Analysis · Question Period answer · beta

Evan Solomon

Liberal on International Trade 2026-04-23

125 words · 10 sentences · 13 clauses

Replying to Connie Cody (Conservative)

“Mr. Speaker, just one year ago, the Prime Minister was telling everybody who would listen that he would get a trade deal with the Americans by last July. He set the deadline. He made that commitment. Now, the Prime Minister has surrendered as tariffs on steel have doubled, tariffs on lumber have tripled, and the tariffs on manufacturers got bigger. The workers and job creators in my community now know that the Prime Minister’s promises were more empty words from just another Liberal politician. He says our relationship with the U.S. is a weakness, but is the real weakness not the Prime Minister’s constant over-promising and underdelivering when it comes to U.S.-Canada trade?”

Statement grade

30 / 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.

Positioning 40%Procedure 6%Claims 38%The question 16%

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

Mr. Speaker, Positioning · 45 wordsall these guys do every day in the middle of a trade war is talk down the economy and tear down the country. We are doing the real work of investing in sectors and building it up.Vague promise The Conservatives just want to tear it down.Positioning Procedure · 8 wordsLet me ask what they would tear down.Procedure Claims · 21 wordsHere is a list of projects we have invested in. We invested in Northern Transformer.¹ It is in a Conservative riding; ²Positioning · 5 wordsthey do not want it.Positioning Claims · 26 wordsWe invested in Sensor Technology in Collingwood; ³they do not want it. We invested in Axe Living in a Conservative riding; ⁴they do not want it. The question · 20 wordsWhy will the Conservatives not listen to their own businesses and their own ridings and build Canada strong with us?Off point

At a glance

Lost points for
Didn't answerNone of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 46

5 of 19 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.

Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “all these guys do every day in the middle of a trade war is talk down the economy and tear down the country.”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 doing the real work of investing in sectors and building it up.”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 just want to tear it down.”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 me ask what they would tear down.”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 “they do not want it.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 0

13 of 19 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 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 “all these guys do every day in the middle of a trade war is talk down the economy and tear down the country.”An attack on the Conservatives for talking down the economy, not an answer about trade promises or tariffs.
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 are doing the real work of investing in sectors and building it up.”A general claim about government work that does not address the missed deal or the over-promising charge.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “The Conservatives just want to tear it down.”A partisan jab about what the Conservatives want, not a response to 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 “Let me ask what they would tear down.”A rhetorical pivot attacking the opposition instead of answering.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Here is a list of projects we have invested in.”Shifts to a list of government investments unrelated to the U.S. trade deal or the charge of under-delivery.
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 invested in Northern Transformer.”Cites an investment that does not answer the question about the missed trade commitment.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “It is in a Conservative riding;”Notes a riding’s political affiliation as part of a partisan point, not an answer.
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 do not want it.”A claim about what the Conservatives want, not a response on trade.
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 invested in Sensor Technology in Collingwood;”Cites another investment unrelated to the trade deal 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 do not want it.”Repeats the partisan refrain rather than answering.
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 invested in Axe Living in a Conservative riding;”Cites another investment unrelated to the question 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 do not want it.”Again a partisan accusation, not a response to the over-promising charge.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Why will the Conservatives not listen to their own businesses and their own ridings and build Canada strong with us?”A rhetorical attack challenging the Conservatives, not an answer about the trade deal or the deadline.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

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.

Clarity · 83

1 of 19 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 “doing the real work of investing in sectors and building it up”The commitment names no date, measure, or success condition by which the work could be judged.

Claims · 4

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“We invested in Northern Transformer”The government (Liberal) has invested in the company Northern Transformer.search
2“It is in a Conservative riding”Northern Transformer is located in a riding held by a Conservative MP.search
3“We invested in Sensor Technology in Collingwood”The government (Liberal) has invested in Sensor Technology, a company in Collingwood.search
4“We invested in Axe Living in a Conservative riding”The government (Liberal) has invested in Axe Living, which is located in a riding held by a Conservative MP.search

Analysed on 2026-09-15