Analysis · Question Period answer · beta

Jill McKnight

Liberal on Public Services and Procurement 2026-10-21

82 words · 5 sentences · 6 clauses

Replying to Pierre Poilievre (Conservative)

“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised elbows up, and instead, they elbowed aside our veterans. Now their excuse is that they cannot control any of it, that all these billions of dollars for purchases are going out the door and the elected government has no authority to do anything about it at all, that this is just a bunch of self-determining bureaucrats. That is not what the Prime Minister promised. He said he was going to ensure that our Canadian tax dollars went to Canadian firms. At the front of that list should have been Canadian veterans. The Commissionaires should be protecting us. Why did the Liberals favour an American firm instead of Canadian veterans?”

Statement grade

B+

Average 82 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Claims 74%Promise 26%

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

Mr. Speaker, Claims · 61 wordsas I just said, the CRA followed a fair and open procurement process.¹ I, of course, share the view that veterans have the right opportunities to find rewarding employment of their choosing when they are ready. It is at the core of the national veterans employment strategy.Partly on point Again, as has been stated, this was a contract decision made by the CRA.² Promise · 21 wordsOur government has worked and will continue to work with veteran employers as we build the strongest economy in the G7.Partly on pointVague promise

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 100

0 of 4 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.

Nothing lost points.

Relevance · 61

3 of 4 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 “I, of course, share the view that veterans have the right opportunities to find rewarding employment of their choosing when they are ready.”About the government’s support for veterans’ employment generally, not why the American firm got the contract.
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 at the core of the national veterans employment strategy.”About the veterans employment strategy, not the contract decision asked 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 “Our government has worked and will continue to work with veteran employers as we build the strongest economy in the G7.”About the government’s general work with veteran employers and the economy, not the contract choice asked about.

Respect · 100

0 of 4 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 · 69

1 of 4 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 “will continue to work with veteran employers”The commitment is made without setting any specific measures or timelines for the action.

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“the CRA followed a fair and open procurement process”The Canada Revenue Agency followed a fair and open procurement process.search
2“this was a contract decision made by the CRA”The CRA made a contract decision.search

Analysed on 2026-10-22