Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and the Leader of the Official Opposition, issued the following statement on the loss of 207,000 Canadian jobs in April due to Justin Trudeau’s third wave:
 
“Today’s job numbers are a massive letdown for the 200,000 Canadians who have lost their job as a result of Justin Trudeau’s third wave.
 
“For months, as provinces pleaded for more vaccines, Justin Trudeau categorically failed to keep COVID variants out of Canada, failed to keep our border under control, and failed to secure vaccine supply in January and February.
 
“This is what Justin Trudeau’s third wave looks like. It means thousands of job losses in sectors like retail (-84,000); accommodation and food services (-59,000); and information, culture and recreation (-26,000), and very real consequences for Canadians.
 
“In countries like the U.S. and the U.K., cases and hospitalizations are dropping. Businesses are opening, restaurant patios are busy, and fans are returning to watch in-person sporting events. This morning we learned that the U.S. gained 266,000 jobs in April as their economy reopens. This is happening because their populations are vaccinated.
 
“These job losses were avoidable, and Canadians will continue to feel letdown as long as Justin Trudeau is left in charge of our economy.
 
“To secure the Canadian economy, Canada’s Conservatives will implement Canada’s Recovery Plan that will recover the million jobs lost in the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic, helping those who have suffered the most, including women and young people.”