Barnes still against lockdowns after leaving ‘caucus’

By Gillian Slade Southern Alberta Newspapers on April 6, 2021.

A local MLA who joined a national group questioning the effectiveness of COVID lockdowns says he decided to withdraw because of a statement he felt was wrong.

In early February Drew Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat, joined the newly formed Liberty Coalition Canada also known as “End the Lockdowns National Caucus,” alongside Airdrie-East MLA Angela Pitt.

Other notables who joined the group include Randy Hillier, an independent MPP in Ontario and Maxine Bernier, a former Conservative cabinet minister. Lethbridge city councillor Joe Mauro is also listed as a member, though he did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Hillier – a founder of Liberty Coalition Canada – recently put out a statement that Barnes says did not sit right with him, and prompted him to withdraw from the group.

“When one of the members of the group compared the lockdown to Nazi Germany, that trivializes one of the worst genocides in history. That’s why I withdrew,” said Barnes, who withdrew in a letter co-signed Friday by Pitt.

Barnes says the purpose of the group was to review the government’s response to COVID, the practicality and the effectiveness of what governments everywhere were doing because of the pandemic and the effect it is having.

“Making sure there was efficacy and making sure that other issues like mental health and economical health and spiritual health were part of the equation as well,” said Barnes, who believes there were about 30 or 40 members about a month ago.

Barnes says even though he has withdrawn from the group he is still against lockdowns.

“I think our approach needs to be much, much more regional,” said Barnes, who feels there should have been a greater early emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable.

He says he believes the mental health toll became evident last summer and into the fall with the high number of people taking their own lives in Cypress-Medicine Hat.

“We are now dealing with the mental health and economic and a spiritual crisis as challenging as the COVID crisis,” said Barnes.

After 14 months of the pandemic, Barnes says he is regularly talking to constituents who are reaching a “breaking point.”

“They are questioning the efficacy of what the government has done. I’ve been calling for a long, long time for a regional and more open approach to the Alberta economy,” said Barnes. “I am absolutely going to continue to do that.”

Barnes says it is clear the hospital system is not overwhelmed and it is “alarming” that Alberta Health Services has not done anything to increase the surge capacity if it should become necessary.

“This is why these things have to be questioned continually,” said Barnes.

16
-15