UCP MLAs Barnes & Pitt join ‘End the Lockdown Caucus’
Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt and Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes announced their moves publicly on Tuesday – with Pitt saying more colleagues are certain to follow.
Published 1 day ago
on February 9, 2021
Two Alberta UCP MLAs have come out against their party’s COVID-19 position and joined the End the Lockdowns Caucus.
Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt and Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes announced their moves publicly on Tuesday – with Pitt saying more colleagues are certain to follow.
Pitt, the deputy speaker of the Legislature, said she has worked within caucus to try and end the pandemic lockdowns but without success.
“A constituent sent me the Liberty Coalition Canada’s website and it was exactly everything my constituents and I believe in,” said Pitt in an interview with The Western Standard.
“It was an easy decision to make to come out and support my constituents. I’m not going down without a fight.
“One hundred per cent, more people in the caucus will join us. I tried to work on things internally, but it was not working on the inside.
Barnes, a constant thorn in Kenney’s side has been calling for an end to the lockdown for weeks,
“It is time to open up more of our economy, not in two weeks but now,” Barnes said in a January video.
“I have always believed in protecting the vulnerable with rapid five minute blood tests and support for front line workers. I have always believed in a regional approach. Medicine Hat’s mental health crisis is as big as the COVID crisis. I have always believed in the protection of civil liberties, the rights of small business and Albertans right to choose how they protect themselves,” Barnes said Tuesday.
Premier Jason Kenney’s government started relaxing some restrictions on Monday.
Pitt and Barnes join a group of politicians who have banded together to try and convince governments across the country to end their COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Calling themselves the “End the Lockdown Caucus”, the group originally started with five members but has grown considerably.
And a petition in support of the group has already garnered more than 21,000 signatures.
The founding members of the caucus include Ontario MPP Randy Hillier, PPC Leader Maxime Bernier, Wildrose Independence Party Leader Paul Hinman, Independent MP Derek Sloan, and several municipal politicians.
“We are current and former elected representatives from municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government across Canada, unified in pursuit of the truth, and resolved to ensure there is open, honest, and public debate regarding the COVID-19 government response,” the group said in a statement.
