Two Conservative MPs are being slammed for sharing a high-five while voting against a private member’s bill about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Dane Lloyd, the member for Sturgeon River-Parkland, Alta. and Rosemarie Falk, who represents Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask. made the celebratory gesture while voting “nay” on Bill C-262, which aims to align Canada’s laws with UNDRIP.
NDP MP Romeo Saganash’s bill ultimately won the support of MPs in a 206-79 vote on Wednesday.
But the high-five, documented on ParlView, the House of Commons online video site, has made the rounds on social media, with some calling it “shameful.”
Shameful @rosemarie_falk and @DaneLIoyd . Have you sat and listened to Indigenous youth talk abt losing multiple family members to suicide bc of lack of basic human rights? Celebrating your 'nay' vote for UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a sin on humanity. pic.twitter.com/sAtjplIljF
— Scott Chisholm (@SuicideTalk) June 4, 2018
Utterly vile conduct.
— Jill Reeves (@MJillReeves) June 4, 2018
Falk, who represents the riding where Colten Boushie was shot and killed, said the high-five had nothing to do with the vote against UNDRIP.
“This was in response to the conclusion of nearly an hour of voting in the House of Commons, and not the specific vote in question,” she said in an emailed statement to APTN News. “Conservatives continue to support ongoing efforts to reconcile with Canada’s Indigenous communities.”
Lloyd, who was elected in October 2017 in a byelection to replace former interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose, has been criticized for comments on feminists and abortions.
In a 2009 Facebook post, he referred to feminists as “feminazis” while hailing Guelph University’s decision to cut its women studies program as “a good thing.”
The previous year, he posted about abortion rights after activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler was named to the Order of Canada: “If fetus’ are parasites in the mothers womb and she has a right to abort them because of their dependence, then you could argue young children could legally be left to die because of their dependence on mothers,” he wrote.
While he told CTV he regretted the “feminazis” comment, he stood by his pro-life stance. However, both posts have since been removed from Facebook.
Meanwhile, Bill C-262 is moving to the Senate for approval.
I just happen to be in Geneva, right now. Maybe the U.N. would be interested in viewing the video.
I just happen to be in Geneva, right now. Maybe the U.N. would be interested in viewing the video.
Utterly disgusting behaviour and unbelievable that he obviously lied thereafter about the intention of the high-five. How can they support reconciliation if they do not support a bill to implement UNDRIP?! PREPOSTEROUS.
Utterly disgusting behaviour and unbelievable that he obviously lied thereafter about the intention of the high-five. How can they support reconciliation if they do not support a bill to implement UNDRIP?! PREPOSTEROUS.
They’re a bunch of DRIPS!
I replayed the video vote of NDP MP Romeo Saganash’s private member’s bill C- 262, about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), several times because I couldn’t believe, nor did I want to believe what I was witnessing from the Conservative members. Especially the Saskatchewan member who represents the riding where Colten Boushie was killed. That high five will go down in history. Another teachable moment.
They’re a bunch of DRIPS!
I replayed the video vote of NDP MP Romeo Saganash’s private member’s bill C- 262, about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), several times because I couldn’t believe, nor did I want to believe what I was witnessing from the Conservative members. Especially the Saskatchewan member who represents the riding where Colten Boushie was killed. That high five will go down in history. Another teachable moment.