Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Jean-Denis Garon

Bloc Québécois on Business of Supply 2026-10-06

209 words · 14 sentences · 18 clauses

Replying to Jacques Gourde (Conservative)

“Mr. Speaker, I would also like to talk about the election, thank those who have left and congratulate the winners, but I want to start by talking about something I noticed in my colleague’s speech. He said something that struck me. We saw the former Quebec government doing the Liberal Party’s bidding when it came to Alto. Everyone who was part of that government is now gone. On the other hand, those who were against Alto, namely the Parti Québécois and the Conservative Party of Quebec, have made huge gains. One has formed the government, and the other has risen from the ashes and elected 19 members to the National Assembly. If the government still intends to push ahead with the Alto project, I think it will need support in Quebec. I do not know where it will find it, but pushing ahead and expropriating Quebec land through the Crown—what message does that send to a party hoping for sovereignty?”

Statement grade

B–

72 / 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.

Claims 42%Procedure 2%Positioning 34%Reasoning 16%The ask 6%

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

Mr. Speaker, Claims · 27 wordsthe Quebec government’s position will become clearer. I think we can see where it is heading on this issue. I think we are seeing a consensus emerge.Partly on point Procedure · 4 wordsOne thing is certain: ProcedureUnearned certaintyPositioning · 12 wordsThe government has been spreading disinformation on this matter from the start.Positioning Claims · 40 wordsWe have the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s assessment.¹ We are being told that the costs provided were off by at least 30%, ²and we do not even have the analysis of the request yet. We do not know about passenger-kilometre subsidies, Reasoning · 11 wordsbut we do know that the project will not finance itself. Positioning · 25 wordsWhen it reaches $140 billion, $150 billion, $160 billion or $170 billion, knowing that infrastructure budgets are interconnected, who is going to pay for that?Positioning Reasoning · 23 wordsIt will be Quebeckers, when it comes to paratransit, public transit and east-west mobility in the Laurentians, which we need in the Laurentians. Claims · 21 wordsWhen budgets exceed that amount, it does not show up anywhere. We have been sounding the alarm from the very beginning. Positioning · 34 wordsI am saying that we were right too soon. Every new fact that comes to light—independent facts from people who are not paid by Alto to invent studies and facts—proves that we were right.Positioning The ask · 12 wordsI think the government should recognize that and give us more credibility.Partly on point

At a glance

Lost points for
Didn't answerNone of this reply addressed the specific point raised or the topic under debate.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 55

5 of 23 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 “One thing is certain:”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 “The government has been spreading disinformation on this matter from the start.”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 “When it reaches $140 billion, $150 billion, $160 billion or $170 billion, knowing that infrastructure budgets are interconnected, who is going to pay for that?”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 “I am saying that we were right too soon.”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 “Every new fact that comes to light—independent facts from people who are not paid by Alto to invent studies and facts—proves that we were right.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 42

17 of 23 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 point put to the member, and the motion 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 “the Quebec government’s position will become clearer.”It gestures at Quebec politics but does not say what message the project sends to sovereigntists.
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 “I think we can see where it is heading on this issue.”It hints at where Quebec is heading without addressing the message question put.
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 “I think we are seeing a consensus emerge.”It speaks of a consensus emerging but does not answer the question asked.
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 “The government has been spreading disinformation on this matter from the start.”It is about the government’s conduct on Alto, not the message to sovereigntists.
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 “We have the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s assessment.”It raises the PBO’s assessment of Alto, not the question put.
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 “We are being told that the costs provided were off by at least 30%,”It concerns cost estimates for Alto, not the question put.
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 “and we do not even have the analysis of the request yet.”It concerns the missing analysis of the request, not the question put.
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 “We do not know about passenger-kilometre subsidies,”It concerns unknown passenger-kilometre subsidies, not the question put.
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 “but we do know that the project will not finance itself.”It concerns Alto’s financing, not the question put.
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 “When it reaches $140 billion, $150 billion, $160 billion or $170 billion, knowing that infrastructure budgets are interconnected, who is going to pay for that?”It concerns Alto’s projected costs and who would pay, not the question put.
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 “It will be Quebeckers, when it comes to paratransit, public transit and east-west mobility in the Laurentians,”It concerns who would bear Alto’s costs, not the question put.
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 “which we need in the Laurentians.”It concerns transit needs in the Laurentians, not the question put.
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 “When budgets exceed that amount, it does not show up anywhere.”It concerns budget overruns going unrecorded, not the question put.
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 “We have been sounding the alarm from the very beginning.”It concerns the Bloc’s early warnings on Alto, not the question put.
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 “I am saying that we were right too soon.”It concerns the Bloc having been right on Alto, not the question put.
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 “Every new fact that comes to light—independent facts from people who are not paid by Alto to invent studies and facts—proves that we were right.”It concerns new facts vindicating the Bloc on Alto, not the question put.
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 “I think the government should recognize that and give us more credibility.”It is a call for the government to concede credibility, not an answer to the question put.

Respect · 100

0 of 23 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 · 100

1 of 23 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 “One thing is certain”The phrase asserts certainty as a formula in place of any source or evidence for what follows.

Claims · 2

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 have the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s assessment”The Parliamentary Budget Officer has issued an assessment of the Alto project.search
2“the costs provided were off by at least 30%”The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s assessment found that the costs provided for the Alto project were off by at least 30%.search

Analysed on 2026-10-19