Senator Plett: Minister, yesterday your colleague MP Lightbound said:

. . . it’s time to stop dividing Canadians, to stop pitting one part of the population against another. I can’t help but notice with regret that both tone and the policies of my government changed drastically on the eve and during the last election campaign. From a positive and unifying approach, a decision was made to wedge, to divide and to stigmatize.

Your colleague, minister — your own Liberal colleague — said the Trudeau government’s politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public’s trust in public health institutions. He said this is not a risk we ought to be taking lightly.

There is a difference between being responsive and being responsible, minister. Will your government — and especially the Prime Minister — be responsible and stop driving wedges between Canadians? Will you work to unite us instead of dividing and demonizing Canadians?

Let me briefly mention that in Canada compared to many other countries in the world — certainly compared to our southern neighbour — we have done much better in terms of economic growth and jobs. We have recuperated and surpassed all of the jobs lost during the pandemic. The United States still has a significant deficit in that respect.

We also understand that there is much fatigue, including among members of Parliament. I myself receive tons of messages every day, as well as calls from people who are tired of the situation. However, we are united. Canadians have never been more united. Now that 91% of adults have been vaccinated; 91% of Canadians have made the right choice, which is to protect themselves and to protect those they love by being vaccinated. We know that vaccination is the key to exiting from this crisis, and that’s why we’re so proud of the work of health care workers. We’re so grateful for that work and so proud of the efforts that Canadians have made going through this crisis in support of each other.

[Translation]

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Welcome, minister. Yesterday morning, a fellow Liberal MP of yours from Quebec Joël Lightbound held a press conference, during which he said:

. . . I believe the government should provide quickly a roadmap with clear and measurable targets to lift all restrictions within its purview.

Conservatives have been saying this same thing for months. He said about the vaccine requirement for truckers:

This is a policy that now goes against the World Health Organization’s recommendation and for which no epidemiological studies and projections have been provided.

Today, Liberal MP Robillard echoed Mr. Lightbound’s comments, saying that many of his colleagues agreed.

Minister, he says you aren’t being responsive enough to adapt to the changing reality of the pandemic. Will you listen, minister — finally listen — to this advice and change course?