FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
OTTAWA, ON – The Honourable Erin O’Toole, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and of the Official Opposition, issued the following statement on the Trudeau government’s failure to take concrete action to resolve the fisheries crisis in Nova Scotia:
 
“The safety of all Canadians must be the government’s top priority.  The Prime Minister and his government are not taking the concrete action necessary to keep all Nova Scotians safe in their communities and peacefully resolve this situation.
 
“I raised the situation with the Prime Minister on September 18th and urged him to de-escalate tensions and find a solution.
 
“For weeks, Conservatives have been calling on Trudeau’s Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan to do her job and immediately negotiate with the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq to fulfill Canada’s obligations under the Marshall decisions, and to include commercial fish harvesters in these discussions as their livelihoods will be greatly affected by any decision she takes.  Minister Jordan has failed to do so, and her inaction is fueling the violent tensions.
 
“Now, Trudeau’s Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is failing to ensure the Nova Scotia RCMP have the resources they need to effectively manage the escalating tensions, fully investigate criminal activities, and keep everyone safe.
 
“Justin Trudeau cannot abdicate responsibility in this case or hide behind empty words.  He must direct his Ministers to act. His government’s dismal handling of this situation and his lack of leadership are undoing decades of relationship building since the Marshall decision and putting lives and livelihoods at risk.
 
“Conservatives will continue to press Prime Minister Trudeau, Minister Jordan, and Minister Blair to take the concrete action necessary to peacefully resolve this situation.”