Candice Bergen

[Health, February 7th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I see the Prime Minister is still in hiding. That member is mansplaining to me how to stay calm and rational, which I do not appreciate.

Canadians have suffered. They have followed the rules and they have done what they were asked to do. We cannot have a slow and drawn-out process of reopening just because the Prime Minister is hiding and in denial. Dr. Moore in Ontario said recently, “I think we have to start to understand we have to learn to live with this virus.” In Canada, living means living freely.

Will the Prime Minister follow the science, follow the advice of experts and assure Canadians he will be removing all federal vaccine mandates quickly?

[Health, February 7th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Tam and other health officials across the country have started to change their language on lifting restrictions. According to Dr. Tam, things like vaccine mandates should be re-evaluated. Countries around the world have started to lift restrictions, or end them altogether.

Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians today when the government will quickly respond to our public health officials and begin to lift all the restrictions it has imposed on Canadians?

[COVID-19 Protests, February 7th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are telling the Prime Minister they want to get back to work and they want to get back to normal life. That is why we are seeing demonstrations not only in Ottawa, but right across the country. The Prime Minister has caused division by overtly politicizing vaccines and the pandemic, and calling these Canadians names. He is now saying these protests really are not his problem: they are the provinces', or maybe even the cities'.

When will the Prime Minister stop hiding, show up for Canadians, show some leadership and fix the mess that he has created?

[The Economy, February 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, that is a disappointing answer.

The Prime Minister's policy is causing the price of everything to soar, but he smugly brushes that away, just as he brushes away almost every other challenge that Canadians are facing. He looks at single moms, for example, who are struggling, and seems to smugly not understand that they are just trying to put nutritional food on their kids' plates. He looks at families who are trying to pay their rent. Does he understand how difficult rent is to pay right now? Rent is soaring.

What is the Prime Minister's plan to stop runaway inflation?

[COVID-19 Protests, February 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, that, I am afraid, is classic gaslighting, and it is very disappointing to see the deputy leader do that when we are in the middle of what is going on in the streets right now in Ottawa. There is nobody in the House who tolerates racism, like wearing blackface. We do not need to go through the litany of racist things that have been done by people who clearly have very poor judgment. That is not what we are talking about. We are talking about an impasse on Parliament Hill. We need to have some solutions.

There needs to be an olive branch. Where is it?

[COVID-19 Protests, February 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Deputy Prime Minister's kind words.

Maybe all the horns affected her hearing, because I do not know if she heard my question, so I am going to ask it again. Where is the olive branch? I ask this because Canadians are looking for an olive branch. I appreciate the olive branch she just extended to me right now, and I think that is what Canadians are looking for. The government does not have to agree. Its members do not even have to like the protesters and the trucks that are parked outside, but they need to provide a solution.

Could they please tell Canadians what the solution is to get past this impasse?

[COVID-19 Protests, February 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the protesters and, to be more accurate, the trucks have been parked outside in Ottawa for almost a week now, and instead of presenting a plan, which is what I think a lot of people in this country would like to see, to work with the people who are out there to help them feel they have been listened to, the Prime Minister is threatening Canadians with more vaccine mandates for interprovincial trade and travel. This is not helpful.

Can the Prime Minister please tell Canadians what role he feels the government can play and what it can do to help solve the impasse?

[COVID‑19 Protests, February 2nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, we all know the supply chain is fragile and it is causing great challenges to families across the country who are facing price increases. We know the pandemic has created tremendous stress on all parts of the economy, but the Prime Minister has definitely added another layer to this already problematic situation.

Will the Prime Minister admit that he is responsible for adding another layer of burden upon families, and what is he going to do to fix this?

[COVID‑19 Protests, February 2nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister. We were not fully able to hear his answer, but I heard the beginning of it and the end and I thank him for the remarks he made about the member for Durham. We really appreciate that.

I want to go back to the issue at hand. I totally get, and I think we have all heard, that the Prime Minister does not agree with the position of these protesters. I think that is clear, but he has a responsibility as Prime Minister to help bring some resolution. If they feel that they have at least been heard, they could maybe start to make some plans to go back home to their families.

What is his plan to bring some resolution to this impasse?

[COVID‑19 Protests, February 2nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the protest outside is now in its fifth day. I know the Prime Minister does not agree with the truckers and their supporters, but he does have some responsibility as the Prime Minister to help bring some resolution.

Could the Prime Minister tell the House, and tell all Canadians, if he has any plans to help these folks feel like they have been heard? Does he have any plans to bring some resolution to the situation that is going on right now outside?