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Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance, Respect and Clarity is 70. The grade is held to 60, 30 above Relevance. 60 / 100, held down by Relevance
Signal
55 / 100
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Relevance
30 / 100
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Respect
100 / 100
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Clarity
96 / 100
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A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.
Claims 58% Thanks 1% Anecdote 11% Positioning 15% Reasoning 15% Procedure 1%
Structure · 16 steps
Claims · 8
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Madam Speaker, Claims · 17 words the hon. member for Regina—Lewvan and I have had lots of spirited debates in this House before, Partly on point Thanks · 5 words and I appreciate his question. Thanks Anecdote · 48 words I do have a family. I have three daughters and a wife. I am very proud of them and very happy to support them. I do a lot of the grocery shopping in my family and, in fact, a lot of the cooking, which I enjoy very much. Anecdote Off point Positioning · 13 words The member opposite should be able to recognize the way household budgets work. Positioning Claims · 92 words People might save money on child care, save money on dental care, get a Canada child benefit cheque, get the groceries and essentials benefit or benefit from the income tax cut given to 22 million Canadians.1 There are a number of other programs, measures and benefits that our government has put in place. By my estimate, for the average family of four in my riding of Whitby, and I am sure it is the same in the member opposite’s riding, there is approximately $30,000 a year of savings to the household budget.2 Reasoning · 19 words That is over a course of a year, so divide that by 12 months. It is a significant amount. Anecdote · 6 words My family is a good example, Anecdote Claims · 30 words but I think for many families across my riding, there are significant savings. That does not directly address the cost of groceries, which I acknowledge are a challenge for families, Reasoning · 20 words but with those costs decreasing, families on fixed incomes are able to afford the essentials and the things they need. Partly on point Procedure · 4 words Let us be honest. Procedure Unearned certainty Claims · 122 words The groceries and essentials benefit is specifically designed to increase the GST rebate in order to address the very issue the member opposite is pointing to.3 The national school food program is another example of how we are saving families money.4 It is essentially for children from lower-income families. In fact, it has universal access, and so any family whose kid is going to school and may not have the nutritional support they need from their household is able to access school lunches or breakfast programs all across the country. That is 400,000 more kids who are able to eat at school and get the sustenance they need to learn, grow and develop.5 Partly on point The member opposite voted against many of these measures.6 Positioning · 37 words I am not sure how he can stand up and lecture us about the price of groceries when in fact he voted against the very supports we put in place as a government that affect household budgets. Positioning Off point Claims · 36 words Remember, we cut tax on income, housing and fuel.7 We cut tax on new business investment, making Canada the most tax-competitive advanced economy in the entire world, by the way.8 That is the productivity mega deduction. Partly on point Positioning · 25 words It is very hard for me to stand here and listen to the member opposite’s question. I get that he wants to ask his question, Positioning Reasoning · 35 words but I think he should acknowledge the facts. Off point Unearned certainty With household budgets, when people can save money in one or two other places, it better enables them to afford the monthly costs of groceries and essentials. Partly on point
At a glance
Lost points for Partly on point ×24 Off point ×10 Anecdote ×6 Positioning ×4 Unearned certainty ×2 Thanks Procedure Didn't answer None 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
12 of 48 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 Thanks and tributes. What the tags mean → “and I appreciate his question.” Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I do have a family.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I have three daughters and a wife.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I am very proud of them and very happy to support them.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “I do a lot of the grocery shopping in my family and, in fact, a lot of the cooking,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “which I enjoy very much.” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “The member opposite should be able to recognize the way household budgets work.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Anecdote A story that illustrates instead of making a point. What the tags mean → “My family is a good example,” An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “Let us be honest.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “I am not sure how he can stand up and lecture us about the price of groceries when in fact he voted against the very supports we put in place as a government that affect household budgets.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “It is very hard for me to stand here and listen to the member opposite’s question.” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “I get that he wants to ask his question,” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 30
34 of 48 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.
Partly on point 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 hon. member for Regina—Lewvan and I have had lots of spirited debates in this House before,” On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from it.
Off point 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 do have a family.” About the member’s own family and household, not whether grocery prices rose or fell.
Off point 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 have three daughters and a wife.” About his family members, not the price of groceries asked about.
Off point 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 am very proud of them and very happy to support them.” About his pride in his family, not grocery prices.
Off point 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 do a lot of the grocery shopping in my family and, in fact, a lot of the cooking,” About who shops and cooks in his household, not the direction of grocery prices.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “which I enjoy very much.” About his enjoyment of cooking, not the question asked.
Partly on point 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 member opposite should be able to recognize the way household budgets work.” About household budgets generally, not whether grocery prices went up or down.
Partly on point 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 → “People might save money on child care, save money on dental care, get a Canada child benefit cheque, get the groceries and essentials benefit or benefit from the income tax cut given to 22 million Canadians.” Lists government benefits affecting household budgets, not the trend in grocery prices asked about.
Partly on point 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 → “There are a number of other programs, measures and benefits that our government has put in place.” About other government measures, not the grocery price trend asked about.
Partly on point 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 → “By my estimate, for the average family of four in my riding of Whitby,” About an estimate of savings for families in his riding, not whether grocery prices rose or fell.
Partly on point 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 I am sure it is the same in the member opposite’s riding, there is approximately $30,000 a year of savings to the household budget.” About estimated household savings, not the grocery price trend asked about.
Partly on point 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 → “That is over a course of a year,” About the timeframe of the savings estimate, not the grocery price trend.
Partly on point 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 → “so divide that by 12 months.” About dividing the savings figure monthly, not whether grocery prices rose or fell.
Partly on point 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 is a significant amount.” About the size of the savings amount, not the grocery price trend asked about.
Partly on point 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 → “My family is a good example,” About his own family as an example, not whether grocery prices went up or down.
Partly on point 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 I think for many families across my riding, there are significant savings.” About savings for families in his riding, not the grocery price trend asked about.
Partly on point 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 → “That does not directly address the cost of groceries,” Plainly says the savings do not directly address the cost of groceries, which is what was asked about.
Partly on point 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 I acknowledge are a challenge for families,” Acknowledges grocery costs are a challenge without saying whether prices rose or fell.
Partly on point 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 with those costs decreasing, families on fixed incomes are able to afford the essentials and the things they need.” About families affording essentials through other savings, not the grocery price trend.
Partly on point 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 groceries and essentials benefit is specifically designed to increase the GST rebate in order to address the very issue the member opposite is pointing to.” About the groceries and essentials benefit’s design, not whether grocery prices rose or fell.
Partly on point 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 national school food program is another example of how we are saving families money.” About the national school food program saving families money, not the grocery price trend asked about.
Partly on point 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 is essentially for children from lower-income families.” About who the school food program serves, not whether grocery prices went up or down.
Partly on point 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, it has universal access,” About the program’s access, not the grocery price trend.
Partly on point 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 so any family whose kid is going to school and may not have the nutritional support they need from their household is able to access school lunches or breakfast programs all across the country.” About families’ access to school meal programs, not the price of groceries asked about.
Partly on point 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 → “That is 400,000 more kids who are able to eat at school and get the sustenance they need to learn, grow and develop.” About the number of children eating at school, not whether grocery prices rose or fell.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “The member opposite voted against many of these measures.” About the member’s voting record in place of an answer on grocery prices.
Off point 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 am not sure how he can stand up and lecture us about the price of groceries when in fact he voted against the very supports we put in place as a government that affect household budgets.” A criticism of the member’s votes rather than the grocery price trend asked about.
Partly on point 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 → “Remember, we cut tax on income, housing and fuel.” About tax cuts affecting household budgets, not the grocery price trend asked about.
Partly on point 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 cut tax on new business investment, making Canada the most tax-competitive advanced economy in the entire world, by the way.” About business tax competitiveness, which touches affordability only in passing.
Partly on point 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 → “That is the productivity mega deduction.” About a specific tax measure, not the direction of grocery prices.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “It is very hard for me to stand here and listen to the member opposite’s question.” A complaint about hearing the question rather than its subject.
Off point 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 get that he wants to ask his question,” About the member’s desire to ask his question, not the grocery price trend.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “but I think he should acknowledge the facts.” A criticism of the member for not acknowledging facts, not an answer on grocery prices.
Partly on point 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 → “With household budgets, when people can save money in one or two other places, it better enables them to afford the monthly costs of groceries and essentials.” About household budget theory on affording groceries, not whether grocery prices went up or down over three years.
Respect · 100
0 of 48 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 · 96
2 of 48 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.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “Let us be honest” A framing formula that asserts the speaker’s account as the honest one in place of a source.
Unearned certainty Something stated as certain with nothing to back it. What the tags mean → “he should acknowledge the facts” Asserts ‘the facts’ without naming any source, demanding agreement rather than citing one.
Claims · 8
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 income tax cut given to 22 million Canadians” The government’s income tax cut applies to 22 million Canadians. search 2 “there is approximately $30,000 a year of savings to the household budget” By the member for Whitby’s estimate, the average family of four in Whitby saves approximately $30,000 a year from government programs and benefits. search 3 “The groceries and essentials benefit is specifically designed to increase the GST rebate” The groceries and essentials benefit works by increasing the GST rebate. search 4 “The national school food program” A national school food program exists as a federal government initiative. search 5 “That is 400,000 more kids who are able to eat at school” The national school food program gives 400,000 more kids access to meals at school. search 6 “The member opposite voted against many of these measures” Warren Steinley, the member for Regina—Lewvan, voted against many of the government’s affordability measures. search 7 “we cut tax on income, housing and fuel” The government has cut taxes on income, housing and fuel. search 8 “making Canada the most tax-competitive advanced economy in the entire world” The productivity mega deduction makes Canada the most tax-competitive advanced economy in the world. search
