It’s not an election year, but that didn’t stop one federal party leader from dropping by Renfrew to speak with residents.
People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier joined local candidate David Ainsworth at Karras’ Way restaurant for a meet and greet on Wednesday evening.
Ainsworth says it was an opportunity to get their message out to a rural community looking for something different from conservative politics.
Bernier took questions from the audience on major topics like immigration, health care, the federal deficit, climate change, indigenous relations, and Canada’s role internationally among others.
He says he was encouraged by the turnout as they look to build on the 5% share of the national vote in the 2021 election.
Bernier says that the goal is to share his party’s vision for Canadian politics and increase the party’s support ahead of the next election, where he predicts the PPC will earn it’s first seats in parliament.
He would then end the night by welcoming on stage Josh Alexander, the St. Joseph’s High School student who was expelled after refusing to follow conditions while suspended for voicing concerns over shared bathrooms in schools, who gave his endorsement for the PPC.
(written by Kasey Egan)