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Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal on Adjournment Proceedings 2026-05-28

501 words · 24 sentences · 30 clauses

Replying to Elizabeth May (Green)

“Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to pursue a question I initially asked on February 12 of this year, and it is one about which, regardless of party, I think most people in this House are concerned. The question I asked related to knowing the concern we have in this place of foreign interference in elections and, particularly, the experience we have had on many issues that were brought to light by Madam Justice Hogue. I raised the issue of what would happen if there were efforts, potentially from the United States and other countries, to manipulate a potential Alberta referendum. The response I got from the hon. minister was not out of sympathy with the issue I raised. Of course, there is not a complete answer for any of us at this point. We know that Elections Alberta would be in charge of any potential referendum. Since I asked the question on February 12, we now know that the Alberta premier has said she is going to put forward a question about a question, which is murky, confusing and opening up a can of worms. I think a lot of us are holding our breath and hoping she will not do the same thing that David Cameron did when he fatefully and idiotically appeased a small group of his own caucus by deciding to hold a referendum on the U.K. leaving the European Union, and did so absolutely confident that it could not possibly carry because the public opinion showed the vast majority of the people of England and Wales liked being part of the EU. That was before we heard names like Cambridge Analytica and found out how effectively algorithms and data mining could be used to convince people. There is an extremely good film that explains all this in Hollywood fashion, but it is rooted in facts and very well done. It is called Brexit: The Uncivil War with Benedict Cumberbatch. It is absolutely terrifying to watch because it reminds us of what we watched in real time as Britain was divided and people believed absolute nonsense because they were convinced it was the truth. We now have a situation where we know for a fact that David Parker, one of the leaders of the Centurion Project, is behind a major data breach. Alberta voter information was put up on public websites. Our former colleague in this place and former premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney, is very concerned, and for very good reason. This information included a lot of private information put up in public places. As I mentioned, David Parker is one of the leaders of the separatist movement in Alberta. Would he be concerned, I ask, about advice from Elections Alberta on how to conduct himself? He is not going to be concerned. He has already described Elections Alberta as an “evil” institution. This is extraordinary. The privacy breaches that have occurred in Alberta should make everyone very concerned. We have heard from a Canadian leading expert in national security, Wesley Wark, whose name is known to all of us. From 2005 to 2009, he was a two-term adviser to the prime minister on national security. He has expressed significant concern about what could happen in an Alberta referendum and how we can ensure there is not foreign interference and also domestic interference, such as happened in Brexit. What will the government do to be prepared and hold this country together?”

Statement grade

78 / 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.

Thanks 5%Claims 46%Positioning 21%Procedure 8%Reasoning 16%The ask 2%Promise 2%

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

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 27 wordsfirst off, I compliment the leader of the Green Party in terms of her concern and the way she is carrying herself on such an important issue.Thanks Claims · 10 wordsI think Canadians as a whole are very much concerned. Positioning · 88 wordsI do not think I am unique at all. I love Canada. I have always put Canada first, and I would like to think I would be there to support Canada in whatever way I can, and try to be positive and encourage all members, whether they are a member of parliament from Alberta or outside Alberta, to be, as much as possible, talking about things that are positive. There is so much positivity about our federation as one nation, historically, today and no doubt into the future.Positioning Claims · 19 wordsWe will be able to continue to have the best quality of life, I would suggest, in the world.Partly on point Procedure · 24 wordsIn regard to the concerns the member raised, I would just repeat the one quick sentence the government House leader said at the time.Procedure Claims · 73 wordsHe said, “foreign interference at any level and transnational repression at any level of our democracy are absolutely unacceptable.”¹ We went through an interesting process over the last couple of years when we had a foreign interference inquiry.² We had standing committees dealing with foreign interference indirectly. We have had Canada elections going through experiences of dealing with foreign interference. The commissioner of Canada elections, from what I understand, also has some concerns. Reasoning · 31 wordsThere is a genuine feeling that we need to be supportive and very observant, watching and ensuring that there is a sense of accountability in terms of the nation’s best interest. Claims · 14 wordsWith regard to foreign interference, we have a substantial piece of legislation before PROC.³ Positioning · 15 wordsI am not too sure if the member had the opportunity to present at PROC.Positioning Claims · 57 wordsWe have brought forward a number of amendments that are going to protect not only our election period issues related to foreign interference, but now for the first time, the time in between elections. This is something the government has brought forward in Bill C-25.⁴ There has been a lot learned by the commission and other inputs, Procedure · 15 wordsif I can put it that way, in dealing with the issue of foreign interference.Procedure Claims · 59 wordsIf we just go back a couple of years, we saw how foreign interference was being demonstrated during the pandemic and the protests that took place here in Ottawa and other jurisdictions.⁵ It was not just Ottawa. There were other jurisdictions where we know that there were outside contributions being made here in Canada and it raised the issue. Reasoning · 49 wordsWhether we are talking about CSIS or about the parliamentary security standing committee we have, there are opportunities for us to have faith and confidence, number one, in the people of Alberta and, number two, in the systems that are in place to protect the integrity of the system. The ask · 12 wordsI, for one, would suggest that the member continue to be diligent, Promise · 8 wordsas I am sure the government will be.Vague promise

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 48

11 of 21 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 “first off, I compliment the leader of the Green Party in terms of her concern and the way she is carrying herself on such an important issue.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I do not think I am unique at all.”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 love Canada.”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 have always put Canada first,”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 I would like to think I would be there to support Canada in whatever way I can,”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 try to be positive and encourage all members, whether they are a member of parliament from Alberta or outside Alberta, to be,”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 much as possible, talking about things that are positive.”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 “There is so much positivity about our federation as one nation, historically, today and no doubt into the future.”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 “In regard to the concerns the member raised, I would just repeat the one quick sentence the government House leader said at the time.”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 “I am not too sure if the member had the opportunity to present at PROC.”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 “if I can put it that way, in dealing with the issue of foreign interference.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 74

9 of 21 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 on notice, as the member's speech raises it.

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 think Canadians as a whole are very much concerned.”It agrees the issue concerns Canadians but offers nothing on what the government will do.
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 do not think I am unique at all.”A remark about the speaker himself, not about action on foreign interference.
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 love Canada.”A statement of personal patriotism, not government preparation.
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 have always put Canada first,”A statement of personal patriotism, not government preparation.
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 “and I would like to think I would be there to support Canada in whatever way I can,”A personal pledge of support, not a measure on foreign interference.
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 “and try to be positive and encourage all members, whether they are a member of parliament from Alberta or outside Alberta, to be,”Encouraging positive talk among members, not addressing foreign interference.
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 “as much as possible, talking about things that are positive.”Encouraging positive talk among members, not addressing foreign interference.
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 “There is so much positivity about our federation as one nation, historically, today and no doubt into the future.”Praise of the federation without addressing the referendum or interference question.
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 “We will be able to continue to have the best quality of life, I would suggest, in the world.”Praise of Canadian quality of life without addressing the referendum or interference question.

Respect · 100

0 of 21 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

1 of 21 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 “as I am sure the government will be”The commitment that the government will stay diligent names no measure, date or success condition.

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“foreign interference at any level and transnational repression at any level of our democracy are absolutely unacceptable”The government House leader said in the House that foreign interference at any level and transnational repression at any level of democracy are absolutely unacceptable.search
2“we had a foreign interference inquiry”Canada held a public foreign interference inquiry in the years before May 2026.search
3“a substantial piece of legislation before PROC”A government bill dealing with foreign interference was before the House of Commons procedure and House affairs committee (PROC) as of May 2026.search
4“This is something the government has brought forward in Bill C-25”Bill C-25, on foreign interference protections for election periods and the time between elections, was brought forward by the government.search
5“foreign interference was being demonstrated during the pandemic and the protests that took place here in Ottawa”Foreign interference was demonstrated during the pandemic-era protests in Ottawa and other Canadian jurisdictions.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20