STATEMENT: Suspension of Parliament a disservice to Canadians

May 28, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EDMONTON, AB – Matt Jeneroux, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Riverbend and Shadow Minister for Health, issues the following statement about the agreement between the Liberal Party and NDP that has blocked a full return of Parliament:

“This agreement essentially pares down the Parliamentary accountability Canadians expect from their elected representatives. While there will be some virtual meetings and in-person meeting days with a limited number of Members of Parliament, the scope of questions and scrutiny of legislation will be limited. The government has refused to allow Opposition Days, requests for Emergency Debates, the debate of Private Members’ Bills, the order of the publication of government documents or debating and voting on committee reports.

“Canadians are all getting back to normal and they expect their elected representatives to do the same. I have long been calling for the full return of Parliament in a safe and responsible way that respects public health guidelines. Parliament is an essential service, especially as we navigate through the uncharted territory caused by COVID-19. The Liberals have announced hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending but are refusing to provide an economic update or to be transparent with Canadians. Taxpayers deserve to know how the government is spending their money and, in a crisis, oversight is more important than ever.”

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