Lloyd’s office offers explanation for high-five exchange after vote against Indigenous rights bill

by Morinville News Staff

Sturgeon River-Parkland MP Dane Lloyd fell under some social media and colleague criticism for high-fiving fellow Conservative, Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Rosemarie Falk after voting on Bill C-262 last week.

Bill C-262 was introduced by Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou NDP MP Romeo Saganash. The Bill, which passed third-reading May 30, is an Act to “ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

In the opening statement of third-reading of Saganash’s Private Member Bill, the MP quoted former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s comment that he was confident Canada could interpret the principles expressed in UNDRIP in a manner “that is consistent with our Constitution and legal framework.”

Saganash went on to say Bill C-262 was a bill of reconciliation. “All parties in the House have expressed their support for the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its 94 calls to action,” he said. “This bill proposes to implement two of the most important calls to action of the report. That is what Bill C-262 attempts to do, and that is what all parties also wanted to accomplish with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

In a five-second video clip of the end of the vote, which ultimately passed third reading at 206-79 and is now before the senate, Lloyd and Falk can be seen exchanging a high-five.

No member of the Conservative Party of Canada voted in favour of the Bill; however, it was the exchange of a high-five with his colleague Falk that resulted in immediate criticism on social media and from APTN National News as well as other MPs, including NDP MP Nathan Cullen.

Morinville News reached out to Lloyd’s office Monday for clarification on the exchange and his reasons for opposing the Bill.

Legislative Assistant Josiah Martinoski responded to that request, stating the high-five was not due to the vote but rather the length of the vote.

“The high five was in response to the conclusion of nearly an hour of voting in the House of Commons, and not the specific vote in question,” Martinowski said. “Conservatives continue to support ongoing efforts to reconcile with Canada’s indigenous communities.”

The response is almost verbatim that offered by Falk’s office to other media sources in her riding when asked about the exchange.

A response to our request for clarification on Dane’s opposition to Bill C-262 was not received by publication time.

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