MP Ron McKinnon Provides an Update to the Local Pandemic Response.

Nancy Furness and Brad Nickason interview Ron McKinnon, MP for Coquitlam - Port Coquitlam to get a November COVID 19 Update, and find out more about the duties of the office and some of the priorities Mr. McKinnon feels still need to be addressed.

Canada is well into it's second wave of COVID 19 that has only increased now that Canadians inevitably find themselves at greater risk of exposure as they seek warmer confines to shelter form winter conditions outdoors.

Above all else it is important that we take no more chances of exposure than are necessary and stay the course. COVID fatigue seems to be setting in. The problem seems to be that people have different priorities with schools, restaurants, bars, and gyms still allowed operate ( albeit with COVID restrictions ), some churches are holding services against the orders that are currently in place, and there seems to be some ambiguity around indoor / outdoor sports. None the less, we must all do our best to wear masks when we do go out, wash our hands when exposed, and do what ever we can to keep our healthcare system from being overwhelmed.

The federal government has agreements in place with all of the top seven leading vaccine manufactures some of which are in the 3rd stage of testing and should be approved for distribution sometime in December. There are concerns around distribution; there may be special needs such as maintaining extremely low temperature, establishment of priorities as it can't be made available to everyone all at once and may requite more than one inoculation.

With regard to the federal governments response to COVID 19, programs are being adapted as we learn more about how the virus operates and as they learn more about where the needs are. Ron feels that most of their response is focused on the individual in that they are focusing on maintaining businesses so that people still have a means of supporting themselves. Of the over 3 million jobs lost in the first wave of the pandemic, almost 2 million people have returned to work.

While the damage to our economy and staggering numbers of those lost or hospitalized are as yet untold, Mr. Mckinnon feels that thee may be some positive ramifications of the epidemic. The advent of the telecommuter, Canada becoming more self sufficient, and even the opportunity to reconsider our priorities before we consider how we should rebuild.

Apart from dealing with the epidemic and it's impact upon our economy, Ron feels that we need to do more with regards to housing affordability, address the global threat of climate change, reducing the impact of the Opioid crisis, and saving our fisheries that are on the verge of collapse.