A Liberal MP is speaking out against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial governments’ pandemic policies, and politicians’ handling of the ongoing trucker convoy protests.

Joel Lightbound, the Louis-Hébert, Que. MP, held a press conference on Parliament Hill on Tuesday morning saying that he thinks those concerned about COVID-19 policies have “legitimate concerns” that should not be dismissed.

Citing the impact on Canadians’ mental health, families becoming divided, and people losing their jobs over decisions to not to get vaccinated, Lightbound said he thinks political leaders are “unwilling to adapt.”

“I've heard from hundreds of constituents and citizens who took the time to reach out to me these past weeks, folks who have nothing to do with these demonstrations, who are for the most part vaccinated, who have done everything as they should these last two years,” Lightbound said.

He thinks political leaders have failed at explaining to Canadians their rationale for continued public health measures, citing the vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers as the latest example.

“I fear that this politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public's trust in our public health institutions. This is not a risk we ought to be taking lightly,” Lightbound said.

He is calling for a clear roadmap from governments on how and when restrictions will be lifted, pointing to other countries and suggesting that Canadians “are left wondering where the hell are we heading?”

“Some seem to forget that isolation is felt differently. Not everyone can still earn money using their MacBook while at the cottage. Some are suffering in silence and feel like they're not heard,” Lightbound said in the French portion of his remarks.

He said he agrees with the federal government’s position that it’s time for the trucker convoy to move along, but disagrees with what he feels is the prime minister’s generalizing about what those who are taking part in the protests concerns are.

“It is time to stop dividing people, to stop pitting one part of the population against another,” he said.

Lightbound’s remarks echo some of the concerns raised by Conservative MPs during an emergency debate on the convoy on Monday night.

“We have heard so much trauma from our constituents. If there's any member in this House that does not believe Canadians have been through trauma these past two years, they clearly have not been doing their job and listening to their constituents,” said Kildonan-St. Paul, Man. Conservative MP Raquel Dancho during the debate.

“I don't really see what's going on across the country is all that surprising to me. It seems like an eruption of something that's been simmering… for two long years, and governments have not been listening,” Dancho said.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberal-mp-decries-politicization-of-pandemic-questions-federal-policies-1.5772722