AT YOUR SERVICE: Passports key to keeping B.C. businesses open, people safe during pandemic

Langley Advance Times is offering this weekly feature called it “At Your Service.”

It’s another forum in which to put questions to our local politicians about key issues facing our community and its residents.

Using a basic question-and-answer format, elected officials will be asked one question at a time and given the opportunity to respond (to a maximum of 250 words) on that said issue.

Alternating between elected groups, Langley City and Langley Township councils, Langley School Board, Langley MLAs, and Langley MPs each have a chance to participate.

The answers provided will be published in their entirety online Sundays.

MOST RECENT – AT YOUR SERVICE: Trustees discuss plans to help student learning hobbled by COVID

QUESTION

Langley MLAs were asked:

Should the province be ready to compensate businesses if their bottom line is adversely impacted by the new passport rules?

ANSWERS

Langley-East MLA Megan Dykeman

A. Our government’s concern during this pandemic is the wellbeing of all of the people of British Columbia, including those whose livelihoods depends on their businesses.

We know how important it is that we avoid another lockdown so that businesses and people can continue to recover from the pandemic.

Vaccination is key to being able to return to normal.

The measure to require proof of vaccinination for some activities is an intermediate step towards that goal.

As we proceed toward this objective, our government will continue to protect the social and economic wellbeing of all British Columbians.

Langley MLA Andrew Mercier

A. While jurisdictions around the world were forced to shut down hospitality-based businesses through the majority of the pandemic, the B.C. government worked overtime to help keep B.C. businesses open as much as possible, albeit with some restrictions to ensure staff and customers remained safe.

B.C. wants to continue doing everything we can to keep businesses open while also balancing our imperative health and safety needs.

The temporary measure to require proof of vaccination will help to ensure that while we continue to fight against COVID-19 by getting more vaccines in arms, these businesses will be able to stay open and continue to serve their customers safely.

The BC NDP government has made it a priority since the beginning of the pandemic to help keep businesses open through the pandemic, and that’s exactly what the government is continuing to do.

UP NEXT

Next week we would typically put a question to the Langley MPs. However, since we’re in the midst of a federal election campaign, we will not be doing that. Watch the following week for Langley City council’s next question.

Watch for the politicians’ answers online Sundays.

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