Liberal Dissension

[Industrious1]

Setting himself up for a shot at Trudeau's throne?  Or will he be ousted like other detractors?

 

Interesting times.  

 

 

 

Liberal MP accuses his own government of 'politicized' approach to the pandemic | CBC News Loaded

Politics

Liberal MP accuses his own government of 'politicized' approach to the pandemic

'The tone and the policies of my government have changed drastically,' Quebec MP Joël Lightbound says

 

John Paul Tasker · CBC News · Posted: Feb 08, 2022 12:51 PM ET | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

 

Liberal MP for Louis-Hebert Joel Lightbound speaks about COVID restrictions during a news conference, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

 

Liberal Quebec MP Joël Lightbound says he's uncomfortable with the federal government's handling of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, saying its pandemic response has become "politicized" and "divisive."

Pointing to more than a dozen developed countries that have started to do away with restrictions already, Lightbound said Tuesday it's reasonable to rethink Canada's COVID-19 approach as it becomes increasingly clear that the world will be dealing with this virus for years to come.

 

Lightbound said people who question existing policies should not be "demonized" by their prime minister.

"I can't help but notice with regret that both the tone and the policies of my government have changed drastically since the last election campaign. It went from a more positive approach to one that stigmatizes and divides people," Lightbound said.

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Lightbound said the Liberal government's decision to put vaccines at the centre of the political debate risks undermining public trust in the country's public health institutions.

"It's becoming harder and harder to know when public health stops and where politics begins," he said. "It's time to stop dividing Canadians and pitting one part of the population against another."

WATCH: Liberal MP says he's 'uncomfortable' with politicization of vaccines, pandemic

 

 

Liberal MP says he's 'uncomfortable' with politicization of vaccines, pandemic

6 hours ago

Duration1:50

Liberal MP Joel Lightbound is speaking out against provincial and federal vaccine mandates and COVID-19 policies, many of which were implemented by his party. 1:50

Although he's criticizing the government's approach, Lightbound said he has no desire to leave the Liberal caucus.

Lightbound — a former parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance —  said he hopes his comments will push Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet to "adapt to the changing reality of the pandemic and of the world."

Ottawa must offer a 'roadmap,' MP says

Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill, Lightbound said COVID-19-related restrictions have wreaked havoc for too long and the federal government needs to provide some sort of "roadmap" for lifting pandemic measures, such as the strict limits on travel. He said measures that were reasonable in a previous phase of the pandemic should not be "normalized with no end in sight."

While he didn't call for an immediate end to all public health measures, Lightbound said the federal government should establish "clear and measurable targets" for lifting pandemic measures to offer hope to Canadians tired of living with some of the most restrictive rules in the developed world.

Lightbound said the federal government should heed the advice of experts like Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, and "reassess" pandemic programs like vaccine mandates once the Omicron wave is under control.

 

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam is seen via videoconference as Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos looks on during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic and the omicron variant in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

Last week, Tam said the country needs to find a more "sustainable" way to deal with the pandemic and future variants of the virus.

Lightbound said the country's leaders can't lose sight of just how damaging restrictions like lockdowns have been for many aspects of daily life.

"A population's health, it's kind of like a pie and Omicron is but a slice of that pie. Economic health, social health and mental health must also be accounted for," he said.

The Quebec MP said the government's hard line on the vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers is not based on science. Lightbound said it's become a "wedge" issue designed to score political points against the government's opponents.

Echoing concerns raised by industry groups like the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Council of Canada, Lightbound said the policy is too disruptive to the country's supply chains and pushes up the price of goods.

Prime Minister Trudeau has strongly defended the policy, saying a wave of COVID-19 cases is doing more to disrupt Canada's supply chains than any vaccine mandate could.

 

People stand in the Ottawa anti-pandemic rule protest 'red zone' in front of Parliament Hill on Feb. 8, 2022. (Simon Lasalle/Radio-Canada)

While he questioned the usefulness of the vaccine mandate, Lightbound condemned the ongoing demonstration in Ottawa.

"I have absolutely no sympathy for them," he said of the convoy. "It's time to stop the occupation. It's time for truckers to leave."

Lightbound also said the federal government should immediately enter discussions with the provinces and territories about increasing the Canada Health Transfer. He said Ottawa should focus its financial firepower on the root cause of lockdowns and restrictions: the country's limited hospital capacity.

Edited February 9, 2022 by Industrious1

[NewbieCanuckFan]

"Lightbound said he has no desire to leave the Liberal caucus."

 

eg., he wants to have it both ways (freeload off taxpayers).

[Warhippy]

This is and has already been discussed in the election thread.

 

Politicians are beholden to their constituents, NOT their party.

 

Something. both big 2 in canada should do well to remember.

[Industrious1]

20 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

This is and has already been discussed in the election thread.

 

Politicians are beholden to their constituents, NOT their party.

 

Something. both big 2 in canada should do well to remember.

A link was posted in the election thread.

 

This is something that I feel warrants its own discussion for those wishing to participate.  Mods can be the final arbiter, of course.  

[Bure_Pavel]

"A population's health, it's kind of like a pie and Omicron is but a slice of that pie. Economic health, social health and mental health must also be accounted for," he said.

 

I think other issues have taken a back seat to Covid and a lot of them have been generally ignored, as Covid has dominated the headlines of the news for the past two years. 

 

I think the biggest issue that has fallen to the way side is the careless printing of money and pumping it into the money markets. I get helping the economy and stock market through a tough time, but the TSX is up 20% from its high prior to the pandemic. They have printed about 400 Billion dollars in the last two years, which is absolutely ridiculous and puts the country at risk of hyper inflation.   

Edited February 9, 2022 by Bure_Pavel

[Warhippy]

4 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

"A population's health, it's kind of like a pie and Omicron is but a slice of that pie. Economic health, social health and mental health must also be accounted for," he said.

 

I think other issues have taken a back seat to Covid and a lot of them have been generally ignored, as Covid has dominated the headlines of the news for the past two years. 

 

I think the biggest issue that has fallen to the way side is the careless printing of money and pumping it into the money markets. I get helping the economy and stock market through a tough time, but the TSX is up 20% from its high prior to the pandemic. They have printed about 400 Billion dollars in the last two years, which is absolutely ridiculous and puts the country at risk of hyper inflation.   

Go further back.  2008 to present.

 

It's not something that JUST started being an issue magically in the last 18 months

[Warhippy]

10 minutes ago, Industrious1 said:

A link was posted in the election thread.

 

This is something that I feel warrants its own discussion for those wishing to participate.  Mods can be the final arbiter, of course.  

I feel while it is a good thing for MPs to make their own decisions, and crucial to the health of our democracy, this will get lost in the shuffle unfortunately.

[Master Mind]

Quote

"It's becoming harder and harder to know when public health stops and where politics begins," he said. "It's time to stop dividing Canadians and pitting one part of the population against another."

Well said.

[Alflives]

3 minutes ago, Master Mind said:

Well said.

Na.  There’s a small group of antivaxxers who are foolish, cowardly, and selfish.  Those people are a serious problem.  It’s  not political.  

[Industrious1]

4 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I feel while it is a good thing for MPs to make their own decisions, and crucial to the health of our democracy, this will get lost in the shuffle unfortunately.

Are you referring to this thread (which you may be right, certainly) ?

 

Or are you referring to this politicians newly represented stance on this issue?  Because I do not think this will be going away.  

[Master Mind]

1 minute ago, Alflives said:

Na.  There’s a small group of antivaxxers who are foolish, cowardly, and selfish.  Those people are a serious problem.  It’s  not political.  

You're doing exactly what he said we need to stop doing.

[Warhippy]

Just now, Industrious1 said:

Are you referring to this thread (which you may be right, certainly) ?

 

Or are you referring to this politicians newly represented stance on this issue?  Because I do not think this will be going away.  

I actually had intended this thread, but I actually believe it applies to the political aspect of it as well.  He hasn't exactly broken ranks or left the party at all.  It's kind of aslim grasp for te opposition to try to glom on to.

[Western Red]

I think the 'dissenter' raises good points. There is terrible division going on right now and it's the opposite of constructive.

 

Left or right, it shouldn't be the death knell of a friendship or again, hours of wasted time online.

 

I was initially receptive to the Truckers stance, but upon learning more, the foreign interest and the actual type of people that come out of the woodwork for stuff like this made it distasteful and certainly not representing of unity in Canada. 

[Western Red]

3 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Na.  There’s a small group of antivaxxers who are foolish, cowardly, and selfish.  Those people are a serious problem.  It’s  not political.  

This is what we need less of Alf.

[Industrious1]

3 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I actually had intended this thread, but I actually believe it applies to the political aspect of it as well.  He hasn't exactly broken ranks or left the party at all.  It's kind of aslim grasp for te opposition to try to glom on to.

I see.

 

Do you believe our Prime Minister will tolerate him breaking ranks?  History would tell us no, but then that is most parties and most leaders in the modern era.  I certainly wouldn't wish for a rival to be sitting across me...even of the same political spectrum.  

[Bure_Pavel]

26 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

Go further back.  2008 to present.

 

It's not something that JUST started being an issue magically in the last 18 months

The Canadian government has never printed money at a rate it has these past two years. 

 

 

 

 

There are not strong rules in place that prevent lawmakers from profiting from these actions as well. 

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by Bure_Pavel

[King Heffy]

I'd argue the party siding with domestic terrorists is doing more to cause division and bring politics into this, but that's just me.

[Warhippy]

42 minutes ago, Industrious1 said:

I see.

 

Do you believe our Prime Minister will tolerate him breaking ranks?  History would tell us no, but then that is most parties and most leaders in the modern era.  I certainly wouldn't wish for a rival to be sitting across me...even of the same political spectrum.  

History says no.

 

But then this has not been anything but historical the last few years.  It's a minority government so censure if the mp is also not likely at all

 

The mp in question would lose his seat if he sat as an independent or crossed the aisle, this will be a much ignored incident in the house

 

 

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

I'd argue the party siding with domestic terrorists is doing more to cause division and bring politics into this, but that's just me.

Didn’t we just have an election, and the losers lost Big?  Now the LOSERS of the election are WHINING.  Maybe these LOSERS of the election should accept LOSING?  

[Industrious1]

5 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

History says no.

 

But then this has not been anything but historical the last few years.  It's a minority government so censure if the mp is also not likely at all

 

The mp in question would lose his seat if he sat as an independent or crossed the aisle, this will be a much ignored incident in the house

 

 

Time will tell.  Political pressure is mounting, I'm not sure the Prime Minister can afford to have this 'situation' sitting with his aforementioned friends in the backbenches.  

 

Although at the same time, party infighting at this particular moment would also be ill-advised.  Look at what this has done to the conservatives...not pretty.   

Edited February 9, 2022 by Industrious1