Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Leslie Church

Liberal on Adjournment Proceedings 2026-09-21

506 words · 29 sentences · 40 clauses

Replying to Leah Gazan (NDP)

“Mr. Speaker, earlier this year on International Workers’ Day, I asked the Liberal government why it continued refusing to support my bill, NDP Bill C-247, to repeal section 107 and stop violations against workers’ right to strike. This bill is supported by workers and unions across Canada. In response, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Jobs deflected her government’s failures and advised that consultations were ongoing concerning changes to the Labour Code. Today, the cat is out of the bag. We learned that the Liberal government has done these consultations and is putting forward an omnibus bill, Bill C-39, trying to turn back the clock on workers’ fundamental rights by expanding the minister’s ability to shut down a strike and violate workers’ rights whenever the Liberals and their CEO buddies deem it inconvenient, as we saw with port workers, flight attendants and rail workers. Of course, they did consult with the CEOs who will benefit. It is not only a historic insult to workers, but also an immense threat to workers’ constitutional rights. We know that right now there are countless families, communities and individuals being devastated by Trump’s tariffs. Nobody is arguing with that. Nobody is arguing that we are not in a cost of living crisis. Instead of addressing this, the government is siding with CEOs, and instead of giving workers the relief they need to lift up their rights as workers, the Liberals have caved into the wish lists of corporations across this country by pushing forward Bill C-39 and violating their constitutional obligations to uphold the rights of workers, the rights of indigenous peoples and important environmental laws, even after a summer of disastrous wildfires during which we saw communities and homes literally burn to the ground. This past summer, the Liberal government saw what was going on, and once again it has doubled down in favour of its corporate buddies. I want to be clear that workers do not want to strike. Who wants to go on strike to get a reduction in pay, be out of work and be more financially worse off than they are when they are working and being ripped off by the Liberals’ corporate friends? Workers have rights, and these rights are protected in international law. The right of workers to walk off the job in solidarity is the only collective means to push back against powerful corporations and CEOs as the Liberal government lines its pockets. This so-called Canada strong plan is being built off the backs of people, workers, indigenous people, our environment and a livable planet. The NDP is very firm in its belief that we must protect the rights of workers. We must protect workers’ rights, and that includes the right to strike and free and collective bargaining.”

Statement grade

Average 90 / 100

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

Thanks 3%Positioning 3%Reasoning 29%Claims 62%Procedure 2%

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

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 16 wordsI would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for her commitment to Canadian workers.Thanks Positioning · 17 wordsWe are firmly committed to protecting workers’ rights and ensuring a free and fair collective bargaining process.PositioningVague promise Reasoning · 25 wordsWorkers must have real bargaining power. The right to strike is protected in Canada because it is an essential element of free and balanced negotiations. Claims · 71 wordsOur government has taken concrete measures to protect that right.Vague promise Bill C-58 was a major milestone in the fight for fairness at the bargaining table.¹ Prohibiting the use of replacement workers protects a meaningful right to strike and makes employers and unions work together and find solutions.² Collective bargaining works. Over the last five years, 95% of disputes that the federal mediation and conciliation service supported were resolved without work stoppages.³ Reasoning · 13 wordsThis shows the system works well when the right support tools are available. Claims · 60 wordsHowever, negotiation is not a simple process, and we are at a pivotal moment. Trade rules are rapidly changing, and our economy faces unprecedented attacks. This is having damaging consequences. At the same time, Canada is working to build major infrastructure, strengthen trade corridors and supply chains, and create good jobs across the country through measures such as Bill C-39.⁴ Reasoning · 26 wordsSome labour disputes can therefore have serious economic repercussions, but we cannot build a strong economy without respecting the workers who keep it running every day. Claims · 73 wordsThat is why Bill C-39 proposes measures to modernize the federal labour framework, strengthen protections for workers in federally regulated industries and help parties address issues earlier, ⁵while fully protecting the right to strike.⁶ We all have a stake in ensuring an economy can withstand shocks and remain competitive. In some situations, the economic and social impacts are substantive. There can be extraordinary times where the government must retain the ability to intervene, Reasoning · 16 wordsbut there should be a clear framework in place to explain that decision to Canadians transparently. Procedure · 6 wordsI want to be very clear: ProcedureClaims · 38 wordsOur government believes that extraordinary interventions in a labour dispute should always be a last resort. Canadians appreciate this. They know that prolonged disputes can have a massive impact on Canadian families, Canadian jobs and our entire economy. Reasoning · 64 wordsCanadians understand that we must do two things at once: We must protect workers and strengthen economic resilience. They know that when there are strong, supported relationships between employers and workers, where workers are fairly paid and their concerns are addressed, that is the best way to create stability, and that stability drives investment and economic growth, which Canada needs today more than ever. Claims · 22 wordsThe members opposite need to remember that Canadians chose a government that they knew would keep the state of labour relations strong.⁷ Reasoning · 5 wordsOur approach must be pragmatic. Claims · 21 wordsWe continue to work together with unions and employers to maintain trust in the system and ensure fairness in the workplace.Vague promise Procedure · 5 wordsOur collective objective is clear.Procedure Claims · 28 wordsIt is to strengthen good-faith bargaining, protect workers’ rights and ensure a strong labour relations framework that helps achieve better outcomes for workers, for employers and for Canadians.

At a glance

Lost points for
AnsweredOf this reply, 100% addressed the question or point raised.
Echo ×3“We cannot build a strong economy without respecting the workers who keep it running every day.” Said 3 times by 3 members.Every time it was said

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 81

4 of 7 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 would like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for her commitment to Canadian workers.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “We are firmly committed to protecting workers’ rights and ensuring a free and fair collective bargaining process.”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 “I want to be very clear:”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 “Our collective objective is clear.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 7 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 7 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 · 79

3 of 7 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 “We are firmly committed to protecting workers’ rights”A commitment with no measure, date, or success condition named.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “Our government has taken concrete measures to protect that right”Claims action without naming any measure, so nothing can be checked later.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “We continue to work together with unions and employers”An ongoing commitment with no action, date, or measure specified.

Echo · 1 repeated line

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

“We cannot build a strong economy without respecting the workers who keep it running every day.”Said 3 times by 3 members.Every time it was said

Claims · 7

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“Bill C-58 was a major milestone”Bill C-58 (prohibiting replacement workers) was passed as a major labour-law reform.search
2“Prohibiting the use of replacement workers”Bill C-58 prohibits the use of replacement workers in federal labour disputes.search
3“95% of disputes that the federal mediation and conciliation service supported were resolved without work stoppages”Over the last five years, 95% of disputes supported by the federal mediation and conciliation service were resolved without work stoppages.search
4“Bill C-39”The government introduced Bill C-39, described as a measure to create good jobs across the country.search
5“Bill C-39 proposes measures to modernize the federal labour framework”Bill C-39 proposes measures to modernize the federal labour framework and strengthen protections for workers in federally regulated industries.search
6“while fully protecting the right to strike”Bill C-39 fully protects the right to strike.search
7“Canadians chose a government”Canadians elected the current Liberal government in the most recent federal election.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20