From the Mailbox

Here is a list of issues that I have heard about from constituents over the last month:

online censorship, economic recovery, Middle-East peace, organ donation, religious freedom, seniors benefits, freedom of speech, vaccine supply, reconciliation, internet censorship, old growth forests, Seniors care, vaccine safety, internet costs, residential schools, vaping regulations, mortgage rates, banking services, coal mining, clean drinking water, ocean pollution, nuclear power, tax evasion, abortion, horse slaughter, transit funding, informed consent (vaccines), universal basic income, quarantine rules, travel restrictions, sewage dumping, mental health funding, climate change, oil imports, electric vehicle subsidies, LGBTQ rights, blood donations, unemployment, cannabis beverages, vaccine passports, affordable housing, immigration, travel industry support and election timing.

Blood Ban

In 2015, Justin Trudeau promised to end the discriminatory blood ban, but he has failed to follow through on that promise.

Watch Conservative MP Eric Duncan kick off Pride Month and National Blood Donor Month by taking the government to task over this broken promise. You may also wish to add your voice to EndTheBloodBan.ca. I agree that ending the discriminatory blood ban in Canada is long overdue.

Conservative MPs Michelle Rempel Garner, Eric Duncan, and Bernard Généreux, called on Health Minister Patty Hajdu to end the blood ban immediately. The letter to the minister and the draft order can be viewed here, and a video of the press conference is here.

Compassionate Care Leave

A Conservative Bill to extend the length of compassionate care has passed in the House of Commons and Senate. It will extend the length of compassionate care leave by up to three weeks past the death of a loved one to allow more time for caregivers to grieve and take care of practical necessities before returning to work. Currently, full-time employees can take up to 28 weeks off work through the compassionate care leave benefit to care for a loved one who has a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death. Congratulations MP Matt Jeneroux!

No Support for Innovation

The Liberal government has voted against a Conservative Bill C-262 which was proposed by Greg McLean, MP for Calgary Centre.  It would have created a tax credit that would have increased investments in carbon capture leading to new energy jobs, better environmental outcomes, economic growth, and sector competitiveness.

The Liberal government can talk about its support for environmental innovation, but it won’t actually support it when given the chance. This bill would have mitigated greenhouse gas emissions more than any action this Liberal government has undertaken in its six years in office.

Travel, Vaccines and Hotel Quarantines

I have heard from many people that are angry with the hotel quarantines, especially as more people become fully vaccinated. Conservatives have fought hard to get Canadians better tools to stop the spread of COVID-19, like vaccines, therapeutics, rapid tests, and better data. Now that those tools exist, the Liberals must come up with a plan to use them to safely lift restrictions. We called for an end to the hotel quarantine program months ago.

Conservatives have also been calling for benchmarks, consistent border measures, and a safe reopening plan. Recently, the COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel released a report suggesting that measures be waived, particularly the hotel quarantine program. Conservatives will continue to fight for clear benchmarks and the use of tools like vaccines, therapeutics, rapid tests, and better data to give Canadians a plan for the safe reopening of our economy.

So far, the Liberals have not presented any real plan to open the border and get people back to work, just vague platitudes.

WHICH BENEFITS ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR?

The Benefits Finder tool allows you to determine what benefits you may be entitled to by answering a few easy questions.  After completing the quick multiple-choice questions, your possible benefits are short-listed and additional information is provided.  Many federal-provincial programs are also incorporated into the search results. Link here.

Canada Job Bank

If you need help getting back to work, try accessing the jobs being listed on the government website, visit www.jobbank.gc.ca to see the latest opportunities.  Hundreds of jobs are listed that are in our community and they offer Canadians with a wide variety of work experiences. The Canada Summer Job Bank listings are also put up here.