Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and the Official Opposition, issued the following statement:
 
“Last spring, when it was clear that vaccines would be the key tool to turn the page in the crisis, Justin Trudeau dropped the ball completely.
 
“He turned to China, of all countries, to partner with on the making of a vaccine. It was the worst in a series of bad decisions and it is why we are lagging the developed world today.
 
“We’re still scrambling to catch up. It’s a national disgrace, especially in a country as strong and prosperous as Canada.
 
“It all belongs to the past. What matters is the future. What matters is that this never, ever happens again.
 
“Last month, Canada marked a National Day of Observance for those lost to this pandemic, but to truly honour their memory, we must pledge to learn from the mistakes made and improve our resilience and readiness as a country.
 
“Our attention should be on getting the country back on its feet.
 
“But when the pandemic is over, we need answers, we need to know what worked and what didn’t. We need complete transparency and accountability.
 
“A Conservative government will call a public inquiry to examine every aspect of the government’s pandemic response. We also call on the government to appoint a special monitor from the Office of the Auditor General to track the pandemic response in real time to ensure that valuable ‘lessons learned’ are captured for future emergency readiness.
 
“The inquiry will ensure that all lessons learned from the crisis are publicly aired and learnings can immediately be adopted. Canada must be better prepared for future threats. We cannot afford to once again fail to keep Canadians safe.
 
“To secure the future, we must learn from the past.”

Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and the Official Opposition, released the following statement on the latest disastrous developments in Canada’s vaccination procurement:

“Today is another disappointing day for Canadians who know that without vaccines, there is no recovery.

“Canada’s daily vaccination rate is the lowest in the G7 – and we have no domestic manufacturing capacity. Now, we’ve learned that there are no confirmed shipments of Moderna vaccines after this week.

“This news is not only frustrating for Canadians, but devastating. We cannot secure jobs, we cannot secure our economy, we cannot secure the future until Canadians are vaccinated.

“We need the government to succeed in securing vaccines for the sake of all Canadians – but Justin Trudeau is letting us down. Every cancelled delivery of vaccines, every delay of vaccines, means Canada has to wait longer to turn the corner in this pandemic. It’s another day that businesses are forced to stay shuttered and families are forced to be apart.

“The Liberals need to be honest with Canadians on what they’re doing to secure the vital tools needed today to fight COVID-19 and secure our future.”

Ottawa, ON – Pat Kelly, Conservative Shadow Minister for Small Business and Western Economic Development, and Philip Lawrence, Shadow Minister for National Revenue, released the following statement regarding the passage of the Conservative motion to support small and medium sized businesses:
 
“Today, with the passage of our motion in the House of Commons, Conservatives have secured more help for small and medium sized businesses harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of our efforts, the Trudeau Liberals must pause their punishing audits on small and medium sized businesses until June 2021 and provide additional flexibility in the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, and other programs to support entrepreneurs and workers.
 
“This builds on our Conservative track record of standing up for small and medium sized businesses and making the government’s emergency programs better for Canadians. This includes increasing the wage subsidy from 10 to 75 per cent, advocating for changes to the Liberals’ failed rent subsidy program, and now, postponing the Liberal audits on small and medium sized businesses.
 
“It’s shameful that the Trudeau Liberals failed to support this motion and voted for punitive audits on small and medium sized businesses during the second wave of the pandemic. These community businesses are fighting to keep their doors open, and Justin Trudeau wants to make it harder by sending the tax collector after them. While Justin Trudeau and the Liberals think small businesses are tax cheats – Conservatives know they are the backbone of our economy.
 
“Conservatives understand that there is no Canadian economy without our small and medium sized businesses. It’s as simple as that. Under the leadership of Erin O’Toole, we will continue to stand up for workers and entrepreneurs across Canada and ensure they get the support they need to weather this pandemic.”

OTTAWA, ON – The Hon. Michelle Rempel Garner, Shadow Minister for Health, and Pierre Paul-Hus, Shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement, issued the following statement regarding the Trudeau government’s continued delay in approving new COVID-19 testing options in Canada:
 
“Scientists around the world have always said that easily accessible testing is the key to combating the spread of COVID-19 while helping people live normal lives. Conservatives have been calling for rapid and easily accessible tests since March. However, Justin Trudeau and his Health Minister have repeatedly failed to fight for access to these vital tools for Canadians.
 
“Justin Trudeau’s Health Minister said today that there are no antigen at-home tests in the Canadian review process. This is ridiculous. She should be out actively looking for these types of technologies and proactively getting them into the review process. At a time when every country in the world is proactively trying to acquire and develop these technologies to protect their people, Justin Trudeau’s cabinet is content to say “we’re letting them come to us”.
 
“Also, our allies are winning in this race for supplies. Months ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved similar tests that Justin Trudeau only now is getting around to looking at, after weeks of intense political pressure and parts of the country once again on lockdown.
 
“Today, we still have no clarity on when these types of tests will be widely available to Canadians. We have no delivery or distribution date, even though the tests are in use in other parts of the world. The same rapid point-of-care test that Health Canada is now looking at has been being used by our G7 allies for months. And yet, it still is not approved in Canada. Why has it taken our country so long to get this done? How many schools have had to close because we didn’t have this capability? How many hours were lost as working parents had to stand in line for a test?
 
“The Trudeau government’s complete inaction on testing is unacceptable. We know that testing is a key tool to get our country back to work and fight this pandemic. As Canadians face more lockdowns, Canada’s Conservatives will continue to stand up for Canadians and continue to force the Trudeau Liberals to act. We are getting results, as we saw today. There is much more to be done and we will deliver.”

Ottawa, ON – The Honourable Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and of the Official Opposition, today issued the following statement on the Conservative Opposition Day motion regarding the release of pandemic documents:

“It’s been seven months since the start of the pandemic. And what was the Liberal response? Masks, gloves and gowns from the government’s own reserves sent to China, while health care professionals and first responders here at home were being asked to ration.
 
“And now, we are falling behind our allies in securing future COVID-19 vaccines and in approving rapid tests.  
 
“The Liberal’s response to COVID-19 needs to be reviewed. Canadians deserve a government that will have their backs. A government that will develop our local medical equipment production chain without the worry of Liberal insiders getting rich off taxpayers.
 
“The Liberals have repeatedly attempted to shut down studies of the pandemic response. My colleagues in the Health Committee have been facing obstruction, delays, and manipulation in the midst of a pandemic.
 
“To all Canadians waiting for ventilators to arrive, to all Canadians hoping we’ll get rapid testing, and to all Canadians having lost a loved one to the virus, you deserve answers.
 
“This motion will instruct the Standing Committee on Health to undertake a study focused on:

• Rapid and at home testing approvals and procurement processes to reduce our waiting lines,
• Vaccine development and protocol for its distribution,
• A review of federal public health guidelines and data being used to inform government decisions,
• A review of long-term care facility COVID-19 protocols under federal jurisdiction,
• The availability of PPE in Canada and a review of Canada’s emergency PPE stockpile from 2015 to today.
• The impact of this government’s use of WHO advice to delay closing borders and delay recommending the wearing of masks
• And, importantly, the reasons why and the eventual impact of closing Canada’s early warning system, the GPHIN.

“In bringing this motion forward, we want to offer the government a chance to work with us, better its approach, and act with transparency.
 
“Canadians deserve a government that learns lessons from mistakes and successes so we can prepare better for the future. That is what this motion will accomplish.”
 
The Conservative Opposition Day motion can be found here.

Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Andrew Scheer, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and of the Official Opposition, today announced the Back to Work Bonus, a Conservative proposal to make the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) more flexible and generous.

“Since the pandemic began, Conservatives have been putting forward constructive solutions to help Canadians,” Scheer said. “As provinces reopen, Canadians are optimistic about their futures and anxious to return to work.  They just need a helping hand.”

Under the Conservative plan, Canadians who lost their jobs through no fault of their own during the pandemic will continue to receive their full $2,000 CERB.  In addition, as businesses reopen, workers who make between $1,000 and $5,000 per month would qualify for the Back to Work Bonus, a gradually phased out CERB top-up.

“Conservatives believe it should always pay to work,” said Scheer.  “By making the CERB more flexible and generous, workers will have the support they need to transition back into the workforce.”

Despite a global pandemic, the private sector created almost 330,000 new jobs in May.  This continued private sector growth will be integral to Canada’s economic recovery.  Canada needs to be firing on all cylinders. 

“Conservatives are focused on getting Canadians the help they need.  We know that our economic recovery will be driven by Canadians’ hard work, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Scheer.  “The Back to Work Bonus will help Canadians get ahead.” 

See backgrounder for full policy details.