Laliberte Answers Critics

Laliberte Answers Critics

Wednesday, July 30, 2003 at 14:06

Churchill River MP Rick Laliberte is responding to criticism from the Canadian Alliance.

Newly-selected Churchill River Canadian Alliance candidate Jeremy Harrison has attacked Laliberte on his voting history on the gun registry, his stance on the softwood lumber dispute and his low profile in the southern part of the riding.

Laliberte says he has never “consciously” voted in favour of increased spending for the gun registry, and notes that he abstained from the latest vote this spring. However, Laliberte says he did vote in favour of motions that approved budget estimates for the gun registry.

On the softwood lumber file, Laliberte admits he agrees with the Americans’ point of view that stumpage fees in Canada are not high enough. Laliberte says he feels this way because the stumpage fees are not stopping outside interests from taking the forest resource and its benefits away from northern communities.

As far as travel to southern parts of his riding is concerned, Laliberte says it’s very hard to keep tabs on such a large constituency, but says he is making an effort to keep in touch with every region of the riding.