There’s Risks in Everything: Extreme-Case Formulations and Accountability in Inquiry Testimony

Drawing on the video record of a recent inquiry into the causes of water contamination in a small town in Ontario, Canada, this article presents an analysis of evasive strategies. The analysis focuses on the use of ‘extreme case formulations’ such as ‘there’s risks in everything’ and ‘every meeting of Cabinet or Cabinet Committee is important’ (Pomerantz, 1986; Sacks, 1995). Within the context of inquiry testimony, such formulations allowed the thenpremier of Ontario to avoid having to account for possibly blameworthy actions.