Liberal MP breaks with Justin Trudeau over COVID-19 vaccinations and restrictions

OTTAWA-A backbench Liberal MP is breaking with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over COVID-19 health restrictions, as the government stands firm in the face of the so-called Freedom Convoy" demonstration that has occupied the streets around Parliament Hill for almost two weeks.

Joel Lightbound, the MP for the Quebec City riding of Louis-Hebert, said Tuesday that governments shouldn't dismiss or demonize the concerns of people who want pandemic health measures to be lifted.

Lightbound also questioned the vaccination requirement for truckers who drive across the border - the regulation that sparked the convoy protests - and said there are quite a few" Liberals who feel uncomfortable with the government's position.

I can't help but notice with regret that both the tone and the policies of my government changed drastically on the eve - and during - the last election campaign," Lightbound told reporters on Parliament Hill, and blamed the Liberals for stoking divisions for political gain.

I fear that this politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public's trust in our public health institutions," he said.

While Lightbound expressed concern with the federal government's policies on pandemic health restrictions, he also called on the convoy demonstrators in Ottawa to leave, and condemned the symbols of hate and presence of far-right extremists in the protests.

At the same time, he said he would not paint all demonstrators with the same brush, and said the concerns voiced by some protesters are legitimate. He cited concerns about the mental health impacts of social isolation on children and seniors, as well as the economic impacts of lockdowns on businesses.

Lightbound also echoed the language of protesters who allege there is segregation" in Canadian society between people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who are not.

Where the hell are we heading here in Canada? I think there lies the frustration," he said, describing what he called public concern about vaccination passports and mandates being normalized."

While Lightbound stopped short of calling for health restrictions to be lifted immediately, he urged the government to provide a clear road map" that includes benchmarks for health measures to be lifted without harming provincial health care systems.

He also said the government should publish the scientific evidence that supports health restrictions, and said it's hard to understand" Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's reluctance to increase federal health transfer payments to the provinces before the end of the pandemic.

Asked why he ran as a Liberal candidate in last summer's election despite his concerns, Lightbound said he is trying to change the government's policies from within.

He said he owes it to his constituents to speak out now, and while he will not leave the Liberal party over his concerns, he is prepared to accept any consequences of airing them.

I want that debate to happen within the Liberal party, within our society at large, and I am hopeful as well that there is room in the Liberal party for dissent," he said.

The Liberal MP has recently shared a number of articles on social media suggesting that lockdown measures are not effective and highlighting countries that have lifted pandemic restrictions and vaccination mandates. Lightbound has also been critical of Quebec Premier Francois Legault's proposed tax on the unvaccinated, which was scrapped earlier this month.

We are not alone! Finally Liberals are breaking ranks with Trudeau and calling for an end to the discriminatory mandates," Alberta Conservative MP Chris Warkentin posted on Facebook.

Asked Tuesday morning about Lightbound's position, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said she understands people are fed up with the pandemic, and that she too is worried about its impact on mental health.

But at the same time, vaccination - that's what has allowed us to get through the pandemic until now," she told reporters in French.

Lightbound, 34, was once seen as a rising star in the Liberal caucus, and received national attention for his response to the murders of six men at a mosque in his riding in 2017. First elected in 2015, he held various parliamentary secretary roles, including for the public safety minister in the last Parliament.

However, he was not appointed to a similar role after the 2021 election. Lightbound now serves on four House committees, including two that he chairs.

Alex Ballingall is an Ottawa-based reporter covering federal politics for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @aballinga

Raisa Patel is an Ottawa-based reporter covering federal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @R_SPatel