“Mr. Speaker, good morning. It is 12:21 a.m., and I rise to get answers and accountability from the Liberal government on behalf of the hard-working people of York—South Simcoe. Recently during question period, I referenced a letter written by one of my constituents, Margaret Haddon. In her letter, Margaret expressed concerns about the future facing young Canadians. She wrote to say that she raised her children to believe that if they worked hard, stayed focused and pursued an education, they would be able to build stable and independent lives. This is the promise many of us believed in when we raised our families here. She continued on to say that today she is watching that promise slip further out of reach for them. Her children are now young adults who are working, studying and trying to build their futures. They are not asking for handouts. They are doing exactly what society expects of them, yet despite doing everything right, they are facing barriers that her generation never imagined. She goes on to highlight many of these barriers brought on after 11 years of the Liberal government: high inflation, the rising cost of living, unattainable housing prices, and few good-paying jobs for domestic Canadians. When I raised the contents of this letter, I was very disappointed when the parliamentary secretary, on behalf of the Prime Minister, referenced the national child care program. According to Statistics Canada, more than half of Ontario families using child care, 52%, report difficulty finding it, which is up from 40% in 2022, the year Ontario signed on. The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario projects that families of more than 220,000 children will be left without a space. He referenced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which pays a measly $56 a month to a single adult, and only if that adult earns less than $60,000 a year. People must always read the fine print. Margaret said in her letter that Canadians are not asking for handouts, but that is all the government can offer, despite the fact that many of these programs and handouts do not even move the needle for most families. Sadly, under the Prime Minister, we now live in a K-shaped economy, where Liberal insiders, the wealthy, the bankers and the bondholders climb higher while working Canadians fall further behind. It is truly unacceptable. Conservatives are fighting every day for Canadians such as Margaret and her children and for everyone from coast to coast to coast who feels that the formula that worked here for over 150 years is now broken. Canadians are tired of empty Liberal promises. They want the made-in-Canada formula for prosperity to work once more. They should be able to work hard, invest and save, and to work towards goals and dreams for the future. They should not have to resort to government programs, food banks and extreme cost cutting just to get by.”
Statement grade
A–
The average of Signal, Relevance, Reasoning, Respect and Clarity. Reasoning rests on 2 conclusions, too few to hold the grade down.
Average 88 / 100
A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.
Thanks 16%Claims 43%Reasoning 42%
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 82 wordsI also want to echo what the member said and say good morning.I did not realize that it was past midnight already, so I appreciate the reminder.I also want to thank the member for bringing Margaret’s letter to the House.I think, as a representative of the House, it is one of the tools we can use to bring the voices of our constituents to this prestigious institution, so I thank my colleague across the aisle for bringing that letter.ThanksClaims · 27 wordsMargaret’s concerns are valid.There are a lot of challenges given the current unstable economic environment and given the trade situation we have with the United States.Reasoning · 218 wordsHowever, I think it is also important to recognize that it is time to work together to really focus on building Canada strong and building an economy that is really resilient.That is where we are making strategic investments in housing and infrastructure to secure that long-term prosperity for our country.Vague promiseWe want to ensure, and we are doing the work to ensure, that Canadians have the opportunities they need to succeed by building that stronger economy and lowering the cost of living.Vague promiseThat is where the member and I may disagree a bit.He may see some of the measures as handouts, where I see them truly as supports to help families, young people and seniors get through a tough period while we build a better and brighter future.Let me maybe expand on the point of affordability.Our government understand that affordability affects every segment of our life, whether young families can buy a home, workers can afford to commute to work or small businesses can continue to operate and maintain jobs.That is why making life more affordable for Canadians is at the centre of our economic plan.We are not relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.We have introduced targeted measures that address specific pressures such as housing, fuel and groceries while protecting long-term stability.Claims · 196 wordsExtending the repayment grace period under the RRSP homebuyers’ plan helps Canadians to enter the housing market with confidence.1Tax relief on gasoline and diesel deliver broad-based cost savings across our economy.We are starting the automatic federal benefits for the 2026 tax year with pre-filled returns for up to 5.5 million low-income Canadians by the tax year 2028, ensuring that support will reach those who need it the most.2Young Canadians are gaining the opportunity to work and build careers.Through Canada summer jobs, we have had 175,000 placements supported in 2026-27.3There is the horizontal youth employment skill strategy and the student work placement program.Families and young people are travelling and exploring Canada for less through the Canada strong pass.Most recently, our government announced that the temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline, diesel fuel and aviation fuels would be extended to 2027.4This will bring down everyday costs for Canadians, including truckers and businesses in the food, agriculture, housing, construction and delivery sectors.These examples demonstrate how our government has been taking responsible actions to make life more affordable for families and communities across Canada, including Margaret’s family.
