Waterloo MP Bardish Chagger says 'temperature's been high' as people face uncertainty

Waterloo MP Bardish Chagger says she spent a lot of her summer listening.

"People are anxious, people are facing a lot of challenges. There is still a lot of uncertainty," Chagger said in an interview with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's Craig Norris, host of The Morning Edition.

"The temperature's been high," she said, noting she and her staff are getting many phone calls and emails from people, some upset if they perceive a delayed response.

Chagger, who has previously served in cabinet but is not currently a cabinet minister, says she plans to do her best to take those concerns back to Ottawa when the House of Commons begins sitting again. Right now, that's scheduled for Sept. 19, but that may change due to the death of the Queen.

WATCH | MP Bardish Chagger answers questions about not receiving a cabinet appointment after the 2021 federal election:

Chagger says she's heard many different concerns over the summer. People are anxious about their children, their return to work, the pandemic and affordability.

"People are concerned about the future, whether it's the environment, whether it's purchasing a house," she said.

"People are concerned about our friends on the streets and how they get a safe and affordable place to call home. People are concerned about substance use issues and mental health."

Chagger says the pandemic provided a lesson on how the three levels of government — federal, provincial and municipal — can work together. She wants to "continue building relationships across levels of government."

"We need to do that to deliver for the people who we are serving," she said.

LISTEN | MP Bardish Chagger's full interview: