Discover Moose Jaw is taking a look back at 2022 and today's article is with Fraser Tolmie, Moose Jaw - Lake Centre - Lanigan Member of Parliament.

Q: MP Tolmie what were some of your highlights from 2022?

A: It's been a year of learning for me. I was elected on Sept. 20, 2021, the first couple of months is getting to know the ropes of your role and 2022 and getting to know the job and really making an outreach. There have been some good changes for us as a party with having Pierre Poilievre as our new leader."

"Following up on my commitments when I was campaigning in 2021 that I would get into the riding - it's a very large riding, so I've been doing that. That's a bit difficult but I accepted that challenge and I'm up for that challenge and so we've been going out in the riding and meeting with people in other communities and getting to know them and hearing some of the challenges that they have."

"When you get to meet people that for me is really the highlight and to be able to give them hope for the future with a new leader has been a really good combination."

Q: What are some of the challenges that your constituents have brought forward to you?

A: The two components would be a lot of the challenges that many of the people that I've met are facing - their farmers. A lot of the pressures the present government is putting on them with fertilizer reduction, the Carbon Tax, and not being able to be credited for what they've planted has created a great deal of difficulty and challenges for them. A lot of the farmers that you meet are their own business and are very savvy, very business oriented, and have to understand the environment. They use a lot of best practices that aren't recognized by this government, which is very disappointing."

"What I've been hearing from them is when the federal government goes away to a conference and comes back with new standards and regulations they're not asking the farmers in the local area that are already doing best practices. Soil content is very different from what it is in Europe and it doesn't line up. Their frustration is the government is not listening to them."

Q: These challenges mentioned above and many others are things you will be fighting for in Ottawa in 2023?

A: When I was originally elected I was fortunate to be the Deputy Critic for Veteran Affairs. When the leadership change happened Pierre recognized my efforts on this file and it's something I'm very passionate about - having two military bases in this riding. There have been some headlines on medical assistance in dying coming to the forefront and the wait times have been very disappointing. As a committee, you work very hard to represent those Veterans but the department has failed. 

"We will be fighting and advocating for our Veterans and sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and it gets a little bit dirty, but you're doing it for people that have sacrificed in order to live in as free country that we live in."

Q: What was your excitement when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in Saskatchewan, allowing people to somewhat get back to normal living?

A: It's been very good. In fact, one of the first events that I was at when the restrictions were lifted was the kickoff for Pierre as the leader. I was the first person to speak at his event and I introduced Andrew Scheer and he then introduced Pierre. The charge that you could feel that with people wanting to be together has been amazing."

"I think the province has done a very good job of how they handled the situation. I've been in other provinces where restrictions have been longer or more stringent and I just feel there is freedom and hope in this province. I hope that translates to the rest of the country and in our new lives that we got back, people will recognize the benefits of having friends and we will treat each other a little kinder, especially at this time of the year."

Q: What were your thoughts on the Freedom Convoy that travelled across Canada to Ottawa?

A: It doesn't matter what side you take on that discussion, you're always to have opposition. There were people that drove from our riding across Canada to Ottawa and it is my responsibility as their elected representative to meet with them and I did that. I know that I took criticism for that because people automatically said that you're siding with anti-vaxers - well a lot of those people were vaccinated. What they were arguing was cross-border restrictions and the challenges they face in their own industry."

"You can go back and start getting into that weeds and start fighting that all over again but I don't think it's been a great point in our history where people haven't been able to talk. That's what really disappoints me is this country has always been proud of being reasonable and getting along and people should be able to speak and listen. I was disappointed that the prime minister didn't meet with people and there were some challenges with some of the behaviour but for the most part when I was there people were really well-behaved, friendly, and cleaned up after themselves, and they got along and it was nice to see. They even had a couple of hockey games for the kids."

You can listen to the full interview below between Tolmie and Discover Moose Jaw's Jay-D Haughton: