Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join discussion of the opposition motion today and speak on behalf of my constituents in Regina—Lewvan and the broader population of Saskatchewan.
I want to read a couple of paragraphs from the motion that I will be speaking to:
(i) COVID-19 restrictions have had serious economic and mental health impacts on Canadians,
(ii) COVID-19 restrictions have been advised by the federal government, including specifically by the Prime Minister on three separate occasions in November of 2020, as temporary measures to alleviate pressure on the public healthcare system,
(iii) public health tools, such as rapid tests, shared data on how COVID-19 spreads and vaccines, have not been positioned as permanent solutions to replace COVID-19 restrictions by the federal government, including in areas of federal competency like air travel and border restrictions,
(iv) the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom have both released public plans for economic reopening, while Canadian officials have not yet given Canadians clarity on when regular economic and social life will be able to resume.
As well, there is the following resolution, which the member for Kingston and the Islands talked about:
the House call on the government to table within 20 calendar days, following the adoption of this motion, a clear data-driven plan to support safely, gradually and permanently lifting COVID-19 restrictions.
This is the motion brought forward by the member for Calgary Nose Hill, and I think it is incumbent on us to take it seriously. I know it has been politicized by several members of the Liberal government. This is not a politically driven motion; it is setting a timeline for when Canadians can regain their freedom. That is what this is about. It is about when we can return to life as we remember it prior to COVID-19. The U.K. has done it, with Prime Minister Johnson setting out a data-filled plan. The Biden administration has set a guideline of July 4, and I think it is unbelievable that anyone in the House could say that the Government of Canada should not have a plan to reopen our economy and return to pre-COVID-19 life as we remember it.
I think about my three children who have gone through COVID-19 and not seen their grandparents. I think about when my uncle passed away last spring, and none of us were able to go to his funeral. I also think about the families throughout Regina—Lewvan and Saskatchewan who have had similar experiences. Canadians across the country have sacrificed, and now they are owed a plan by the Liberal federal government for when they can get back to normal.
I think I realize why Liberals do not like talking about a plan in general. We see time and time again that when they do set out a plan or a goal, they feel to meet their metrics. They wanted to plant a billion trees, as seen in their throne speech last fall. They failed. They said in their 2015 platform that they were going to run modest deficits. They failed. They said they were going to reduce the number of clean drinking water advisories for indigenous people by March 2021. They failed. I think this is where we are understanding why there is such a hesitancy to provide a plan to Canadians. It is because they feel they will not live up to it.
One member asked if we wanted politicians or experts to make decisions for us. I want politicians of all stripes to listen to the expert opinions and data, and then make a decision. We are elected to make decisions. If members on the Liberal side do not want to make decisions, they should get out of the way and let people who will make those decision do so. I think it is time we had a government that started putting Canadians first, their mental health first, their economy, their safety and their plans for the future.
This motion is about hope for Canadians to have a better life. When we go down this path, people feel like this is just a Conservative motion, but I have a few quotes and statements to cite from people within the Saskatchewan government and business community that really add to the motion we are talking about today.
John Hopkins, the CEO of the Regina & District Chamber of Commerce, said, “The Regina & District Chamber of Commerce is of the view that restoring and growing the economy must be the priority of the Government of Canada as we emerge from the vaccination period. Millions of Canadians and thousands of Canadian businesses have been impacted by the pandemic. Now is the time to get the economy moving.” That is not a political statement and was not made by someone within the Conservative Party of Canada, but by someone who talks to business leaders every day across Saskatchewan.
Premier Moe said, “It is extremely unhelpful for the Prime Minister to be questioning the response of the provinces and creating a false choice between protecting the economy and jobs, and protecting against the spread of COVID-19.”
There has always been the argument by the Liberals that this is within provincial jurisdiction and they do not want to overstep their bounds. Time and time again the Liberal government has overstepped its bounds in provincial jurisdiction and now, when it is time to lead, Liberals vacate the premises and want everyone else to take the blame. Then they try to take credit for the pandemic spending, which all parliamentarians voted for and agreed to. When Canadians needed us, everyone, the Green Party, the NDP, the Liberals, the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois, came together and voted for supports for Canadians when they needed them. I do not think anyone is going to argue with that.
James Bogusz, the CEO of the Regina Airport Authority, said in 2020, “This airport helps this economy in southern Saskatchewan by stimulating over $800 million a year in GDP.... That is not a small operation. There’s so many jobs and lives that depend on the airport for income and related business. When there’s less aircraft operating, there’s less work. It’s such a big cascade effect. We feel very strongly that airports are worth saving.” This is the kicker: “We need Ottawa to step up.” I feel there are so many people across Canada who have that feeling right now, thinking that it is time for Ottawa to step up and lead. The Liberals have not done that, like others had done in other jurisdictions.
The Liberals have failed with many of their plans. The biggest failure they have had so far is the vaccine rollout. We have heard the numbers today about how we have 10.78 vaccines per 100 people and that we are 44th in vaccinations across the world and seventh in vaccinations per day. We are looking at how we can continue to have some hope and optimism when the Government of Canada has failed in its vaccination rollout. The provinces are ready to step up and do the job. My province is ready to step up and do vaccinations. It is just waiting for doses. There are drive-through vaccination stations in Saskatoon, Regina and other areas that are ready. They are waiting for more vaccines and for the Government of Canada to step up and deliver them.
Another stakeholder that has reached out on the topic of this motion is the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association. The chair, Arnold Balicki, sent me a note that said, “Food processors are seen as essential. Of course they are, along with other parts of the economy selected as essential, but they rely on so many other aspects of the economy not deemed essential. It is all connected. Opening up our economy will help businesses survive, which help our essential workers to keep providing our food and other goods and services.” Throughout the country, people have stepped up and done their job to ensure there's a safe food-supply chain. The Standing Committee on Agriculture has issued a report on processors and we know that more funds need to be given so that we can ensure that we have a safe food-supply chain. However, that needs to roll into a plan for reopening our economy and for Canadians to have the opportunity to not just rely on government programs and cheques, but to get back to work.
Every job is essential to the person whose paycheque depends on it. That is something we need to get back to and remember: Canadians want to earn paycheques, not to sit at home and collect government cheques. That is a where a safe, data-driven plan comes into play. There has been a vacuum of leadership on the part of the federal government. The Liberals have failed Canadians time and time again. I and many in Saskatchewan and across this country are wondering if the reason that the Liberals are unable to or are so scared of delivering a plan is that, as in the past, they will not meet their deadlines and fulfill their commitments and will let Canadians down again.
It is time to put a government in place that will secure our future and our mental health. Unfortunately, I do not have enough time to get into the mental health conversation, which my friend from Cariboo—Prince George did such a good job at, but it is time to get Canadians a reliable plan to reopen our economy so that they can get back to life as we remember it pre-COVID-19.