Analysis · Question Period answer · beta

Jennifer McKelvie

Liberal on The Economy 2026-10-09

94 words · 5 sentences · 8 clauses

Replying to Rhonda Kirkland (Conservative)

“Madam Speaker, I would have a lot more respect for the member for Whitby if he was standing up for the auto workers in our community. The Simcoe Hall Settlement House food bank in Oshawa is now capped at 70 households a day. Demand has not fallen; it is having to turn people away, but food being donated has. Grocery costs are still rising while meals are getting smaller and smaller for families. After years of reckless Liberal deficits and tax-and-spend policies, families cannot afford a basic Thanksgiving dinner. Will the Liberals please tell us by which Thanksgiving exactly we can expect to have grocery prices stop rising, or will the Liberals admit they have no plan?”

Statement grade

B–

73 / 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.

Positioning 17%Claims 83%

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

Madam Speaker, Positioning · 16 wordsour government cares deeply about affordability, whether it be prices at the grocery store or rent.Positioning Claims · 78 wordsIndeed, we have seen across Canada, 24 months in a row, that rents have been coming down.¹ We are also making historic investments in housing, including in Oshawa, in the member’s riding, where, with the help of the ACLP, we have invested $188 million to build 502 homes on the former foundry lands.² These are homes for Canadians. We are also getting them to build those homes, Partly on pointwhich is creating jobs, Off pointand many of them will be affordable.Partly on point

At a glance

Lost points for
Didn't answerNone of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 78

1 of 9 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.

Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “our government cares deeply about affordability, whether it be prices at the grocery store or rent.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 43

8 of 9 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 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 “our government cares deeply about affordability, whether it be prices at the grocery store or rent.”Asserts general concern about affordability without answering when grocery prices will stop rising or admitting a lack of plan.
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 “Indeed, we have seen across Canada, 24 months in a row, that rents have been coming down.”Cites falling rents, not the rising grocery prices the question asks about.
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 also making historic investments in housing, including in Oshawa, in the member’s riding,”Raises housing investment on the broad affordability issue but does not address grocery prices or a plan for them.
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 “where, with the help of the ACLP, we have invested $188 million to build 502 homes on the former foundry lands.”Details a housing funding figure in the member’s riding, not the grocery-price timeline asked for.
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 are homes for Canadians.”Describes the purpose of the homes built, not the question about grocery 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 “We are also getting them to build those homes,”Returns to home building on the affordability theme without addressing the grocery-price question.
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 is creating jobs,”About jobs created by home building, not grocery prices or an affordability plan.
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 many of them will be affordable.”Notes some homes will be affordable, touching affordability generally but not the grocery prices asked about.

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 9 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

0 of 9 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.

Nothing lost points.

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“24 months in a row, that rents have been coming down”Rents across Canada have been coming down for 24 months in a row as of October 2026.search
2“with the help of the ACLP, we have invested $188 million to build 502 homes on the former foundry lands”The federal government has invested $188 million through the Apartment Construction Loan Program to build 502 homes on the former foundry lands in Oshawa.search

Analysed on 2026-10-19