National Post (National Edition)
SCHEER WANTS PARLIAMENT TO HAVE ‘CRITICAL’ OVERSIGHT.
Oversight of COVID-19 responses
OTTAWA • Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer again urged the Liberal government to reconvene Parliament on a limited basis in coming weeks, saying it would provide “critical” oversight as Ottawa rolls out its sweeping response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His comments come as the deadline approaches to set the conditions of the spring session, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to follow through on historic measures to try to lessen the economic fallout from COVID-19. Scheer, along with the NDP, has repeatedly called on Ottawa to reconvene Parliament with a limited number of MPs in order to maintain social distancing while also holding the Liberal minority government accountable.
“Members of Parliament can meet in a responsible manner while respecting public health advice,” Scheer told reporters on Tuesday.
All 338 members of Parliament are currently scheduled to return to the House of Commons on Monday. The Liberals have instead floated the idea of a virtual sitting of Parliament, which could take as long as a month to organize.
Opposition members say such a delay would miss a crucial window for much-needed government oversight. Scheer on Tuesday said in-person House proceedings are crucial to keep the government in check, particularly as it assumes expanded powers in order to address the economic crisis. Many developed countries, including the U.K., have maintained legislative proceedings on a limited basis, and Canada has twice temporarily reconvened Parliament to pass bills.
In-person meetings in the House of Commons have “already allowed opposition parties to debate, discuss, question and ultimately improve government legislation,” Scheer said, calling the debates an “essential part of our democratic process.”
Bill C-13, which enacted the majority of Ottawa’s fiscal measures, was widely panned by the opposition as a “power grab” that granted Finance Minister Bill Morneau almost unlimited authority to tax, spend and loan money until the end of 2021.
NDP and Conservative members managed to tweak Bill C-13 and narrow the window of extended legislative powers from 21 months down to six. Parliament passed the bill in late March.
Opposition members say the legislation is just one example of why government is in particular need of oversight during the pandemic.
An official in the office of Liberal House leader Pablo Rodriguez said discussions were ongoing about whether Parliament will sit on a reduced basis in coming weeks. “In regards to House sittings, the Speaker clearly said that his team is working towards the goal of making virtual sittings of the House possible within three weeks," Rodriguez’s spokesman, Simon Ross, said in an emailed statement. "We will continue to work collaboratively with other parties on this issue because that’s what Canadians are expecting all of us to do.”
A spokesperson for opposition House leader Candice Bergen did not respond to a request for comment.
As of late Tuesday afternoon the parties had not agreed on conditions for Parliamentary proceedings, which will need consent from all parties.
Scheer said the Liberals’ response to the COVID-19 crisis has been tardy, underscoring why they should be forced to face questions from opposition MPs.
“Canadians are greatly concerned by the present situation,” he said. “New government documents and security reports paint a concerning picture about how the government reacted to the pandemic in the early days, and its lack of preparedness.”
A recent CBC report said a small intelligence unit within the Canadian military had provided detailed warnings to government in early January about potential fallout from COVID-19 spread. Another report in the Globe and Mail said that Ottawa had shipped 16 tonnes of face shields, masks, goggles, gloves and other protective equipment to China in February, only to face a critical shortage in March.
“Our borders remained open, even as other countries closed theirs to protect the health and safety of their citizens,” Scheer said. “Instead of stockpiling medical supplies, this government sent thousands of masks, gloves and other critical equipment overseas. Canadians were repeatedly told that the public health risk was low. Strict public health measures were brought in just a few days later.”
The Liberal government has introduced a string of historic measures since late March aimed at combating the economic fallout from the virus, including a $73-billion wage subsidy program.
The initiative has been roundly supported by business groups, who had been calling for supports that would keep more Canadians employed. But some executives worry that the money could arrive too late, after Morneau acknowledged that an online portal for applications could take as long as six weeks to establish.
The subsidy will cover up to 75 per cent of payroll for companies that can prove they have lost a certain level of revenues due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The program is the single-largest expense in a policy response that is expected to push the federal deficit up to $184 billion in 2021, according to the latest estimates. That would easily surpass the previous deficit record of $56 billion, set by prime minister Stephen Harper following the 2008 financial crisis.