The Conservatives are calling on the Trudeau government to release to plan to fully reopen Canadian society and the economy.
On Tuesday, Conservative Health Critic Michelle Rempel Garner tabled a motion in the House of Commons calling for a plan to safely and permanently end the COVID-19 lockdowns. The motion calls for the government to create a plan and make it public within 20 days.
“COVID-19 restrictions have had serious economic and mental health impacts on Canadians,” the motion reads.
“The President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom have both released public plans for economic reopening, while Canadian officials have not yet given Canadians clarity on when regular economic and social life will be able to resume.”
Rempel Garner had previously sponsored a petition which also called for the Trudeau government to create an immediate plan to end lockdowns in Canada.
For over a year Canadians have faced varying levels of lockdowns with little information on when society will return to normal and what data will drive the decision to reopen.
In a press conference on Tuesday morning, Conservative leader Erin O’Toole says that businesses, labour unions and various groups have called on the government to present a national re-opening strategy.
“These groups have been documenting the massive consequences of lockdowns on workers, small businesses, and their millions of employees across Canada,” he said.
“In their words, it is neither socially or economically sustainable to rely heavily on rotating lockdowns while we wait for an effective vaccine to be widely administered in the coming year. I agree.”
Endless lockdowns have caused unprecedented damage to Canadian society and economy. Along with a spike in drug overdoses and mental health issues, a majority of businesses are unsure they will survive at the current rate.
