Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House. I appreciate being given the opportunity to give my speech today and again tomorrow. I will look at the glass half full in being able to be here in person after the nearly two years that this place was a shadow of what it should be for Canadians.
The work of the House administration and the Speaker's staff was Herculean. They changed centuries of tradition to allow us to participate during times that we had never seen before and could not have foreseen. Through all of that, we were able to work as parliamentarians and serve our constituents and Canadians as we worked to bring life back to normal.
Our health care workers have done incredible work. I am so proud to be from a riding in which the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has the highest vaccination rate in the province of Ontario, reporting last week that more than 99% of residents had received their first dose and more than 96% had received two doses. Why did my neighbours and those in the community encourage and support each other to get vaccinated? So we could get life back to the way it was before.
Of course, not everything can return to the way it was right away. We are still wearing our masks when we are close to each other indoors, we have to practise outstanding hand hygiene and we try to keep our distance. However, we have slowly seen the return, because of the steps that folks have taken to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19, of things starting to get back to normal. Public events, sporting events and team sports for our children have come back, and we are doing it safely.
What we have done over the last couple of days here is represent Canadians in a safe and effective way. This is what we are looking to do. Folks in my community are struggling. They are struggling with the runaway cost of the living increases they are facing. They cannot afford a full tank of gas. They have to get half a tank, hoping that will get them through to payday. They cannot afford the regular food that they buy for their families because their dollars are just not going as far.
They are very concerned about the price of propane. In rural areas where people are not heating with natural gas, propane prices are out of control. People are worried and they want to see their representatives ensuring that the government is doing everything in its power to get inflation under control, that the Government of Canada is being an outstanding steward of taxpayer dollars. We really need all hands on deck, all eyes on the prize to ensure that happens.
I was so proud, as a Canadian and as a parliamentarian, to participate in the unanimous decision to take some of the steps that we took so we could continue to meet during this once-in-a-century pandemic that we were facing. However, the situation on the ground has changed. We now have followed the best medical advice, we are following the science and we are able to gather safely. What is regrettable to have seen as a parliamentarian and a Canadian is that the government has taken opportunity to use this pandemic to hide itself from scrutiny of the opposition, from the media and from Canadians.
When members were not in the House, they were not facing the media on their way in or their way out. Ministers would be on the Hill, but not appearing in their seats in the chamber. The tools that we had to bring witnesses and ministers before parliamentary committees were interrupted too many times to count by technical difficulties. Now we do not need to subject ourselves to those interruptions, with rare exception.
Should one of our colleagues, heaven forbid, contract COVID-19 or any other illness, we should return to the time-tested practice our system has used and pair. We talk about collaboration across the aisle, so let us pair with another member. When folks are recovering from an illness, we should not be asking them to dial in and vote from home. No. They should take the time to get well for themselves, their families and their constituents. The pairing mechanism would achieve exactly what the government has proposed.
I look forward to having the opportunity to continue my remarks on this. I appreciate having had a few minutes to speak to it today. I will have more to say tomorrow, and I should note that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill when I resume.