LLOYDMINSTER - Campaigns in Battlefords-Lloydminster were working on their final push for votes this week in advance of the Sept. 20 voting day.
The week saw the incumbent, Conservative MP Rosemarie Falk, end up in hot water over an appearance on an online interview show with Kurt Price of Lloydminster Nissan.
In that interview Falk seemed to state the Conservatives didn’t support vaccine passports.
“Same with vaccine passports. We don’t support vaccine passports, you know, to come into Canada or to leave Canada,” Falk said.
The comments got the attention of Global News, who ran a story focusing on Falk’s comments. Global later reported that in her email response Falk had stated that she “misspoke.”
“To be clear, I believe that international travellers entering Canada should be required to show proof of vaccination, and I believe that Canadians should be required to confirm their vaccination status to determine quarantine requirements,” Falk stated to Global News.
The rival parties in the local riding quickly pounced on the news. Battlefords-Lloydminster NDP promptly denounced Falk on their social media posts, posting the following on Twitter:
“As Sask has its two highest days on record with 506 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday and 475 new cases today, MP @rosemarie_falk is out here 'mis-speaking' about @CPC_HQ and @erinotoole's opposition to vaccine passports.”
Interviewer Price took to Twitter to fire back at the NDP:
“@BL_NDP at least she’s out there speaking, unlike your candidate that ignored my request for an interview.”
The NDP responded with a post showing NDP candidate Erik Hansen’s interview on Prime Time Local News on CKSA-TV, stating that “candidates are very busy and can't always make every media request.”
While controversy raged in Lloydminster, over in the Battlefords, the Maverick Party were holding their own event this week.
Maverick candidate Ken Rutherford staged a meet and greet event at the Armoury in North Battleford Wednesday evening, as the party continued its push for votes.
On Thursday, both Rutherford and the Maverick candidate in Lakeland, Fred Sirett, were on the air on Price’s show discussing the Maverick platform.
Despite the turbulent week, Falk was still seen by election pundits as the favourite to retain the seat. Both the Election Prediction Project as well as 338Canada.com are predicting a Falk win in Battlefords-Lloydminster Monday.
