Maple Ridge MP Randy Kamp isn’t taking part in the Conservative party’s anti-Justin Trudeau pamphlets that show the new Liberal leader looking like one of the Three Musketeers.
The mail-outs will be available for Conservative MPs to send to voters, but Kamp isn’t going to be taking part.
“I’m not going to be, no,” Kamp said Thursday from Ottawa.
“I prefer to stay on a positive, informative message, providing information.”
Kamp said each party prepares such pamphlets, which MPs can then decide whether they want to mail to 10 per cent of the voters in their riding.
But Kamp said over the last few years he’s been cutting back on those to save money.
He also agreed that it could be negatively received by voters who may be tiring of attack ads.
“I think there’s probably different views. There’s probably a range on that.”
Kamp did side with the rest of his party Wednesday in supporting Bill S-7, which amends the Criminal Code.
The Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Canada Evidence Act and the Security of Information Act was passed by a 242-34 vote margin, with New Democrats opposed and Liberals in favour.
The act makes it an offence to leave Canada to commit an act of terrorism and allows “preventive arrest” to stop a potential terrorist act. People can also be ordered to provide information to a judge and could be thrown in jail if they don’t.
Kamp said he’s heard little opposition from voters about the law.
“I think the bottom line is that our government received a strong mandate … to make our streets and communities safer.
“The sad fact is that international terrorism will continue to be a threat for the foreseeable future.
“We do need to make sure our law enforcement people have the ability to detect threats as early as possible.
“The legislation is part of a larger initiative that we call the counter-terrorism strategy.”
Kamp said the timing of the bill’s arrival in the House of Commons from the Senate in the same week that two people were arrested in connection with a bomb threat against a Via Rail train and the Boston bombings was coincidental.
“This has been going on a long time, right from the last Parliament.”
The process started a year ago and replaces similar previous legislation passed by the Liberals that expired.