OTTAWA—A Conservative backbench MP has publicly broken ranks with the government and said the massive budget omnibus bill should be split up — but says he is powerless to change it.

David Wilks (Kootenay—Columbia) told a small group of constituents in Revelstoke, B.C., Tuesday that he has no choice but to vote with the government, saying that’s “how Ottawa works.”

When one of his constituents asked permission to post a video of his comments so Canadians could hear his message, Wilks said: “If Canadians want it changed, then enough Canadians have to stand (up) to their MPs and say ‘no.’ ”

Two videos have been posted on YouTube that show Wilks listening to constituents. The Revelstoke Times Review reported it was a gathering of about 30 constituents at the Best Western Hotel in Revelstoke.

In an eight-minute excerpt, Wilks appears to agree with a woman who voices concern the Harper government is moving to pass “in one fell swoop” a wide-ranging package of measures that change environment and immigration regulations in the budget implementation Bill C-38.

Wilks, a retired RCMP officer, says a “barrage of Conservatives do hold your concerns, and I am one of them.” He says “some” but “not all” the measures need to be separated from the bill for study.

He explains, however, that his vote — like that of the entire Conservative caucus — is subject to a “three-line whip.” That means, says Wilks, he would likely be evicted from caucus for dissenting from the budget decisions already made by the prime minister and cabinet.

He adds Conservative MPs during their first year of majority government have not been allowed one free vote. “I haven’t seen one in a year yet.”

“It’s been done like that since 1867,” Wilks says.

Another woman challenges Wilks to speak up: “At what point do you say I will not vote along party lines and I will represent my constituents?”

“You want me as an Independent member, I will do that,” replied Wilks.

In the first excerpt posted on YouTube, a participant suggests to Wilks that he must be able to influence the process before it gets to a vote. “Surely there’s some kind of debate behind the scenes before you get to that point?”

“No,” replies Wilks.

Another constituent asks Wilks: “Does that not grate that you don’t have internal debates?” And Wilks acknowledges his “concerns.”

“It certainly concerns some of us backbenchers. The decisions are made predominantly by cabinet and then they come back to us informing us how this is going to move forward.”

He says backbenchers may meet with the ministers of finance, natural resources or environment, “but at the end of the day in my opinion they have made up their mind and this is how it’s going to move forward.”

“And one person is not going to make a difference,” says Wilks. “One MP, one MP is not going to make a difference.”

Wilks said the only chance to raise problems is during a 10-minute period at the weekly national caucus meeting when MPs can speak to the prime minister, and acknowledged concerns over some unspecified portions of Bill C-38 have “been spoken to.”

But the caucus did not get an advance look at the budget implementation bill. “You saw it at the same time as the backbenchers did, the exact same time.”

In a second video of the meeting, Wilks says he would be better off to voice constituent concerns on some individual elements, but doubts there is any chance of changing things, telling his listeners they would “need 13 Members of Parliament” to oppose the bill in order for anything to change. Alone, he can do nothing, he says.

“Me doesn’t mean anything, me doesn’t change the budget. . . . if I stand up and say ‘no,’ it still passes.”

“Isn’t it better to stand up and say ‘no’ so that you’re representing your constituents and actually making a point,” a woman asks him.

The Prime Minister’s Office declined comment on Wilks’ remarks. Harper’s spokesman Andrew MacDougall referred the Star to Wilk’s statement.

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Hours after the report surfaced, Wilks issued a statement on his website to “clarify” his position.

In it, Wilks said, “I support this bill, and the jobs and growth measures that it will bring for Canadians in Kootenay-Columbia and right across the country.”

Wilks also referred to the government’s budget as supporting jobs and growth in his region “by ensuring we can develop our natural resources in a responsible way that creates well-paying jobs while protecting our environment.”