Patzer holds town hall at Leader
By Joan Janzen
Member of Parliament Jeremy Patzer hosted a meeting at the Leader Community Hall on Thursday, February 25th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Approximately 140 people attended from throughout the region. Patzer is conducting monthly town hall meetings throughout the province.
Following a brief introduction from Patzer, people in the audience were invited to bring their questions forward to the MP. The subject of staff shortages at the hospital was brought up. Patzer said it’s helpful when they have specific examples of shortages that they can present to the federal government to address the problem.
There were questions regarding mandates and vaccinations. Patzer said, “There still is room for an open response when dealing with Covid going forward. We have more understanding now. I respect everyone’s rights, and the government should not make decisions for anyone. That’s my position.”
Concern was expressed regarding cancelled projects, including pipeline projects. Patzer replied, “We have a climate perspective from the current federal government that aligns with the world view on climate change. Regulations are getting in the way; there’s a regulatory problem.” On the other hand, he noted, Canada has the highest environmental standards compared to other places in the world. “We’re well-positioned to be a world leader in energy production.”
A question arose regarding reports of missing ballots from the last election. In his response, Patzer said, “We have drafted question period around that issue.”
Several people raised concerns regarding the federal government’s connection with the World Economic Forum. The question posed was, “Why do we have the World Economic Forum infiltrating our government?” The group’s slogan “You’ll own nothing and be happy” was mentioned. The individual asking the question said if that were to happen, he “would definitely not be happy.”
Patzer responded, “Some politicians have gone to the World Economic Forum, and there are people who like to feel wanted by the global elites. That doesn’t mean we’re under the control of that group. At the end of the day, accountability needs to be restored.”
Concern was brought forward regarding the seizing of bank accounts of individuals who donated to the convoy. The question was, “Would you agree that this is overreach, and what can we do to fight this?”
In response, Patzer said, “No one should have their bank account seized. We can see what people can do when they unite around a common cause. The government knew full well what was coming; unfortunately, they didn’t listen to what they had to say.” He also said he hadn’t seen any Liberal MPs who came to check out the convoy. While speaking to participants at the convoy, Patzer said, “There were different reasons why people gathered, but the common cause was they were sick and tired of government overreach. We need to direct that frustration into electing a different government. We need to stay focussed and engaged.”
An individual questioned the reporting by the CBC, saying, “If news was reported properly, people would be more aware.”
“We need to stop funding the CBC. My opinion is no taxpayer dollars should go to it. Back in the day, it was viable, but now the money they receive could go towards our national debt,” Patzer replied. He also suggested reporting incidents to the Ombudsman. “That’s an avenue Canadians can use.”
The questioning continued, with one attendee commenting, “This is not really a question, but the treatment of unvaccinated people is unacceptable. It’s hypocritical, and the government isn’t held accountable for their actions.”
“We need to strive to do better. Whether it’s in public discourse in parliament or online, we need to have respectful discourse. Iron sharpens iron, and we need to get back to that,” Patzer replied. “We need to build stronger consensus across the country and let people earn an honest living, have more individual liberty and less government control. My staff and I are here to listen to the people I represent and make sure everyone has a chance to be heard.”
On that note, a man commended Patzer for consistently responding to constituents who reach out to him. He asked Patzer how many phone calls he receives each day. Patzer said during the past few weeks, he has been getting between 60-70 calls per day and 600-1000 emails, to which he and his staff respond.
“I admit I am behind in my callbacks,” he said, “But there’s only so much time in a day.”
After the meeting concluded, Patzer was kept busy fielding more questions from those in attendance.
PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN
