Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Brendan Hanley

Liberal on Adjournment Proceedings 2026-10-07

524 words · 22 sentences · 28 clauses

Replying to Jacob Mantle (Conservative)

“Mr. Speaker, I am rising to follow up on a question I asked during question period about the performance of the Canada Revenue Agency. As I pointed out in my question, the CRA shows no quarter to average Canadians while it regularly fails at its own metrics or even pays out millions of dollars to fraudsters. Most Canadians have a dim view of the CRA. At least, that is my experience. On the one hand, it is understandable; nobody likes the tax man. On the other hand, it does a pretty bad job sometimes, so some criticism is warranted. I want to share two stories, and hopefully the parliamentary secretary will listen to them and perhaps give some answers. The first is from a resident in my riding, Carolyn. She was recently approved for a CPP disability credit. This required that she refile taxes going back several years. She did that, and she consistently followed up and looked at the status. It consistently told her the adjustment request was received, but there was no more information. She called in, time after time. Eventually, she got to a CRA agent who told her she would just have to wait a bit longer, perhaps a couple more months. It could even be eight months, she was told, and if no one was assigned to her file, then she would have to file a complaint. How long should she have to wait to get a resolution? In the meantime, while she was waiting to get a decision there, the CRA reassessed her on another issue and said that she owed the government money. Like any good taxpayer, she paid when she had to, because the CRA shows no quarter to average Canadians. She had to pay on time or face the consequences. On the other hand, the CRA can wait for months and give taxpayers, residents, no answers on their issues. How long should she wait for a response? The second example is from Justin, an accountant in my riding who was helping businesses during a sale of some assets. Several companies were involved. The CRA, unfortunately, made a mistake. The CRA capitalized some expenses incurred during the sale rather than expensing them. I am not an accountant. I am not an expert here, so I am going to take him at his word on this. Assuming the CRA did make this mistake, Justin estimated it would take 18 months and thousands of dollars to file the necessary objections to get the CRA to correct its very own obvious mistake. My question to the parliamentary secretary, who I hope can provide some clarity here on the CRA’s insufficient behaviour, is this. How long should residents have to wait for responses from the CRA, and who should pay when the CRA makes a mistake and costs taxpayers money?”

Statement grade

C+

65 / 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.

Thanks 5%Claims 78%Promise 7%Reasoning 10%

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

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 25 wordsI am very pleased to hear the questions from my colleague, the member of Parliament for York—Durham. The stories he provided were very compelling stories.Thanks Claims · 62 wordsIn my role as the member of Parliament for Yukon, I have heard stories as well and real cases involving real people and their frustrations with CRA. First and foremost, I want to assure the member that the Government of Canada takes the concerns raised about the integrity of our tax system and the accountability of the Canada Revenue Agency very seriously. Promise · 35 wordsCertainly, recognizing the individual case frustrations is something that I am happy to bring back to the ministry to ensure that we continue to improve and work on the services and accountability of the CRA.Vague promise Claims · 71 wordsUpholding the integrity and fairness of Canada’s tax system is one of our top priorities, and on the flip side, combatting fraudulent claims remains a part of those efforts. The CRA takes this responsibility seriously and works tirelessly to uphold the trust placed in it by Canadians. The CRA actively pursues those who fail to comply with tax laws and takes action to recover funds owed, ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. Reasoning · 35 wordsUnderstanding the root causes of taxpayers who are non-compliant is essential to preserving the integrity of the tax system and protecting Canada’s revenue base, which supports the public programs and services that Canadians rely on. Claims · 277 wordsI also want to emphasize that the Canadian tax system is based on voluntary trust-based compliance and self-assessment, assuring that everyone contributes their fair share.¹ In order to safeguard the integrity of the tax system, the CRA has implemented strong controls that are continually strengthened to address evolving risks. I also want to highlight that the CRA has implemented additional safeguards to ensure greater consistency and accuracy in refund processing. These include strengthened controls, intensified quality assurance oversight and tightened authority levels. Another means of addressing evolving risk includes collaboration with multiple partners, such as law enforcement and financial institutions. The CRA also employs technological tools, such as enhanced business intelligence and advanced data analysis, to improve risk assessments and to detect and deter the most serious instances of non-compliance. In fact, better data and more advanced analytics have allowed the CRA to better target its audits on the files with the greatest impact for Canadians. The CRA also collaborates with international organizations such as the OECD, the forum on tax administration, the FTA, ²and the joint chiefs of global tax enforcement, the J5. These partnerships enhance the CRA’s ability to combat offshore tax evasion and ensure that multinational corporations and digital economy participants pay their fair share of taxes. Furthermore, the CRA maintains a strict approach to non-compliance, which includes publishing all convictions on Canada.ca.³ Despite these efforts, fraud tactics continue to evolve, which is why the CRA remains vigilant and committed to consistently enhancing its processes.Vague promise When fraud occurs, the CRA has established processes to recover funds, including reassessing returns, recovering refunds, applying civil penalties and, when warranted, referring cases to the criminal investigations program.⁴ Reasoning · 19 wordsThis commitment reflects not only the CRA’s mandate, but also the trust that Canadians place in our tax system.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 · 89

2 of 30 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 am very pleased to hear the questions from my colleague, the member of Parliament for York—Durham.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “The stories he provided were very compelling stories.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 35

26 of 30 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.

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 “In my role as the member of Parliament for Yukon, I have heard stories as well and real cases involving real people and their frustrations with CRA.”Offers parallel experiences with CRA frustrations rather than answering the question.
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 “First and foremost, I want to assure the member that the Government of Canada takes the concerns raised about the integrity of our tax system and the accountability of the Canada Revenue Agency very seriously.”Says the concerns are taken seriously but does not address wait times or who bears the cost.
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 “Certainly, recognizing the individual case frustrations is something that I am happy to bring back to the ministry to ensure that we continue to improve and work on the services and accountability of the CRA.”Promises to raise the cases internally without answering either part of the question.
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 “Upholding the integrity and fairness of Canada’s tax system is one of our top priorities,”States a general priority on tax integrity without addressing the wait-time or cost question.
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 on the flip side, combatting fraudulent claims remains a part of those efforts.”About combatting fraudulent claims, not about response times or CRA errors.
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 CRA takes this responsibility seriously and works tirelessly to uphold the trust placed in it by Canadians.”General praise of the CRA’s diligence, not an answer on the cases raised.
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 CRA actively pursues those who fail to comply with tax laws and takes action to recover funds owed, ensuring fairness for all taxpayers.”Describes enforcement against non-compliant taxpayers, not 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 “Understanding the root causes of taxpayers who are non-compliant is essential to preserving the integrity of the tax system and protecting Canada’s revenue base,”About understanding non-compliance, not about wait times or the CRA’s own mistakes.
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 supports the public programs and services that Canadians rely on.”About what tax revenue supports, 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 also want to emphasize that the Canadian tax system is based on voluntary trust-based compliance and self-assessment, assuring that everyone contributes their fair share.”Describes the tax system’s self-assessment basis, not the wait-time or cost question.
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 “In order to safeguard the integrity of the tax system, the CRA has implemented strong controls that are continually strengthened to address evolving risks.”About general CRA controls, not the specific questions raised.
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 also want to highlight that the CRA has implemented additional safeguards to ensure greater consistency and accuracy in refund processing.”About refund-processing safeguards, not about how long taxpayers wait for answers.
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 “These include strengthened controls, intensified quality assurance oversight and tightened authority levels.”Lists internal controls without addressing the question on wait times or costs.
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 “Another means of addressing evolving risk includes collaboration with multiple partners, such as law enforcement and financial institutions.”About collaboration with partners on risk, not 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 CRA also employs technological tools, such as enhanced business intelligence and advanced data analysis, to improve risk assessments and to detect and deter the most serious instances of non-compliance.”About technology for detecting non-compliance, not about taxpayer response times.
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 “In fact, better data and more advanced analytics have allowed the CRA to better target its audits on the files with the greatest impact for Canadians.”About audit targeting, not about the cases or the question raised.
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 CRA also collaborates with international organizations such as the OECD, the forum on tax administration, the FTA,”About international partnerships, not the wait-time or cost question.
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 the joint chiefs of global tax enforcement, the J5.”Names more international bodies without addressing the question.
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 “These partnerships enhance the CRA’s ability to combat offshore tax evasion and ensure that multinational corporations and digital economy participants pay their fair share of taxes.”About offshore evasion and multinationals, not the taxpayers’ cases raised.
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 “Furthermore, the CRA maintains a strict approach to non-compliance,”About enforcement of non-compliance, not the question on CRA errors and delays.
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 includes publishing all convictions on Canada.ca.”About publishing convictions, not about 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 “Despite these efforts, fraud tactics continue to evolve,”About evolving fraud tactics, not the wait-time or cost question.
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 is why the CRA remains vigilant and committed to consistently enhancing its processes.”General commitment to improving processes without answering the question.
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 fraud occurs, the CRA has established processes to recover funds, including reassessing returns, recovering refunds, applying civil penalties and, when warranted, referring cases to the criminal investigations program.”About recovering fraud losses, not about who pays when the CRA itself errs.
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 “This commitment reflects not only the CRA’s mandate,”A general statement about the CRA’s mandate, not 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 “but also the trust that Canadians place in our tax system.”A closing statement about trust in the tax system, not the question on delays or costs.

Reasoning · no score

No score: nothing is concluded. Excluded from the average.

Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.

Conclusions found · 0

None: nothing is concluded.

Respect · 100

0 of 30 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

2 of 30 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 “continue to improve and work on the services and accountability of the CRA”A commitment with no measure, date or success condition for the improvement.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “committed to consistently enhancing its processes”A commitment from the government’s own agency with no actor action, date or measure named.

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“the Canadian tax system is based on voluntary trust-based compliance and self-assessment”Canada’s tax system is based on voluntary, trust-based compliance and self-assessment.search
2“The CRA also collaborates with international organizations such as the OECD, the forum on tax administration, the FTA, ”The CRA collaborates with international organizations including the OECD, the forum on tax administration (FTA) and the joint chiefs of global tax enforcement (J5).search
3“publishing all convictions on Canada.ca”The CRA publishes tax evasion and fraud convictions on Canada.ca.search
4“referring cases to the criminal investigations program”When fraud is detected, the CRA has processes to recover funds, including reassessment, civil penalties and referral to its criminal investigations program.search

Analysed on 2026-10-19