Canadians are “going nuts” after dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for two years, says a Liberal MP..Blacklock’s Reporter said MPs summoned Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos for questioning this week on pandemic relief, lockdowns and quarantine measures..“This sucks,” said Liberal MP Dr. Marcus Powlowski (Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Ont.)..“I know my family, my kids are in the other room, they’re not at school. Their hockey games were all cancelled, the season is cancelled..“My parents are going nuts in Thunder Bay because it’s 20-below every day and they’re used to being in Mexico for the last 20 years. You know the businesses are suffering, people with mental health problems, overdoses, it goes on and on..“This is an extremely important thing. Let’s try to put partisan politics behind us and work together to shine a light on problems and make some useful suggestions.”.The health committee unanimously approved a Conservative motion to question Duclos as early as Tuesday “to discuss COVID-19 developments including, but not limited to the status of support for provinces to address surge health care resources, current advice regarding quarantine” and other measures..“I have had COVID,” said Conservative MP Luc Berthold (Mégantic-L’Érable, Que.), sponsor of the motion..“Every single member of my family has had it. We are all seeing the effects of the Omicron variant.”.Conservative MP Dr. Stephen Ellis (Cumberland-Colchester, N.S.) blamed Department of Health management for sporadic lockdowns..“All we’ve given provinces is the lockdown mandate,” said Ellis..“There is a failure of federal leadership here in terms of the ability to manage this pandemic. What does that leave? Unfortunately, that leaves the provinces simply with the ability to continue to restrict and lock down Canadians. That is having significant negative impacts.”.“I soundly refute the suggestion the federal government is responsible for lockdowns,” replied Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Ont.), parliamentary secretary for health..“If that were true then there would be lockdowns in a similar way in every single province and territory across the country and it’s just not the case..“The Government of Canada has invested incremental billions to help provinces and territories strengthen their health care systems over the last couple of years, very difficult years.”.A total 2.7 million Canadians are known to have been infected since the outbreak of the pandemic on March 11, 2020. Known deaths number 31,190 excluding “a total of 261 reports with an outcome of death reported following vaccination,” according to the Public Health Agency.
