Canadians from coast to coast will be going to the polls on September 20 to elect a new federal government. Here in Provencher, five candidates have been announced so far. To help you make a decision ahead of election day, The Citizen has reached out to the candidates. Let’s get to know them.
Falk, along with wife Irene, has three adult children and ten grandchildren. He is a member of Steinbach Mennonite Brethren Church and describes himself as “family-focused, fiscally-focused, and community-focused.” He is actively involved in the local community and enjoys volunteering his time with local organizations or operating his small business.
As Provencher’s MP for more than eight years, Falk has served on several parliamentary committees, including Public Safety and National Security, Justice and Human Rights, and Natural Resources. He has also served as the Conservative Party’s Deputy Shadow Minister for Employment, Workforce Development, and Labour and as a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.
He currently sits on the Standing Committee on Finance.
Campaign Plans
Falk says he has a very robust campaign schedule. While he is trying to connect with as many in the community as possible, he isn’t planning on doing the customary campaign door-knocking.
“More of what we are doing is trying to hit every door with some literature letting them know we were there,” says Falk. “So due to COVID 19, we’re not actually knocking on people’s door and asking people to interact at the door.”
Falk is on a list of candidates taking part in a live broadcast public debate on September 16. He also encourages constituents to find out more about him on social media.
Goals and Values: Economy, Security, and Pro-life
The Conservative campaign platform includes a focus on bringing Canadians out of recession and rebuilding the economy. Falk says the Conservatives are the only party that will be good stewards of the financial purse that every Canadian entrusts to the government through their taxes.
“We’ve seen the reckless spending of the last five years of Justin Trudeau, and that’s something we’re working to be able to undo by bringing security in jobs and job creation,” says Falk. “From the get-go, Canada’s Conservatives presented a complete, detailed platform to Canadians. It’s all there in black and white.”
Falk’s team also released a press release that outlines the Conservative plan to secure jobs, improve accountability, and address mental health.
“Conservatives wasted no time bringing forward our plan because we know families, businesses, and workers are struggling,” he says. “We’re focused on helping our families and communities come back stronger by creating jobs, increasing wages, and getting Canada’s economy back on track.”
Falk wants his supporters in Provencher to know that he differs from Conservative leader Erin O’Toole on abortion rights. O’Toole recently declared that he was pro-choice.
“That certainly seems to be Erin O’Toole’s position,” says Falk. “But as the Conservative Party of Canada, we are the only party that supports thought and opinion. We’re the only major party that allows for diversity of thought on matters of conscience. We are a big family. We don’t always agree on everything. And abortion is something we may not always agree on. Every MP should be free to represent their constituency and represent their area on issues of conscience that reflect the people in their area. I’ve been very vocal that I am pro-life.”
The Vaccination Question
One of the most top-of-mind issue with voters this year has to do with COVID-19 vaccines. Falk is one of a handful of Conservative candidates who has declined to confirm whether he is vaccinated.
Doing so, he says, wouldn’t be beneficial toward creating unity and harmony in the riding.
“That is a position that I will not share. I believe those are private health decisions made between a private individual and their physician,” says Falk. “The Trudeau government, history will record, is a government that has created a lot of division and dissention. They’ve divided people by race, class, financial status. So much divisiveness in this Trudeau government… and I’ve seen the COVID vaccine create a lot of division even among friends and families in Provencher. And I’m not going to be part of that divisiveness. I think we need to learn to live with whatever health choices people make.”
Falk also says he will encourage people to have those medically sensitive conversations with their healthcare providers.
“People should do their own research,” he adds.
He was also asked whether he would support federal policies, including some endorsed by the Conservative Party leader, mandating vaccines or regular vaccine testing.
“I don’t support any mandatory vaccine policies,” Falk says. “I think that is an issue of free choice.”
Chance of Victory
The Conservatives have held the Provencher riding for more than 20 years. Falk says the most exciting thing about the current election is that there’s a chance for his party to be in power once again.
“The polls seem to be indicating that the Conservatives are increasing their support among all Canadians and that we may have the opportunity to be in government again and govern the country to make laws and move toward unifying the country from coast to coast,” says Falk. “I’m excited for the possibility of being in government representing Provencher and restoring what I think has been the mismanagement of our finances and representing strong and traditional family values.”
