For North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold, Wednesday’s throne speech served as a reminder of indecisive and delayed actions by the Trudeau government.
“Today’s throne speech is yet another demonstration of the Trudeau government’s failures to take timely and decisive action to protect Canada in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,” Arnold commented in a news release responding to the Wednesday, Sept. 23 speech from the throne.
The Conservative MP said despite warnings and advice to act promptly, the federal government delayed in taking necessary actions to protect Canadians.
“Over 9,200 lives have been lost in Canada to this pandemic while more lives continue to be lost; nationally, daily confirmed cases continue to rise to levels experienced in April while new cases in British Columbia have risen to unprecedented levels,” Arnold said.
“The losses of human lives in Canada is nothing short of a tragedy for which the Trudeau government must take responsibility.”
Since the novel coronavirus pandemic began, B.C. has recorded a total of 8,395 cases and 227 deaths. As of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 91 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded.
Arnold said the prime minister must also take responsibility for recent scandals and for proroguing Parliament for nearly six weeks amid an ongoing pandemic, preventing Parliament from “working on behalf of Canadians.”
“Canadian workers, business owners and indeed all who depend on our economy will continue to face economic harm and uncertainty until the crisis is brought under control,” said Arnold.
Parliamentary functions are restored with a new hybrid House of Commons after a unanimous motion passed Wednesday.
“Now that Parliament has resumed, my Conservative colleagues and I will continue to deliver proposals for improvements to existing policies and put forward a plan to protect Canada and get our country back on track with the support and stability we all need to achieve a fulsome recovery,” Arnold said.
— with Canadian Press files
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