Re: “Conservative Party out of touch with Canadians,” Letters, Chilliwack Progress, May 7, 2021.
I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to Mr. Jack Kopstein’s recent letter regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the Conservative environment plan.
READ MORE: LETTER: Reader says Strahl and Conservatives show a lack of vision
Conservatives have been effectively holding this government to account on their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is our job as the Official Opposition. We’ve supported the financial assistance that governments have given to Canadians who through no fault of their own have found themselves out of work or unable to operate their businesses. That said, since the beginning of the pandemic, the Liberal government has been either slow to respond, or given wrong information to Canadians. These include, telling Canadians that there was no person-to-person spread of COVID-19, telling Canadians that border control measures and masks didn’t work, sending critical supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) to China when we had a shortage, failing to ensure Canadians have access to rapid and at-home testing options, wasting time and resources on trying to procure Chinese vaccines which is the reason we are so far behind peer countries in vaccinating our population, and shutting down the federal pandemic early warning system, just months before COVID-19 struck. Canadians deserve better, and Conservatives will continue to demand it from this Liberal government each and every day.
Canadians have done their part. Now it is time for our governments to do theirs and deliver a clear plan to end the COVID-19 restrictions, get Canadians back to work, and get us out of this crisis. The focus of Conservatives will remain on an economic recovery in all sectors and all parts of this country.
With respect to the Conservative environment plan, our main objective is to meet our emissions reductions targets while creating jobs and growing the economy. Conservatives will work with the provinces as a federal partner and will reject the paternalistic “Ottawa knows best” approach of the Liberals. We know that Canadians cannot afford Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax which has just been unilaterally tripled and has driven jobs and investment out of the country while failing to reduce emissions in Canada.
I invite Mr. Kopstein and all your readers to keep their eyes on local media, visit my website (markstrahl.com), sign up for my e-newsletter, and follow me on my various social media platforms to stay updated on the work I am doing on behalf of the people of Chilliwack-Hope, both here at home and in the House of Commons.
Mark Strahl, MP
Chilliwack-Hope
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