Thank you.
My first question is through the chair.
We've already established that officials aren't willing to speak about whether or not health transfers were ever discussed in the $70 billion in new spending, despite economists calling for no economic stimulus spending. Also, any money spent should be on health care transfers, according to economists.
Today in the House of Commons, and for me here in committee on the voting app, we're going to be voting to have the government place and table a plan to live with COVID and to end the mandates. The government is asking for more new money for proof-of-vaccination initiatives. I will read that to you here: “Part 5 authorizes payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purpose of supporting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) proof-of-vaccination initiatives.”
Can someone please tell me where this directive is coming from? Two-thirds of Canadians want an end to vaccine passports. They felt that the overarching reach of government was really intrusive over the last couple of years. I'm wondering why we're spending taxpayer dollars in the billions to increase vaccine passports and the measures surrounding them.
Thank you.