MP Viersen: 2020 Spring Session Wrap-Up: the Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians are anxious to get back to work and are optimistic about their futures. But there is still a long way to go. Millions of Canadians are still unemployed.  Across the country, businesses are still closed and too many still can’t access government programs.

 Since last November and throughout 2020, our strengthened Conservative opposition has been holding the Trudeau government to account and we will keep putting forward constructive solutions to get you the help you need.

 The Good

 Here are a few of the results Conservatives have gotten for Canadians:

• Stopped Justin Trudeau’s massive power grab at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Called for the mandatory quarantine of all travellers and stronger border measures.

• Proposed constructive solutions to fix the Liberals’ COVID-19 aid programs, like increasing the CEWS from 10% to 75%, making the CERB more flexible so no one is penalized for going back to work, and making it easier to access the CEBA.

• Advocated for small businesses and workers, including proposing giving small businesses back the GST they remitted in the last year.

• Secured more COVID-19 support for seniors, students and expectant mothers.

• Demanded the Liberals support farmers and Canada’s oil and gas sector.

• Ensured that all of the Liberals’ COVID-19 pandemic spending will be audited, so Canadians know how their tax dollars were spent.

 The Bad

 Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liberals have either been wrong or slow to act: 

• Slow to close our borders – while other countries were rushing to close theirs.

• Wrong to dump critical medical supplies – failing to replace them.

• Slow to enhance airport screening – allowing the virus to spread.

• Wrong to side with Beijing and the WHO – instead of listening to Canadian medical experts.

• Slow to advise Canadians that they should wear masks – after being wrong about telling them not to.

• Slow to roll out programs for struggling Canadians – and wrong not to fix their programs to keep Canadians from falling through the cracks.

• Wrong to leave small businesses behind – forcing many to close permanently.

• Wrong to raise the Carbon Tax when Canadians were already struggling.

• Wrong to abandon the oil and gas sector – promising help within “hours or days” but offering nothing.

• Wrong not to provide an economic update or fully fund the Auditor General’s Office – so you can see how your tax dollars are being spent.

• Wrong to shut down Parliament – refusing to let MPs provide crucial oversight. 

The Ugly 

The Liberals have no plan to restart our economy or to prepare for a second wave. Handing out hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money isn’t a plan. 

• The Liberals’ sky-high taxes, wasteful spending and massive deficits put Canada in an incredibly weak position before the pandemic began. 

• After refusing for weeks to provide an economic update, Trudeau now only plans to release a “snapshot” next month. 

• According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, this year Trudeau will pile on at least a staggering $256 billion. 

• By the time this crisis ends, the national debt could top $1 trillion.

Despite this, I have hope. As a Conservative, I believe in people. Canadians’ hard work, innovation and perseverance will drive our economic recovery.  Canada needs to be firing on all cylinders.  Conservatives will continue to use every tool at our disposal to get results for Canadians. We are going to elect a strong leader and form a government that will cut taxes and red tape, stimulate and attract business investment, create the conditions for job growth, and unleash the power of the private sector.

 We are going to get through this pandemic and under a Conservative government, we will build a stronger Canada for all.