Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Bergen was in southern Manitoba last week for a roundtable session.

With parliament reconvening next week, (Nov. 22) Bergen says she wanted to know what some of the top concerns were in order to bring them to Ottawa.

Bergen explains there were a variety of issues. She says she has heard a number of concerns related to how inflation is affecting businesses, but more so about supply chain issues.

"So businesses not getting the parts and equipment and things that they need to do the work and produce what they want to produce. I heard a lot about increased cost when it comes to carbon tax. Over-regulation, that was a real challenge," she adds. "And then labour issues, definitely. Especially in the hotel sector, and hairdressing, it's hard to get people who are ready to come back to work."

The majority of those issues are definitely pandemic related, said Bergen. She said the conversation at the roundtable was emotional, more so than normal. Bergen says her heart goes out to a lot of these businesses, and at the same time her heart goes out to the people who are struggling, who have questions, are frustrated, and where there's anger.

"I know this area is a community that is based on faith, that is based on giving, based on caring for each other, and so I really believe that there is a way out of this, and it's just finding that way, and coming together."

Bergen notes she will be tackling two action items, one will involve forming a discussion group on the topic of water, and how to respond immediately as well as long-term to droughts.

"Secondly, I'm going to be reaching out to some of my provincial counterparts again. I'm going to be talking to MLAs Josh Guenter, Cameron Friesen, I'm going to reach out to the new Premier, (Heather Stefanson) and just reiterate the challenges that are being faced here, need to be taken seriously by the provincial government, and at the federal level."

Bergen says this needs to be done with an attitude that will draw people together, make people feel heard, respected, and supported.