Analysis · Question Period answer · beta

Tim Hodgson

Liberal on International Trade 2026-04-23

83 words · 6 sentences · 7 clauses

Replying to Kyle Seeback (Conservative)

“Mr. Speaker, the Liberal answer to the tens of thousands of Canadians who have lost their jobs about their strategy of delay is tell them to not worry about their EI, not worry about their families and not worry about how they are going to pay their mortgages because they signed a free trade deal with Ecuador, which is a rounding error in Canada’s GDP. If these Liberals are serious, they will explain why they decided their strategy is to not negotiate to try to get a deal on the tariffs that affect the 2.6 million Canadians whose jobs are tied to trade. When will they go back to the negotiating table to protect those jobs?”

Statement grade

D+

50 / 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.

Promise 33%Procedure 13%Claims 46%Positioning 8%

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

Promise · 27 wordsMr Speaker, what we have said is that we will not do a bad deal. What we will do is control our own destiny.Vague promise We will build.Vague promise Procedure · 7 wordsLet me give the member some examples: ProcedureClaims · 38 words$8 billion to 5 Wing Goose Bay, a new wind farm in New Brunswick, a new intertie in New Brunswick, a new port in Montreal, a new graphite mine in Quebec and a new nuclear reactor in Ontario.¹ Procedure · 4 wordsI could keep going.Procedure Positioning · 7 wordsThat is how we build Canada strong.PositioningOff point

At a glance

Lost points for
Echo ×20“That is how we build Canada strong.” Said 20 times by 14 members.Every time it was said

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 73

3 of 11 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 “Let me give the member some examples:”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 could keep going.”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 how we build Canada strong.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 20

6 of 11 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 “What we will do is control our own destiny.”A slogan about controlling destiny instead of addressing the negotiation timeline asked about.
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 will build.”A one-word pledge unrelated to returning to tariff negotiations.
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 give the member some examples:”Introduces a pivot to infrastructure examples rather than answering 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 “$8 billion to 5 Wing Goose Bay, a new wind farm in New Brunswick, a new intertie in New Brunswick, a new port in Montreal, a new graphite mine in Quebec and a new nuclear reactor in Ontario.”Lists domestic spending projects that do not answer when talks on tariffs will resume.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “I could keep going.”Continues the pivot with more examples instead of 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 “That is how we build Canada strong.”A campaign-style slogan, not a response to the question.

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 · 79

2 of 11 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 “control our own destiny”A slogan with no actor, action, date or measure that a reader could check later.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “We will build”The commitment names no project, actor, date or success condition.

Echo · 1 repeated line

Words members of Parliament keep repeating, found by the same rule for every member. No score depends on it.

“That is how we build Canada strong.”Said 20 times by 14 members.Every time it was said

Claims · 1

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“$8 billion to 5 Wing Goose Bay, a new wind farm in New Brunswick, a new intertie in New Brunswick, a new port in Montreal, a new graphite mine in Quebec and a new nuclear reactor in Ontario”The government announced $8 billion for 5 Wing Goose Bay, a new wind farm in New Brunswick, a new intertie in New Brunswick, a new port in Montreal, a new graphite mine in Quebec and a new nuclear reactor in Ontario.search

Analysed on 2026-09-15