Now Is Not the Time to Tell Lies: Pintard to Opposition

Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard condemned the perpetration of “falsehoods” by the opposition. During the Mid-Term Budget Debate, Pintard said it is wrong to spread misinformation at a time when the country is faced with a crisis.

“When persons are sharing false information around health, we can’t be serious about getting out of this crisis.

“…Let’s try to be intellectually honest. There are enough issues for us to compete for the next election cycle as oppose to us becoming fabricators…fabricators of information.

“Some of the people that are the least qualified to make certain assertions are the main ones who are the chief fabricators.”

Pintard then hit out at Centerville MP Reece Chipman, who last week presented a chart during his debate, comparing the salary of parliamentarians to his constituents. Chipman asserted that his constituents make 83 cents while parliamentarians make $7000 monthly. Though pressed by parliamentarians, Chipman did not show how he calculated the amount.

Today Pintard said, “…I just don’t know where that figure came from. I believe that every Member of Parliament can pay their light bill, can pay their water bill, can pay their mortgage and there are a couple (of parliamentarians) who are still paying rent.”

“Mr. Speaker, the people out there need us to be in a position to help them. And to dumb down information to deceive the people who you wish to lead, is inappropriate. No matter who is doing it. It’s bad.

“To seek to raise the misery index as the mains of making myself more attractive is a lack of vision and the inability to share a vision that people would be attached to.”

He called on all parliamentarians to work in tandem for the good of the country.