Portage-Lisgar MP and deputy leader of the Conservative Party, Candice Bergen, says despite the challenges COVID-19 brought about this year, her party was able to keep government spending in check while also forging ahead with new leadership.

The Conservative Party elected Erin O'Toole to succeed Andrew Sheer as the party's official leader, while Bergen was named as deputy leader - serving as O'Toole's right-hand woman.

"That is a whole new level of responsibility," notes Bergen. "It's been an honour and a privilege, and it means being there when the leader can't be there, whether it's in the House of Commons, whether it's with the media. I also play a role in helping mentor some of our new MPs and also kind of as a liaison between caucus members and the leader's office."

Bergen adds that O'Toole has also asked her to play a lead role in providing strategic advice, but the people of Portage-Lisgar remain her priority.

"I believe very strongly from the day I was elected, that my first priority is to the people who elected me, and that means all the people of Portage Lisgar, not just the people who voted for me," she says. "That remains my priority, even as deputy leader, I'm very happy to say that I've been able to keep that balance right and keep my constituency and the people I represent as my top priority.

The Portage-Lisgar MP adds that her party was involved in creating emergency legislation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and prevented the Liberal government from abusing its power when it comes to taxation and spending.

"We did our job as official opposition during those months holding the Liberals to account, ensuring that Parliament had meetings and that we were getting to the bottom of some of the spending scandals that were going on," says Bergen. "We definitely got better results for Canadians... The (Liberal government) would be taxing and spending without restraint right now, we were able to stop that, but we also helped make the benefits better."

Bergen says when it comes to responding to pandemic issues moving forward, her party believes that rapid testing and vaccines are part of the toolbox that will help Canada get through the remainder of this pandemic, and then, an even greater focus will be given to economic recovery.

"I just feel Canadians have paid such a high price trying to stop the spread of COVID and they need the government, their government, to do the job that we're elected to do, and that includes the Prime Minister," Bergen adds. "We've been able to make some headway, but there's a lot of work to do. We're very, very concerned about the economy, and where the government is taking us in terms of the massive spending."