By Parry-Sound Muskoka MP Scott Aitchison
When I was originally asked by Doppler to submit a regular ‘Member of Parliament Report’, I was excited to participate. I knew that the Huntsville Forester used to publish a regular report from both the MP and the MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, so I looked through the online Forester archives to get a sense of what they shared for inspiration from the likes of Stan Darling and Frank Miller.
That was prior to COVID-19 and the dramatic temporary changes it has caused to all our lives.
Just like so many citizens of Canada, I am physically distancing by working from home and only going out rarely to pick up necessities. My days consist of responding to emails, answering social media direct messages questions, returning phone calls, joining frequent conference calls, and participating in frequent online Zoom meetings with my caucus colleagues.
Although my offices in the riding are not able to accommodate walk-ins right now, my staff are all working full-time too. They have been answering emails, returning phone calls, and working to provide the most up-to-date information we can get from the federal government. My staff have also assisted dozens of people from Parry Sound-Muskoka get home from the far-flung corners of the world. My constituency manager Kirsten Baker quipped, “If this politics thing doesn’t work out, I would be one hell of a travel agent!”
I am immensely proud of my entire team and the work they are doing under these extraordinary circumstances. We may not have all the answers, but we will never stop working for everyone in the riding and I will continue to advocate for the people and businesses of Parry Sound-Muskoka.
While I am no fan of the current federal government, I must admit that under these unique circumstances they have been working endlessly in their efforts to support all Canadians through this health crisis and resulting financial crisis. Their response has not been perfect, and one could hardly expect perfection in such unprecedented times.
There is no question that I am new to this job and I am still learning, but this situation validates why Parliament and the role of MPs and the Official Opposition is so important. I have never been an ardent partisan and I was frequently disappointed in my early days sitting in Question Period witnessing the behaviour of MPs on both sides heckling each other and how quickly dignified debate could dissolve into personal attacks.
The Official Opposition and our Shadow Critics have been working just as hard as Cabinet Ministers to ensure that the government fills the gaps in the program offerings, and to propose new ideas to support all Canadians. When I hear the specific challenges of small businesses in Parry Sound-Muskoka, I share those challenges and their suggested solutions with our team who then share with the Cabinet Ministers and the special Cabinet Committee making decisions.
For the most part, all of this has been occurring behind the scenes without fanfare or nasty partisan jabs. The government, to their credit, have adopted many suggestions from the Conservatives and other parties. They all continue to work together to support as many Canadians as possible.
I am proud of the team I am part of and honoured to play my role in this massive national effort.
Just like everyone else, I am tired of being isolated and working from home. I am eager to get back to Parliament. I am eager to be out meeting in person with people all over Parry Sound-Muskoka to hear their concerns, celebrate their successes and champion their causes.
I frequently remind myself of the old Persian adage made famous in our culture by President Abraham Lincoln that ‘this too shall pass’. We will get past this pandemic and start the rebuilding process.
As that rebuilding process begins, we must ensure that we are better prepared in the likely event that another pandemic sweeps across the globe again. We must ensure that the financial security of Canadians is restored, and the treasuries of the federal, provincial and municipal governments are not just restored, but more resilient than ever before. The Official Opposition will play a crucially important role in that process and I promise to be a vocal part of this nation-building effort.
In search of inspiration I turned to the stirring words of Sir Wilfrid Laurier in his address at Massey Hall on October 14, 1904 where he implored the gathered crowd with the words, “…I have no right to speak to you; I am simply a Canadian like yourselves, coming from another province, but trying my best to unite our common people. Men of Toronto I ask you—and this is the prayer I want to convey to you—I simply ask you to forever sink the petty differences which have divided you in the past and unite with us and take your share of the grand future which lies before us. I give that prayer to you.”
I know that when we work together, we can accomplish tremendous results and so I implore all Canadians to imagine a stronger, healthier, more resilient and prosperous Canada.
Laurier’s fervent zeal for Canada in 1904 helped create what we know today as the greatest country in the world. When I am feeling frustrated by the realities of today, I think of Laurier and imagine what together our collective ambition can mean for our future.
I look forward to hearing your ideas. I look forward to impassioned debate of ideas in Parliament once again.
I look forward and I pray you do as well.
(Photo of Parliament Hill by festivio on Pixabay)
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Nancy Osborne says
Such a good article. We are challenged to come together and work together in ways that most of us have never experienced. Thank you for your leadership in this Scott!
Henk Rietveld says
Well said, Scott. We ALL need to work together to get through this mess. Keep up the partisan-less great work that all our elected members are doing. It’s not formally a “union government”, but it’s darn close. Thank you.
Bob Stone says
Thanks for working collaboratively for us Scott. I hope the federal government on both sides of the house are considering a Universal Basic Income. This seems like the perfect time to implement it.
Ray Vowels says
All I can think about is the massive effort it took from not just all Canadians but the whole world to rebuild after the second world war. with all the factories having to retool and start to once again to manufacture things for the general public. While what we are going to have to do to rebuild will be different this time it will still take the same determination and effort that it did back in 1945 . There is not very many of us left that even remember a fraction of what was done back then. But if we work together and do the things we are told to do we will get though this tough time just as we have always done.
Beverly Belanger says
You’re absolutely right, Bob.
James copland says
Dear Scott, excellent artical!
Can you please advicate for the German model of covid19 testing. Their death toll is lowest in the world. This is a major factor in their success.
Thanks
Rob Millman says
Good letter, Scott! I just have two small items that come to mind:
1) being better prepared won’t apply to a NEW pandemic; it will apply to the second spike of Covid-19; and
2) unfortunately, the good corporate citizens (who have repurposed their plants to produce masks, face shields, ventilators, etc.) will be hampered time-wise to revert to normal production.
It is to be hoped that the government steps in with financial assistance.
Jim Simpson says
German Deaths as of April 10th, 8.12 am was 2,607. Canada 557 deaths ?
We should perhaps look to China given their # of deaths relative to population #s
Don Clement says
A balanced article, and interesting that you quote Laurier. Amongst greetings in the world, (“This too shall pass”) there is also “It doesn’t matter”, as in the daily tribulations are small, compared to the big picture. Small comfort, really, for those grieving loved ones. We are all, actually, in varying stages of denial and grief re the decline of the natural world, and this latest hiccup in the economy is small potatoes compared to what is coming. Much sooner than was predicted. In our children’s lifetimes. That is what we must prepare for.