October 19, 2020

The Liberals failed to prepare Canada for a second wave

Across the country, businesses are shutting down again and thousands more cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.

A second wave was expected this fall.

So why weren’t the Liberals better prepared for it?

Their failure to develop a rapid COVID-19 testing regime is case in point.

Scores of countries have rapid testing available, some with results in as little as 15 minutes.

That means people can quickly determine if they have COVID-19 and act accordingly.

This would make it easier for parents, businesses and everyday people. 

But not here in Canada. 

Here in Canada it can take hours if not days to get tested. And it takes even longer to get the results.

That’s unacceptable. 

The failure on rapid testing capacity is just the latest of a string of failures the Liberals have made throughout this pandemic. 

From shutting down the pandemic early warning program in 2019, waiting weeks to close our borders to COVID-19 hotspots and being too reliant on the World Health Organization, the Liberals have repeatedly made serious errors.

That’s why we Conservatives are committed to using the Parliamentary Health Committee to study Canada’s response and ensure Canadians get answers and the best results possible. 

Yet, the Liberals are refusing to hold a study. Just as in the WE Charity scandal, the Liberals want to keep Canadians in the dark about their decisions. 

Our democracy can’t operate that way.

Official Opposition Conservatives are going to continue to demand answers and protect the interests of Canadians. 

Watch the video below of my friend and colleague Michelle Rempel Garner fighting to bring secret COVID-19 documents to light.

The Liberals are covering up the WE Charity scandal 

By JOAN BRYDEN
The Canadian Press

Two House of Commons committee meetings dragged on for hours Thursday as Liberal MPs continued to filibuster opposition efforts to reopen their investigations into the WE Charity affair.

The finance committee spent 11 hours debating amendments to a Conservative motion denouncing redactions to roughly 5,000 pages of documents released by the government in August — just as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament, shutting down four separate committee investigations into the affair.

The ethics committee met for 10 hours, discussing a Conservative motion calling on Speakers’ Spotlight, the agency that arranged speaking engagements for Trudeau’s wife, mother and brother at WE events, to hand over 12 years of receipts for the trio’s paid appearances.

Both finished talking for the day without resolution, when Bloc Quebecois MPs joined Liberals in voting to pause.

WE Charity, which was to have been paid $43.5 million to manage a now-defunct federal student volunteering program, has already disclosed that it paid Margaret and Alexandre Trudeau more than $350,000 over the years.

Trudeau’s wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, was paid a one-time fee of $1,400 for an event in 2012, before her husband became prime minister.

(Read the full article by Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press here) 

Pleased to attend the opening of our local Veterans Association Food Bank

Kudos to organizers and donors. They’re going to do a lot of good here in Edmonton. 

Happy to deliver school supplies to St. Alphonsus School

Each year TELUS donates thousands of backpacks containing school supplies to worthy kids nationwide.

This year I was happy to donate several kits to St. Alphonsus Elementary/Jr. High School where I met principal Krista MacGregor. 

You have to love the impressive mural at the school’s entrance!

I’ve signed a joint statement in support of civil rights in Hong Kong and China

We, the undersigned, call upon the Government of Canada to take action in light of the mass arrests and assault on civil rights following the unilateral imposition of the new National Security Law in Hong Kong. Many in Hong Kong fear they will face the same fate as the student protesters in Tiananmen Square, defenders’ lawyers, and millions of interned Uyghurs, Tibetans, and faith groups whose rights of free expression and worship are denied.

We urge the Government of Canada to offer a “Safe Harbour Program” with an expedited process to grant protection and permanent residency status to Hong Kongers at risk of political persecution under the National Security Law, including international students and expatriate workers who have been involved in protest actions in Canada.

Furthermore, Canada must invoke the Sergei Magnitsky Law to sanction Chinese and Hong Kong officials who instituted the National Security Law, as well as other acts violating human rights; and to ban them and their immediate family members from Canada and freeze their Canadian assets.

Canada needs to work closely with international allies with shared values to institute a strong policy toward China. It is time for Canada to take meaningful action to show leadership on the world stage.

 

 

 

Last week’s straw poll results 

Last week I asked folks if they were planning on giving out candy or trick-or-treating (while following Alberta Public Health recommendations) this year. 

It was a close vote but a slim majority said they weren’t going to trick-or-treat or give out candy. 

A big thanks to everyone who took part in the survey.

Whatever you decide to do this Halloween please do it safely. 

 

Have your say

Liberal MPs are currently filibustering the Ethics Committee to prevent a vote on bringing forward WE Charity documents. 

Why do you think Liberal MPs want to keep these documents secret?

Have your say in my new unofficial poll. I’ll publish the results in next week’s e-newsletter.

 

 

 

 

 

Latest news on COVID-19 

 

You can find up-to-date information from Alberta Public Health or the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

Alberta Public Health can also be reached by phone at 811.

 

Benefits available for Canadians

There are programs available to help you and your family. 

 

 

 

In the news

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I want to hear from you 

I’m always eager to hear from you. Do you have beefs? Bouquets? Suggestions?

Drop me a note at my e-mail address.

Please note our local Edmonton constituency office is currently still open to serve you but it’s by appointment only. We simply ask that you call ahead to book an appointment.

Call or e-mail us and we’ll be happy to serve you.

Thanks so much. Stay healthy!

E-mail:
[email protected]

Phone:
(780) 495-3261

Mail (postage free): 
Kerry Diotte, MP 
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6


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