Jason MacInnis encourages his constituency’s variety of strong opinions on issues such as freedom of speech during a meet and greet in Lloydminster.
The Peoples Party of Canada candidate for the Battlefords-Lloydminster riding, Jason MacInnis, along with his Lakeland riding counterpart Alain Houle, hosted a small group of vocal residents on September 19 at the Legacy Centre to gauge their issues leading towards October 21.
MacInnis says although the event got a bit chaotic it fits with the party’s platform relating to freedom of speech.
“I am not going to stop you from voicing your concern. I am not going to stop you from voicing your argument. If your argument is wrong, well, we need to talk about that. For the most part, everyone deserves a voice.”
MacInnis and his party look to strengthen freedom of speech in areas hindered, including issues with Bill C-16, which added gender identity or expression to three places in 2017, including the list of groups protected from discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act. The PPC plans on abolishing the bill if elected.
“This compelled speech thing is a little bit ridiculous. I understand people want to be addressed a certain way if you get addressed that way. I would love to be addressed as the Emperor of Canada, I don’t think that is going to happen any time soon. I don’t think there should be any other example of that. We should all be treated fairly.”
One of the party’s key priorities is on “bringing Canadian immigration under control” by prioritizing economic immigrants and closing down irregular crossing points into Canada. The PPC has proposed extra steps including a value test and a point system for immigration.
“So, lowering immigration numbers, to relieve some of the stress on the current immigration system. It’s not made for what it’s currently going through, but also we want to add some extra steps in there. You’re going to end up filtering it too much. You’re not going to get through everybody if you’re trying to get 350,000 people in.”
If elected, MacInnis, says the PPC will be imposing pipelines currently in limbo, including the Trans Mountain expansion project. He says the future on pipelines is unclear if his party is not elected.
“There are hundreds of pipelines in Canada, why are we having issues with just this one, which Canada needs to get our resources to tidewater and to sail to other countries. Right now we’re selling it to the U.S and they’re getting it for a great price, and then they’re refining it, and then selling it for 100 per cent profit.”
Jason MacInnis has lived in North Battleford serving as a tax consultant and the proprietor of MacInnis Process Serving, a legal courier service. In a statement, the PPC calls MacInnis a “loud proponent of lower taxes, fair policy and personal responsibility.”
MacInnis is up against incumbent Tory MP Rosemarie Falk, Liberal Larry Ingram, the NDP’s Marcella Pedersen and Green David Kim-Cragg on October 21.