promise to support workers that names no actor beyond ‘we’, no measure or date.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “We always will”An open-ended pledge of future support with nothing concrete attached to it.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “will always choose Canadians over corporate profits”A blanket commitment by the speaker’s party with no action, measure or condition named.

Claims · 13

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“requires streaming services to direct 15% of their Canadian revenues to support domestic programming”The CRTC’s new framework requires online streaming services to direct 15% of their Canadian revenues to support domestic programming.search
2“a $2-billion support system for Canadian and indigenous content”The streaming contributions are part of a $2-billion support system for Canadian and indigenous content.search
3“the Online Streaming Act that was passed three years ago”The Online Streaming Act was passed about three years before May 2026.search
4“Traditional broadcasters like CTV currently pay between 30% and 45%”Traditional broadcasters such as CTV currently pay between 30% and 45% toward Canadian content.search
5“they will actually lower that payment to 25%”Under the new framework, traditional broadcasters’ required payment will be lowered to 25%.search
6“generates nearly $12 billion in GDP and $10.2 billion in production volume”Canada’s film and television production industry generates nearly $12 billion in GDP and $10.2 billion in production volume.search
7“supports over 181,000 jobs”Canada’s film and television production industry supports over 181,000 jobs.search
8“Decisions to strengthen support for Indigenous and Canadian content and to improve discoverability are a step in the right direction”ACTRA Toronto president Kate Ziegler said the decisions to strengthen support for Indigenous and Canadian content and improve discoverability are a step in the right direction.search
9“reflect the underlying philosophy of the Online Streaming Act, namely that broadcasters and streaming services that generate significant revenues from Canadian subscribers and viewers must also invest in Canadian programming”The Canadian Media Producers Association said the CRTC’s decisions reflect the underlying philosophy of the Online Streaming Act, that broadcasters and streaming services generating significant revenues from Canadian subscribers must invest in Canadian programming.search
10“the 15,000 ACTRA members”ACTRA has 15,000 members.search
11“They are trillion-dollar corporations”Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and Apple TV+ are trillion-dollar corporations.search
12“there is an explicit exception in CUSMA that allows us to take measures to support and protect cultural industries”CUSMA contains an explicit exception allowing Canada to take measures to support and protect cultural industries.search
13“Canada fought for that clause”Canada fought for the cultural exception clause in CUSMA negotiations.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20