Crowd peppers PM with questions

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This article was published 01/02/2018 (2946 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For one night, Winnipeggers were face to face with the prime minister.

The energy was palpable and not a seat was empty, as 1,800 people packed into the University of Manitoba’s Athletic Centre, anxiously waiting for Justin Trudeau.

The fifth stop on his country-wide tour of town hall meetings kicked off shortly after 7 p.m., as Trudeau strode into the room to a standing ovation, waving at the crowd as applause filled the air.

Following a brief introduction, Trudeau began extending his finger out at the crowd, one by one selecting people out of a sea of raised hands. Each time he did, a microphone was passed over and they were offered the chance to ask Trudeau a question.

As they did, the topics jumped from one issue to another, from foreign policy to domestic concerns, from past political promises to forward-thinking queries on the future.

THE HECKLERS

On the third question of the night, a boy took the microphone and in a slightly shaky, nervous voice asked Trudeau about climate change and environmental concerns.

“The rates of extinction with species is extremely alarming. We know we have a responsibility to take care of the diversity of species on this planet…If we want to leave a better world for our kids and grandkids, we have to do a better job,” Trudeau said.

But before he could finish answering, a woman began shouting from her seat a few rows off the floor. She began by yelling at Trudeau for not respecting Indigenous rights.

“Have a little respect for the young boy who just asked a question,” Trudeau responded.

But his attempts to calm her fell on deaf ears, as her anger piqued and she started to swear loudly at him. As the situation escalated, the crowd began voicing its displeasure. Eventually, to the sound of applause, she was escorted from the building by police.

Heckling became a reoccurring theme throughout the evening, as tensions ran high among some members of the crowd. On at least seven or eight occasions someone heckled the prime minister.

At least two people — one a local activist associated with the “alt-right” and the other an anti-abortion advocate — were repeat offenders. Neither were escorted from the event.

MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN

Early in the event, a young Indigenous woman, who identifies herself as a high school student, asked the prime minister how they can determine if the national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls is a success.

“The inquiry was always going to be a difficult thing,” Trudeau said, before characterizing the situation surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls as “an ongoing national tragedy.”

He highlighted the fact that the government has attempted to work closely with affected families throughout the inquiry, citing efforts to by commissioners to “keep the families at the centre of everything they do.”

He added that he hopes for the survivors and family members of victims, the inquiry has served as an incredibly emotional and cathartic process.

However, the prime minister’s response to the young woman’s question stopped short of speaking to specifics that can be done to ensure the inquiry’s success.

CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

A number of questions posed throughout the evening touched upon Child and Family Services. Through a number of personal stories, crowd members shared their experiences and concerns with Trudeau about the issue.

The prime minister, in response, admitted there were problems with Canada’s system and that changes needed to be made.

One woman, a Somali immigrant, claimed CFS officials unfairly took away one of her children.

She held the microphone tightly in her hand for around five minutes. At times, her husband, who loomed large beside her, appeared to try to pry it away.

“I’m so sorry for your story,” Trudeau told the woman. While he refused to speak to specific cases, he addressed issues with CFS more generally and promised the woman they’d follow-up with her.

“Unfortunately, it is a story that happens far too often. The challenges we have with CFS across the country, not just in new Canadian communities but in Indigenous communities, (are) well known… And absolutely something that has to change,” he said.

“I’m committed to following up on this terrible story. We know there is a real problem with kids in care… not just in Manitoba, but across the country.”

Touching on the same topic, Grand Chief Arlen Dumas asked the prime minister to recognize his Indigenous people’s jurisdiction over their children. Trudeau responded that he agreed about the importance of the issue, citing the fact it was a high priority for Health Minister Jane Philpott.

GRADE 8 CLASS

An impressive series of questions came from the members of a local Grade 8 class, who were in attendance with a couple teachers from their school. Back-to-back questions were posed to the prime minister from two young female students.

The questions stood out as some of the most cogent and articulate of the night. The one question focused on heightening nuclear tensions between the United States and North Korea, and the other on how impending legalization of cannabis could potentially affect teenagers.

In his response to the cannabis question, Trudeau echoed many past statements by pointing out that current legislation “wasn’t working” and that marijuana was already finding its way into the hands of minors.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca