Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Karim Bardeesy

Liberal on Adjournment Proceedings 2026-06-17

413 words · 16 sentences · 20 clauses

Replying to Elizabeth May (Green)

“Mr. Speaker, it is indeed nice that we have seen the clock at midnight. I cannot break the legal fiction, while we are all here together, but it is time for Adjournment Proceedings. I am raising a question I initially raised April 20, two days before Earth Day. I had, on a previous occasion, witnessed an exchange between the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona and the Minister of Energy, in which he was dismissive of the concerns of the most recent oil spill from Imperial Oil on the Cold Lake First Nations territory. I asked on that occasion if there might be an interest on the part of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources in amending his answer to reflect deep concern for the fact that it is not just one oil spill or one leaking tailings ponds in northern Alberta in the area of the oil sands, it is multiple. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I am having trouble hearing myself. Mr. Speaker, the difficulty we have and the reason I raised this issue again is that I did ask in the House, on April 20, for a better answer. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment attempted to answer at that point, saying that the government was concerned and was “working closely with the Crown-indigenous working group along with the affected communities”, and that it would find “a long-term, science-based solution”. The difficulty I have with that answer is that it has been more than a decade since one of the most prominent scientists in Canada, the late Dr. David Schindler appeared before the fisheries committee in this place and testified that his research had found the component parts, chemical contaminants that could have come only from the tailings ponds, not from any natural source in the environment, of contamination that violated the Fisheries Act, yet the government had taken no action. Dr. Schindler made it very clear to the fisheries committee that there had already been extensive contamination of the Athabasca River from what are called tailings ponds. The difficulty is not so much that Imperial Oil is experiencing leaks. It is that the containment system is a failure. It is basically a sieve. What Imperial Oil did in the past, when it initially did not tell the community that it had what it could see was a breach of containment, was pump the water out of the areas where there was extensive recent contamination, and then pump it back into the same container, which was a sieve and was leaking. Years before, I had participated in environmental assessment hearings where this particular oil sands mine was approved to go ahead, with conditions to make sure that the river, the treaty rights, the rights holders in the area, and the indigenous people were actually protected. Their health, the environment where they live and the fish they eat needed to be protected. Dr. David Schindler warned the environment committee of this in public testimony more than a decade before these recent, continuing leaks and breaches. It would be easier for me to accept that the government, either the current government or previous governments, is concerned about the multiple breaches of the treaty rights of the rights holders throughout the area of the oil sands development, if it ever had been in the past. It would be easier to believe that something was going to happen, if it had ever happened in the past. I put it again to the government: When will it show concern for the environment in this area and the continual breaches and leaks?”

Statement grade

B+

Average 84 / 100

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

Thanks 14%Anecdote 4%Claims 47%Procedure 2%Positioning 9%Reasoning 6%Promise 19%

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

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 57 wordsI appreciate the continuing work of the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands, the leader of the Green Party, on issues related to contaminants and leakage. I also want to thank her for the interventions regarding the work of the late Dr. David Schindler, who raised some of these issues, as she mentioned, in the decades and years past.Thanks Anecdote · 15 wordsThese were issues I covered for some time in my previous life as a journalist.¹Anecdote Claims · 39 wordsIn terms of the issues that the hon. member has raised, we take these concerns regarding oil sands, tailings and related infrastructure seriously. The impacts of tailings pollution on water, ecosystems and community well-being continue to inform federal action. Procedure · 7 wordsIt is something we take very seriously, ProcedurePositioning · 39 wordsas we do the protection of the health of communities and the integrity of Canada’s water and ecosystems. It is a core responsibility of the current government, and, I would say, of government, both now and for future generations.Positioning Reasoning · 23 wordsWe need to address risks associated with tailings management in a way that gives sustained attention and brings solutions grounded in sound science. Claims · 154 wordsEnvironment and Climate Change Canada is advancing work on oil sands mining effluent through structured, ongoing engagement with indigenous communities, the Government of Alberta and the Government of Northwest Territories, industry, environmental NGOs and other governmental departments.² The hon. member referred to the Crown-indigenous working group. That work continues, with Environment and Climate Change Canada and indigenous groups working together through that working group to develop long-term, science-based solutions that will form recommendations to the minister.³ I think the hon. member knows that Environment and Climate Change Canada also co-leads the oil sands monitoring program with the Government of Alberta, together with indigenous communities and industry.⁴ The program, for the interest and knowledge of people watching at home, seeks to enhance the understanding of the effects of oil sands development activities through ambient environmental monitoring in the oil sands region.⁵ Monitoring data and reports are publicly available on the oil sands monitoring program portal.⁶ Promise · 79 wordsI would add that, with some of the investments we have been making in science and research and some of the advances in technology, we hope this work can continue to accelerate and to inform policy-makers, government and hon. members in an even more timely fashion. In conclusion, the Government of Canada will continue to work with all partners, stakeholders, indigenous communities, Vague promiseand provinces and territories to support ongoing reconciliation efforts, ensure sustained environmental protections and uphold public trust.Vague promise

At a glance

Lost points for
AnsweredOf this reply, 100% addressed the question or point raised.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 56

8 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.

Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I appreciate the continuing work of the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands, the leader of the Green Party, on issues related to contaminants and leakage.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I also want to thank her for the interventions regarding the work of the late Dr. David Schindler, who raised some of these issues,”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “as she mentioned, in the decades and years past.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “These were issues I covered for some time in my previous life as a journalist.”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 “It is something we take very seriously,”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 “as we do the protection of the health of communities and the integrity of Canada’s water and ecosystems.”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 a core responsibility of the current government,”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 say, of government, both now and for future generations.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 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 on notice, as the member's speech raises it.

Nothing lost points.

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 · 82

2 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 “will continue to work with all partners”A commitment to keep working with partners names no measure, date, or success condition.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “ensure sustained environmental protections and uphold public trust”The commitment names no actor, action, date, or way to measure success.

Claims · 6

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“my previous life as a journalist”Karim Bardeesy worked as a journalist before entering politics.search
2“advancing work on oil sands mining effluent through structured, ongoing engagement”Environment and Climate Change Canada is engaged with indigenous communities, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, industry and others on oil sands mining effluent.search
3“working together through that working group to develop long-term, science-based solutions”Environment and Climate Change Canada and indigenous groups continue to work together through the Crown-indigenous working group on long-term solutions for oil sands tailings.search
4“co-leads the oil sands monitoring program with the Government of Alberta”Environment and Climate Change Canada co-leads the oil sands monitoring program with the Government of Alberta.search
5“seeks to enhance the understanding of the effects of oil sands development activities through ambient environmental monitoring”The oil sands monitoring program aims to enhance understanding of the effects of oil sands development through ambient environmental monitoring in the oil sands region.search
6“Monitoring data and reports are publicly available on the oil sands monitoring program portal”Monitoring data and reports from the oil sands monitoring program are publicly available on its portal.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20