Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Jean-Denis Garon

Bloc Québécois on Business of Supply 2026-06-08

219 words · 17 sentences · 19 clauses

Replying to Tamara Jansen (Conservative)

“Madam Speaker, Canadians did not need a Parliamentary Budget Officer report to tell them that the economy was in trouble; families knew it when their groceries kept getting more expensive, when their mortgage payments doubled and when young people gave up on owning their own home. For years we have been sounding the alarms, yet the Liberals kept telling us, “Everything is fine.” Now, the PBO confirms that we have a bigger deficit, weaker growth, lower wages and only a 1% chance of meeting the government’s own fiscal anchor. Why does my colleague think it took the Liberal government so long to admit what Canadians already knew, and why are they still refusing to change the costly policies that are making life less affordable?”

Statement grade

Average 76 / 100

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

Procedure 9%Claims 52%Reasoning 26%Positioning 11%Aside 1%

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

Madam Speaker, Procedure · 19 wordsthe devil is in the details. We need to look at the numbers and break them down a little.Procedure Claims · 15 wordsDuring question period, the Prime Minister stated that average wages have risen faster than inflation.¹ Reasoning · 14 wordsHowever, we need to look at the people at the bottom of the ladder. Claims · 76 wordsBeing rich in Canada today is not an issue.Partly on point They can still afford to buy big cars. They can even afford to pay $2 a litre for gas.² They can still go to restaurants.Off point The problem is that things are stagnating for the 20% to 25% of people who live from paycheque to paycheque.³ Those people have not seen an increase in their purchasing power. This government has been in power for 10 or 11 years.⁴ Positioning · 25 wordsWe all agree that the previous prime minister was not much of an economics guy.Unearned certainty Even his finance minister ran away, ⁵which says a lot.PositioningPartly on point Claims · 13 wordsThis government keeps doling out benefits and new cheques without acknowledging the problem. Reasoning · 44 wordsIt is fine to help people in times of crisis, but when we see that 20% of the people in this country are getting poorer and losing purchasing power and the government simply hands them a cheque, that is hardly a vision for society. Claims · 10 wordsIt is just making people lose faith in our institutions. Aside · 3 wordsThat worries me.AsidePartly on point

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 69

6 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.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “the devil is in the details.”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 “We need to look at the numbers and break them down a little.”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 “We all agree that the previous prime minister was not much of an economics guy.”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 “Even his finance minister ran away,”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 “which says a lot.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
A remark off to the side of the point.What the tags mean “That worries me.”An aside: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 49

14 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 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 “During question period, the Prime Minister stated that average wages have risen faster than inflation.”Recalls the Prime Minister’s claim on wages, on the subject but not answering what was asked.
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 “However, we need to look at the people at the bottom of the ladder.”Frames the wage analysis to come without addressing the government’s conduct.
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 “Being rich in Canada today is not an issue.”A general observation about the wealthy, on the affordability subject but not the 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 “They can still afford to buy big cars.”About the spending habits of the rich, not the question or the motion.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “They can even afford to pay $2 a litre for gas.”About gas prices paid by the wealthy, not what was 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 “They can still go to restaurants.”About restaurants patronized by the wealthy, not the question or the motion.
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 “The problem is that things are stagnating for the 20% to 25% of people who live from paycheque to paycheque.”Describes stagnating pay for lower-income workers, on the affordability subject but not answering what was asked.
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 “Those people have not seen an increase in their purchasing power.”A figure on lost purchasing power that supports the question’s premise but does not answer 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 “This government has been in power for 10 or 11 years.”About the government’s years in office, not the reasons for its refusal to change policies.
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 all agree that the previous prime minister was not much of an economics guy.”About the previous prime minister’s economic ability, not the question asked.
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 “Even his finance minister ran away,”About the former finance minister’s departure, not what was asked.
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 “which says a lot.”A passing remark on the same departure, not addressing the 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 “It is just making people lose faith in our institutions.”About eroding faith in institutions, touching the government’s conduct but not the question asked.
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 “That worries me.”A personal expression of worry about the same issue, not addressing what was asked.

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 · 88

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.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “We all agree”The phrase asserts a universal consensus in place of any source or argument for the characterization.

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 Prime Minister stated that average wages have risen faster than inflation”During question period, the Prime Minister stated that average wages have risen faster than inflation.search
2“$2 a litre for gas”Gasoline in Canada costs around $2 a litre.search
3“20% to 25% of people who live from paycheque to paycheque”20% to 25% of Canadians live paycheque to paycheque.search
4“This government has been in power for 10 or 11 years”The current Liberal government has been in power for 10 or 11 years.search
5“Even his finance minister ran away”The Prime Minister’s finance minister left their position.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20