MP Kurek Joins Interparliamentary Group on Washington, D.C. Trip

Ottawa, ON — Member of Parliament Damien C. Kurek had the following statement on his recent trip to Washington, D.C. with the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Association.

The trip was organized as part of the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Friendship Group, of which MP Kurek is a member, and included meetings with congressmen and senators.

PHOTO: L-R: Quebec Senator Pierre J. Dalphond, Nova Scotia Member of Parliament Dr. Stephen Ellis, Nova Scotia Senator Michael L. MacDonald, Ontario Member of Parliament John McKay, and Alberta Member of Parliament Damien C. Kurek.

“There were a lot of good conversations about all the things affecting both countries, from energy to security,” Kurek said about the trip. “I’m excited to be working collaboratively on solving the issues both Canadians and Americans face. It’s clear many of these are similar in nature, and I believe we can solve them together.”

Kurek mentioned that many constituents are directly impacted by decisions made by American officials, noting specifically the effect the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline expansion had on his riding of Battle River—Crowfoot.

“It’s something that I’m still advocating for. The cancellation put thousands of constituents out of work. Canadian oil and gas is the cleanest, most ethically sourced in the world, and it can be the solution to North American energy security.”

Also on the agenda were discussions about Canada’s mandatory travel app, ArriveCAN. Originally created as a way to prevent COVID-19 cases from coming into Canada, the app has been widely criticized by Americans and Canadians alike.

“It’s ineffective, unscientific, and has significant privacy concerns. All this is not to mention that many people don’t have access to smartphones to be able to use the app,” Kurek said, “It’s time to scrap the app.”