It has been a tough year for Canada's ruling federal Conservative Party but local MP Earl Dreeshen says the Tories and Prime Minister Stephen Harper – despite the ongoing Senate scandals – will rebound on their solid economic record.
“You do have to ride it out,” says Dreeshen, who represents the federal riding of Red Deer. “The Opposition does not want to talk about our comprehensive economic trade agreement nor do they want to talk about the esteem we have earned throughout the world from other countries. It is politics and I guess we will just see how things go.”
Harper has just announced he will not be stepping down as prime minister in 2015 when the next federal election is scheduled. Dreeshen said his leader is a fighter and proud of his government's record, in spite of the never-ending gloom and doom stories that came out the Senate this year, and will lead the party towards another mandate.
“You take a look at the (Senate) issue, which is paying back the $90,000 of taxpayers money that was improperly claimed,” said Dreeshen. “There are rules we are expected to follow as members of parliament and so are senators. I've read the RCMP report. I know what the prime minister is saying is indeed the truth and I know how frustrated he is by the actions of those who have decided that they were going to follow a different path.”
Dreeshen said it's important for citizens in Innisfail and across Canada to refocus their take on the Tories for what he believes is a solid record on fiscal management and economic growth, most notably the signing this year of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union (EU).
“When I was in China with the governor general on a state visit this was front page news. With NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and now the EU we have half the world's population that we will be trading partners with,” said Dreeshen. “We have set so many trade agreements. When I go down to Central America this is one of things people talk about, our ability to engage other countries and to come up with agreements that respect those countries. Yet we are firm in our resolve that it has to be a good deal for Canada.”
Dreeshen also said citizens should also look at the type of things the federal Tory government is doing to help families, keeping taxes low, respecting victims of crime, and creating job opportunities and economic development.
As for his own role in Ottawa, Dreeshen is proud his private member's legislation, Bill C-444, which is designed to amend the Criminal Code to have the crime of impersonating a peace officer treated by the courts as an aggravating circumstance. It is now in the Senate after being passed through the House of Commons with all-party support. Once the bill becomes law judges across the country will have the authority to impose longer sentences. Bill C-444 will be one of the few private members' legislations in history to change the Criminal Code of Canada.
“There are things Canada does and when you look at the way we are thought of on the world stage we can be proud of ourselves as a country and myself as a conservative,” said Dreeshen. “I am proud of conservatives over the last number of decades and I am certainly proud of where we are taking our country.”
