Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Jean-Denis Garon

Bloc Québécois on Business of Supply 2026-10-27

218 words · 11 sentences · 14 clauses

Replying to Steven Bonk (Conservative)

“Madam Speaker, there was so much in that speech that I agreed with and quite a bit in that speech that I did not agree with. I think the main thing I do not agree with is that the Prime Minister has the heart of a Conservative. A Conservative would never run up such ridiculous amounts of debt. There has been more debt added to our national debt load during the terms of former prime minister Trudeau and the current Prime Minister than there was under all of the other prime ministers combined. In fact, we see now that in a lot of the COVID spending, all the bonds that were sold during that time were short-term bonds, and $600 billion or 29% of our national debt is going to be turned over this year. When the member was mentioning hospitals and the infrastructure needs in Canada, I could not agree more with him. We are now spending more on debt repayment than we do on health care transfers. Could the hon. member explain a little further how the debt that is crippling us now is actually halting the investment in infrastructure?”

Statement grade

B–

72 / 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 24%Claims 48%Reasoning 6%Procedure 6%The ask 17%

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

Madam Speaker, Positioning · 16 wordsI did not want to get into a psychoanalysis of who has what kind of heart.Positioning Claims · 52 wordsWhat I am saying is that, for a number of years now, the Government of Canada has been maintaining certain fiscal anchors. It said it would increase spending, and by a large amount, considering the billions of dollars involved, but it believed that the debt-to-GDP ratio would decrease or stabilize over time. Reasoning · 14 wordsThat means that it is important for the government to control the debt-to-GDP ratio. Claims · 52 wordsNow, in her report, the Parliamentary Budget Officer is telling us that the government is abandoning that fiscal anchor and that the debt-to-GDP ratio is going to increase.¹ Since the government is not following its own rules, it is now saying that it is going to change the rules and the definitions.Partly on point Procedure · 12 wordsBasically, the motion says that we have questions for the Prime Minister.Procedure Positioning · 29 wordsPerhaps he is the right person to answer those questions. Sometimes we cannot ask him those question in the House, for reasons that I am not allowed to mention, PositioningThe ask · 36 wordsso perhaps we need a more relaxed setting, a little more time and a different format to ask the Prime Minister questions. I think that the Standing Committee on Finance would be a very appropriate forum. Positioning · 7 wordsThat is why we support the motion.PositioningPartly 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 · 61

5 of 18 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 “I did not want to get into a psychoanalysis of who has what kind of heart.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “Basically, the motion says that we have questions for the Prime Minister.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Perhaps he is the right person to answer those questions.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Sometimes we cannot ask him those question in the House, for reasons that I am not allowed to mention,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “That is why we support the motion.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 42

13 of 18 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 point put to the member, and the motion under debate.

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 did not want to get into a psychoanalysis of who has what kind of heart.”On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from 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 “What I am saying is that, for a number of years now, the Government of Canada has been maintaining certain fiscal anchors.”About the government’s fiscal anchors, not the infrastructure investment 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 “It said it would increase spending,”About the government’s spending plans, not how the debt affects infrastructure investment.
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 by a large amount, considering the billions of dollars involved,”About the size of the spending increase, not the infrastructure investment 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 it believed that the debt-to-GDP ratio would decrease or stabilize over time.”About the government’s expectations for the debt-to-GDP ratio, not the infrastructure 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 “That means that it is important for the government to control the debt-to-GDP ratio.”About the importance of controlling the debt-to-GDP ratio, not how debt halts infrastructure spending.
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 “Now, in her report, the Parliamentary Budget Officer is telling us that the government is abandoning that fiscal anchor and that the debt-to-GDP ratio is going to increase.”About the PBO report on the debt-to-GDP ratio, not the infrastructure investment 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 “Since the government is not following its own rules, it is now saying that it is going to change the rules and the definitions.”About the government changing its fiscal rules, not how the debt affects infrastructure investment.
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 “Perhaps he is the right person to answer those questions.”On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from 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 “Sometimes we cannot ask him those question in the House, for reasons that I am not allowed to mention,”On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from 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 “so perhaps we need a more relaxed setting, a little more time and a different format to ask the Prime Minister questions.”On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from 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 “I think that the Standing Committee on Finance would be a very appropriate forum.”On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from 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 “That is why we support the motion.”On the subject of the question, but no answer to what was asked can be drawn from it.

Respect · 100

0 of 18 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 18 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 · 1

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 debt-to-GDP ratio is going to increase”The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report says the federal debt-to-GDP ratio is going to increase.search

Analysed on 2026-10-29