Conservative leader Andrew Scheer says it is past time for Parliament to start sitting regularly. Scheer is proposing parliament resume sitting with 50 members present. He says is open to listening to suggestions from other parties as to the number that could attend and any safety measures, such as masks. He told reporters he is wearing a mask when around Parliament Hill.
Scheer says some of the government measures taken to support Canadian during the COVID shutdown need parliamentary approval. ““We’ve done it before, we’ve taken Liberal proposals and improved on them.” Challenged by reporters about possible problems with maintaining distancing in Parliament Scheer replied, “we are open and willing to discuss any solutions to alleviate concerns around personal safety of MPs and Parliamentary staff.”
Scheer said provinces are starting to re-open their economies as the COVID-19 infection curve flattens, and the House of Commons should reopen as well. He said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been dodging the opposition.
“Mr. Trudeau should not be using a health pandemic to avoid accountability and oversight and should not be eliminating the role of the peoples’ representatives,” Scheer said.
“The prime minister wants to sideline Parliament during an unprecedented pandemic, a crisis, an economic crisis, something that we haven’t seen since the 1920s,” he added in French.
Scheer said online meetings on the Zoom platform aren’t cutting it anymore and MPs should have a chance to question the government in the chamber.
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