It was a great honour to be invited to speak at the International Crisis Summit (ICS) held in Washington D.C. last month. The even greater honour was to represent the people of Saskatchewan as I joined several other prominent Canadian figures who came together to share the Canadian pandemic story to this international audience.
Collectively, we shared the reality of life in Canada when government overreach caused immeasurable harm to our society.
In the name of public health and safety, we saw unprecedented restrictions imposed on our daily lives. Our freedom of movement was severely restricted, with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders becoming the norm. Our right to education was compromised, with schools closing and children being deprived of in-person learning. Our right to assemble and protest was stifled, with gatherings arbitrarily limited and dissenting voices silenced.
Eventually, it became almost comical as we watched politicians from around the world put on masks for the camera, then immediately take them off after the photo op. The politicians knew it was a charade!
Now, we live with the fallout of devastated families, bankrupted businesses, and lost careers because our provincial government colluded with the federal government to restrict our freedom to live productive lives.
We know today, that much of what we were told about the pandemic was false, with many people in powerful positions profiting from the ‘cure’, which failed miserably. We also know that despite the very real issues of not-so-rare, life-altering vaccine injuries, the Saskatchewan government continues to push these ineffective genetic therapies on those that still manage to trust their administration.
I was very proud to share with the ICS attendees, the legacy of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker who gave Canada the Canadian Bill of Rights in 1960. He was a champion of freedom who understood the need to safeguard the rights and liberties of every Canadian citizen. He understood that true liberty and freedom is not granted by the state, but is inherent in the dignity and autonomy of each individual.
Freedom is not merely a word; it is a fundamental principle that lies at the core of our existence as individuals and as a society. Today, we must confront the reality of freedom lost, a concerning trend of government overreach, and the curtailing of our fundamental freedoms.
As we enter the spring session at the Saskatchewan Legislature, I would challenge Premier Moe and every member of the Legislative Assembly to affirm the values of our former Prime Minister. Will they become vocal enough to uphold the principles they were privileged to grow up with, or will they continue to ‘go along to get along’ with outside influencers?
I for one, will work with you and for you, cloaked with the mantle Prime Minister Diefenbaker gifted to all of us: “I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.”
My speech (timestamp 1:27:09) and other International Crisis Summit speakers may be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/912947834
Nadine Wilson is the Saskatchewan United Party MLA for Saskatchewan Rivers.
