Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to repeat many comments that I've heard here from all my colleagues on this committee, no matter the party.
We all agree that this is a very important issue. We need to ask the important questions. Canadians expect us to ask the important questions and to get the answers that they deserve to hear, but this is the finance committee. As far as I know, we have heard testimony in the past. Monies have not been spent. We are in the steepest economic decline in history, and hopefully, a robust recovery is around the corner.
As important as WE is, I think our economy and how Canadians are doing are far more important at this time. We have to focus on the pandemic. We don't know what's around the corner. We know, as we have heard from senior health officials not only in Canada but worldwide, that a second wave will come upon us.
As part of the very important work that we do as the finance committee, we have the pre-budget consultation meetings coming up. As everyone knows, this is my first mandate as a member of Parliament. I'm very honoured to be a member of this all-important committee on finance. I have learned a lot from everything that I've been exposed to, from my colleagues in my own party and my colleagues across the way.
I can't imagine how we should be spending all of our time and effort on this very important issue. Again, I echo many of the comments. This is an important issue. I'm very happy that the Prime Minister and his chief of staff will be before us this week to answer questions for us. However, I don't want us to focus on just the one issue, which is the WE Charity, at this time.
I've started to schedule very important meetings with my constituents. I've started to hit the terrain, with my mask and with my team. It is so lovely to visit them and to hear how important all of the government programs that we've rolled out up until today have been.
I have to tell you that I monitor my emails very carefully. In my own riding I have not received one email saying that this is the most important issue of the day. What I have heard from my constituents is how happy they are to see me reach out to them. They are happy about how my team is helping them during this difficult time. They are happy to see that I'm going to visit them and start to learn more about them and their needs.
Nothing would make me happier, and I think I can speak for my colleagues in the Liberal Party. We're looking for answers as well, but can we take a balanced approach? Can we take a step back and identify what the most important issue is right now? Where should we be focusing most of our efforts? Is it really only WE? Should we perhaps be doing more meetings to see whether we are in the right place? Are we doing the right things to help our small businesses, to help the mothers who need to report back to work? Do we have the affordable child care that women need? I happen to be in a province, in Quebec, where we do have affordable child care in place. We should be talking about those issues.
I'm not saying, again, that we should not be asking the all-important questions where WE Charity is concerned. I'm very much looking forward to listening to WE Charity and its testimony. I just want to make sure that we don't forget about all the other issues that are very, very important. We should not diminish our role as the finance committee. Let's, please, be reasonable. Let's all be reasonable and make sure that we're taking a well-balanced approach.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.