Carr dials back military response, says Liberals ’embrace’ pipeline dissent
OTTAWA — The Liberal government is going out of its way to downplay the prospect of violent confrontations at oil pipeline protests.
Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, who set off days of consternation by suggesting “defence forces” might respond to non-peaceful protests, didn’t have to be asked Tuesday before once again announcing that the government “embraces” dissent.
“The point I wanted to make was that one of those characteristics of Canada that makes us such a special country is that we have not only tolerance for dissent but we embrace dissent, because it is an essential characteristic of who we are to be Canadian,” Carr told reporters gathered outside a Liberal cabinet meeting.
“And I also wanted to make the point that civil disobedience and peaceful protest is very much a part of our history and I should have left it at that.”