Premier Blaine Higgs says they will not be moving forward with changes to the Emergency Measures Act.
The amendments would have given police and government more powers, including higher fines for business owners who violate the Act.
Premier Higgs says they’ve heard the concerns from opposing parties and the public surrounding the bill.
“The bill was prepared with the best of intentions, but given those concerns, we will not be proceeding with it,” Higgs says.
He says they will be having more in-depth conversations with First Nation chiefs, healthcare professionals and all political leaders in the coming weeks and months.
“I’ve heard the call for dialogue and the concerns from our First Nation chiefs, that is what I want our governments to focus on right now,” Higgs says. “Healing from what has happened is going to be a long process and it’s not going to be easy.”
Higgs says he will be attending a previously scheduled meeting with First Nation chiefs on Wednesday, to have an open discussion about how to address these issues.
“The meeting will include Jake Stewart, the minister of aboriginal affairs, Carl Urkhart, the minister of public safety and Anderson Mason, the minsiter of justice as well as Dorothy Shephard, the minister of social development,” he says.
Higgs says this meeting won’t be a one-off, in order to improve in a meaningful way and thinks it would be appropriate for other leaders and other parties involved in the process.
