NORTH BATTLEFORD- Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Rosemarie Falk has announced she is not going to vote in favor of invoking the Emergencies Act.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would invoke the measure to deal with the truckers protests in Ottawa and elsewhere in the country. In a statement posted on Facebook, Falk accused the Prime Minister of not making any effort of hearing the concerns of those protesting.
Earlier this month, Falk and a number of Conservative MPs were photographed in front of the trucks in Ottawa and seen conversing with the truckers — photos that were posted on Falk’s Facebook feed.
On Facebook Feb. 2, Falk stated: "These peaceful protestors came a long way and have every right to have their frustrations and concerns heard. It is wrong of Trudeau and his government to continue to disparage and dismiss them."
Both the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois have voiced their opposition to invoking the Emergencies Act. The New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh has indicated his party will vote with the Liberals in support of invoking the Act.
Here is Falk’s statement in full:
"I will be voting against the Prime Minister’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act. In his own words the Prime Minister has said that the invocation of the Emergencies Act is not something to be done as a first or second resort, but Justin Trudeau has not even made any effort to hear the concerns of those protesting before jumping to the most extreme measures.
"The Prime Minister has only contributed to the increasing polarization in our country by dividing, stigmatizing and disparaging Canadians.
"Canadians cannot be expected to live with mandates and restrictions indefinitely. Conservatives put forward a reasonable motion calling on the Trudeau Government to table a plan by the end of the month to lift all federal mandates and restrictions. Shamefully, with the support of the NDP, Trudeau’s government rejected it earlier this week."
