The prime minister has announced the prorogation of Parliament in an attempt to deflect being held accountable in the current Parliament.
The reason is obvious. The government does not want to continue to be held accountable for its actions, particularly in regards to the WE scandal.
Specifically what they want to do as much as possible is to move on from the fact that they were quite prepared to put the interests of their well-connected friends ahead of the public interest in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It wasn’t that long ago when the same Liberals criticized the then Prime Minister Stephen Harper for proroguing Parliament.
I believe it is absolutely critical for us as MPs to make Parliament work. With everything that is happening with the pandemic, with all of the need to focus in on the recovery from the impact of the pandemic, we need to be making a difference for the Canadian people.
Now is not the time for politics as usual. This includes having an unnecessary election. We all need to be focused on solutions to the challenges we face.
Our role as opposition needs to be one of a constructive opposition. To hold the government accountable and at the same time put forward specific proposals that can make a difference. That’s why we have advocated for paid sick leave and improved supports for Canadians during this difficult time. Canadians expect their government to respond accordingly by being accountable for their actions.
As we head into the new Parliament, our message will continue to be clear. We need to focus on accountability. We need to focus in on solutions during this historic challenging time.
