Analysis · Debate reply · beta

Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault

Liberal on Business of Supply 2026-10-27

164 words · 8 sentences · 11 clauses

Replying to Mario Beaulieu (Bloc Québécois)

“Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleague defends French and culture, and we all agree that debt servicing costs are huge. In this context, we find it hard to understand why the government is forgoing considerable revenue by eliminating, for example, the digital services tax on American tech giants, which are a threat to our culture and our media. Furthermore, the government refused to allow the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to collect levies from these same tech giants, which would have brought in considerable revenue for culture. Instead, it dipped into people’s taxes to try to compensate for the cancellation of the levies. What does my colleague say to that?”

Statement grade

64 / 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.

Thanks 10%Claims 85%Positioning 4%

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

Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 17 wordsI am pleased that my colleague alluded to the official languages in the preamble to his question.Thanks Claims · 113 wordsIt gives me an opportunity to remind the House of the Liberal government’s historic investment in the official languages. The action plan for official languages 2023-2028 invests $4.1 billion in supporting the official languages and the vitality of francophone minority communities.² Even taking inflation into account, this is the largest investment in the official languages in the history of Canada. It lets us support French-language education in our communities, take measures to support health, access to justice and employment services, and document our realities better through Statistics Canada data. In all, over a dozen federal organizations are involved in implementing the action plan for official languages, ³which is generating tangible benefits across Canada.Partly on point Positioning · 7 wordsI know what I am talking about, PositioningUnearned certaintyClaims · 27 wordsbecause I represent Madawaska—Restigouche, one of the ridings with the highest concentrations of francophones outside Quebec.¹ These investments in the official languages are vital to my region.Off 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 · 79

2 of 13 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 and tributes.What the tags mean “I am pleased that my colleague alluded to the official languages in the preamble to his question.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I know what I am talking about,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 34

10 of 13 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 “It gives me an opportunity to remind the House of the Liberal government’s historic investment in the official languages.”About official languages investments, not the forgone revenue the question 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 “The action plan for official languages 2023-2028 invests $4.1 billion in supporting the official languages and the vitality of francophone minority communities.”About official languages funding, not the digital services tax or levies the question raised.
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 “Even taking inflation into account, this is the largest investment in the official languages in the history of Canada.”About the size of official languages spending, not the revenue 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 lets us support French-language education in our communities, take measures to support health, access to justice and employment services,”About what official languages funds support, not the forgone tech-giant revenue.
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 document our realities better through Statistics Canada data.”About Statistics Canada data under the plan, not the question’s revenue 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 all, over a dozen federal organizations are involved in implementing the action plan for official languages,”About organizations implementing the official languages plan, not 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 “which is generating tangible benefits across Canada.”About benefits of the official languages plan, not the revenue forgone.
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 know what I am talking about,”A personal aside about the speaker’s own knowledge, not the 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 “because I represent Madawaska—Restigouche, one of the ridings with the highest concentrations of francophones outside Quebec.”About the speaker’s riding and its francophone population, not the 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 “These investments in the official languages are vital to my region.”About the importance of the investments to the speaker’s region, not the revenue question.

Respect · 100

0 of 13 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 · 93

1 of 13 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.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “I know what I am talking about”It asserts personal certainty in place of any evidence or source.

Claims · 3

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“one of the ridings with the highest concentrations of francophones outside Quebec”Madawaska—Restigouche is one of the ridings with the highest concentrations of francophones outside Quebec.search
2“The action plan for official languages 2023-2028 invests $4.1 billion in supporting the official languages and the vitality of francophone minority communities”The action plan for official languages 2023-2028 invests $4.1 billion in supporting the official languages and the vitality of francophone minority communities.search
3“over a dozen federal organizations are involved in implementing the action plan for official languages”Over a dozen federal organizations are involved in implementing the action plan for official languages.search

Analysed on 2026-10-29