Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal on Criminal Code 2026-09-23

708 words · 35 sentences · 51 clauses

Statement grade

Average 93 / 100

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

Procedure 8%Claims 69%Reasoning 13%Anecdote 9%

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

Madam Speaker, Procedure · 18 wordsI think it is really important that we put into perspective why we are where we are today.Procedure Claims · 12 wordsThis is not something for which a political party made the decision. Procedure · 32 wordsThe member who just spoke, as well as the members opposite who were around, back in 2015, like myself, just need to reflect back to that time and what was taking place.Procedure Claims · 13 wordsFor example, the Supreme Court of Canada put it on the political agenda, Reasoning · 14 wordsso there was a need for the House of Commons to respond to it. Claims · 35 wordsIt was the Carter v.¹ Canada case, which obligated all of us at that time to deal with the issue. The government worked collaboratively and there was a high sense of co-operation on the issue. Reasoning · 51 wordsAfter all, what could be more personal than having to deal with the issue of medical assistance in dying, and having to make difficult decisions as to when to say no to a medical treatment, or to have a medical treatment that would ultimately lead to the death of an individual? Claims · 7 wordsIt is very much a personal decision. Procedure · 8 wordsI think that we need to amplify that.Procedure Reasoning · 29 wordsThose personal decisions are best made by the individual working with the experts they have access to, and having those heartfelt discussions with family members and often close friends. Claims · 135 wordsI think we often underestimate the important contributions and understanding that health care providers, in particular, and others provide while dealing with the difficult issue of death. For those who are dealing with it on a more frequent basis, if they go to hospice care facilities or personal care facilities, they will often find those health care professionals and others in situations where they have to deal with death on a regular basis. As we all know, it is a part of life.Partly on pointUnearned certainty If we then factor in the difficult complications that come to the table with individuals who have a desire to seek MAID, there have been a great deal of arguments brought forward. The decision was made in February or maybe March 2015, ²but the Supreme Court started hearing about it in 2014. Anecdote · 13 wordsThe passion was very real. We got to see some of that passion.Anecdote Claims · 54 wordsIf members recall, we had a special committee of the House.³ I believe it might have even been a joint committee that included members of the Senate. Whether members were on the committee or not, there was a great deal of discussion that took place between committee members and other members of different caucuses. Anecdote · 36 wordsI can recall members inside the chamber delivering speeches on MAID, even talking to some of the individuals who were involved in the lobby rooms. We would often see tears while listening to their personal stories.Anecdote Claims · 13 wordsAll one needs to do is to review Hansard during the second reading. Anecdote · 17 wordsEven back then, I spent a lot of my time on the floor of the House here.Anecdote Claims · 221 wordsHowever, I can say that the committee that studied it after second reading, and even prior to second reading, was deeply engaged. It went on at great length, for hours and hours, with personal stories of witnesses who appeared before it. It was not an easy decision. Sitting back, what I witnessed was some members of the Conservative Party advocating one way and others advocating another way, as it was with the Liberal Party and other entities within the House, because it was based on sharing our free thoughts, having a free vote and so forth. It was difficult, but ultimately a vast majority of members of Parliament voted in favour of Canada’s having MAID legislation.⁴ That is something that was not done lightly or taken lightly, and I think we need to emphasize that in this debate. It was very thorough, and ultimately, members from all political entities ended up voting in favour of Canada’s having MAID legislation.⁵ A number of years after that, as I alluded to at the very beginning and as the previous speaker was making reference to, was the issue of mental illness and whether it should or should not be part of MAID. Once again that was put on the table, brought to the House of Commons, ⁶because of a decision from a superior court. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 79

9 of 12 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 “I think it is really important that we put into perspective why we are where we are today.”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 “The member who just spoke,”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 “as well as the members opposite who were around, back in 2015, like myself, just need to reflect back to that time and what was taking place.”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 think that we need to amplify that.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “The passion was very real.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “We got to see some of that passion.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I can recall members inside the chamber delivering speeches on MAID, even talking to some of the individuals who were involved in the lobby rooms.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “We would often see tears while listening to their personal stories.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “Even back then, I spent a lot of my time on the floor of the House here.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 95

2 of 12 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 bill 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 “if they go to hospice care facilities or personal care facilities, they will often find those health care professionals and others in situations where they have to deal with death on a regular basis.”About hospice and personal care settings generally, only touching the MAID issue in passing.
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 “As we all know, it is a part of life.”A remark that death is part of life, not about the bill’s change to MAID eligibility.

Respect · 100

0 of 12 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 · 98

1 of 12 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 “As we all know”The phrase asserts shared knowledge as its backing instead of any source.

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“It was the Carter v.”The Supreme Court of Canada’s Carter v. Canada decision obliged Parliament to respond on medical assistance in dying around 2015.search
2“The decision was made in February or maybe March 2015”The Supreme Court of Canada issued the Carter decision on medical assistance in dying in February or March 2015.search
3“If members recall, we had a special committee of the House.”A special committee, possibly joint with the Senate, was created to study medical assistance in dying before legislation was introduced.search
4“ultimately a vast majority of members of Parliament voted in favour of Canada’s having MAID legislation”A large majority of MPs voted in favour of Canada’s MAID legislation (Bill C-14) in 2016.search
5“members from all political entities ended up voting in favour of Canada’s having MAID legislation”Members from all parties voted in favour of Canada’s MAID legislation in 2016.search
6“Once again that was put on the table, brought to the House of Commons, ”The issue of mental illness and MAID was brought before the House of Commons because of a superior court decision.search

Analysed on 2026-10-20