West Nova Conservative MP Chris d'Entremont addresses the House of Commons on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Image from https://www.ourcommons.ca/.
The Member of Parliament for West Nova says the virtual aspect of the most recent parliamentary session was difficult.
Conservative Chris d’Entremont says meetings over Zoom didn’t give him the same opportunity to represent the riding, and he found things were moving slowly.
He says big items like the budget, and Bills C-6 and C-10 were brought forward last minute by the Liberals.
“They could have dealt it like they were actually part of a minority government, and worked with the opposition to get things passed. I found it very haphazard and very difficult, because you weren’t necessarily there in person,” said d’Entremont.
He says good things did happen, including many private member bills being passed.
d’Entremont helped amend a bill on a national strategy for diabetes, making sure those with the illness receive the disability tax credit.
He says the will of parliament persevered, despite a government that was finding its way through legislating in a pandemic.
“Maybe the Prime Minister doesn’t like not having his agenda run through, but we were able to do some great things as private members in the House of Commons.”
As far as the lobster fishing dispute in St. Mary’s Bay, d’Entremont says in normal times, he’d be able to have more face-to-face conversations with Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan on the issue, to bring the feelings of his constituents to the discussion.
Parliament will sit again on September 20th.
