Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall is continuing to hold the line when it comes to her refusal to disclose her Covid-19 vaccination status to access the House of Commons precinct.
Wagantall was removed from the precinct last week due to her non-compliance of a policy supported by the Liberals and NDP requiring anyone accessing the House of Commons to provide proof of vaccination or a valid medical exemption.
In a telephone interview with True North, Wagantall explained that she is not revealing her status as a matter of principle. Her opposition to the policy means she is unable to enter the House of Commons or her parliamentary office, nor fly on an airplane.
“For me, it’s a matter of principle,” said Wagantall, while highlighting “the right of every Canadian to make their own medical decisions.”
She added that there are millions of Canadians “who this Prime Minister has chosen to really do harm intentionally because they are not responding in the way that he wants them to.”
According to Wagantall, given the fact that all provinces have eased restrictions and ended most vaccine mandates, Trudeau’s doubling down on mandates “is so inappropriate.”
Conservative MP and leadership candidate Leslyn Lewis, who Wagantall has endorsed, shared an image on social media Tuesday showing the Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) having a picture of Wagantall on its desk. Lewis suggested the Saskatchewan MP had become “Parliament’s Most Wanted”.
In response to Lewis’ post, Wagantall said the image “would be funny if it wasn’t just so sad.”
Wagantall added that while it came as “a bit of a shock” to her, she understood why the PPS would want to keep a photo to recognize her, given that she looks different from her official parliamentary portraits – where she isn’t wearing glasses.
“I did have an enjoyable conversation with the Sergeant of Arms as he walked me down the hill (Friday). And he made a comment on the fact that he did have trouble identifying me,” said Wagantall.
“I guess this was part of their response to that because that’s a photo from my Facebook page.”
Wagantall also said that she does not have any negative feelings towards PPS officers, who she claims are following orders.
“I’m very thankful that they’re there under normal conditions,” she said, adding, “we have very good relationships with these people who serve us so faithfully, and I feel safe actually having them as part of our services here on the hill and elsewhere.”
The Lewis campaign told True North the image of a photo of Wagantall on the PPS desk was sent to them by a staffer. True North also reached out to PPS to confirm officers had been given photos of Wagantall to identify her, but did not hear back by time of publication.
After speaking out following her expulsion from the precinct Friday, Wagantall says she received support that was well beyond her expectations, describing as “a deluge of well-wishes from right across the country… all different kinds of individuals and groups just encouraging me.”
Wagantall added that she’s feeling “very supported” by her Conservative caucus colleagues.
Conservative Party leadership candidates Leslyn Lewis and Pierre Poilievre, as well as many other Conservative MPs have expressed their support for Wagantall.
Wagantall was first elected to represent the Saskatchewan riding of Yorkton–Melville in 2015. In her most recent election, she was re-elected with 68.7% of the votes.
