| Member of Parliament — Deputy Opposition Whip

Daily Update from Barrie-Innisfil MP John Brassard Coronavirus (COVID-19)

For Immediate Release April 19 – Barrie-Innisfil MP John Brassard and Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin will host an interactive telephone town hall meeting on Monday, April 20 at 7:10 p.m.

Residents from across the riding will receive phone calls at 7:10 p.m., and be invited to stay on the line to enter the town hall and speak with Brassard and Khanjin, ask questions and share their concerns about the provincial and federal governments' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is our first ever Barrie-Innisfil Interactive Telephone Town Hall meeting and MP Khanjin and I believe it will be a great opportunity for us to connect with our community, hear questions and concerns and provide updates on the crisis and how both levels of government have responded,” Brassard said. “This is just one more way for our constituents to reach us and stay connected during this difficult time.”

Brassard will be in the House of Commons on Monday. All parties continued negotiating Sunday evening, to determine the format and schedule for Parliament to resume sitting. Except for two single-day sessions to pass emergency aid bills, MPs have been adjourned since mid-March.

“While a virtual parliament structure could be up and running within a few weeks, Canadians need us to be at work now,” Brassard said. “We can’t wait any longer and the Prime Minister’s reluctance to be in the House of Commons to answer questions from opposition MPs is unreasonable.

“Especially in times of crisis, I believe Parliament is an essential service and, just like millions of Canadians who continue going to work at their essential jobs each day, MPs need to be at work for them.” The Standing Committee on House Procedures will continue working to solve technical issues associated with virtual sessions, including connectivity which creates serious challenges for MPs representing rural and remote ridings across the country.

“It’s clear that we must have regular accountability sessions in the House of Commons in order to scrutinize legislation and ensure Canadians are getting the best possible results. We saw the benefit of the two emergency sessions, where Opposition parties asked tough questions, put forward the feedback we have heard from our ridings and, ultimately, improved the programs Canadians are now relying on,” Brassard said. Health guidelines including physical distancing will be respected by MPs in the House and a significantly reduced number of staff will be onsite.

Ontario reported 568 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, a 5.7 per cent daily increase. Testing rates are also higher than ever with 9,643 tests completed in a 24-hour period.

On Sunday MP Brassard:

● Participated in a conference call with some members of the Conservative caucus. ● Participated in an evening video-conference call with the National Caucus of the Conservative Party of Canada.

To view previous COVID-19 updates from MP Brassard, visit JohnBrassard.com.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, use the Government of Canada self assessment tool or call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 for advice.

Visit JohnBrassard.com for the latest information on the pandemic and government announcements. Barrie-Innisfil residents needing assistance can call 705-726-5959, email [email protected] or contact Brassard’s staff through social media @JohnBrassardCPC.