Trudeau hosts Town Hall in Milton

By: Laura Steiner

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Milton last night hosting one a Town Hall at Craig Keilburger Secondary School (CKSS).   Trudeau took questions from an audience of approximately 1200 people for 90 minutes in the school’s gym.

Topics ranged from situations in China and Venezuela to education including how the federal government can help prepare students for the future.

One questioner asked what the plan was regarding Internet in rural areas.  Trudeau admitted it had become an essential service.  “Access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet is a basic service in our lives now.  It is something we’re working with the cell-phone and Internet  providers,” Trudeau said.  The Liberals promised $500 million in 2017 through their Infrastructure bank for the project.  Trudeau appointed Nova Scotia MP Bernadette Jordan Minister for Rural Economic Development in the recent cabinet shuffle.  

Other topics included the situations in China, and Venezuela. Trudeau was asked how he responded to the growing isolationism, and populism.  “As we see increasingly unpredictable behaviors by some of the larger economies in the world we might ask ourselves well what’s a country like Canada supposed to do? And I think the answer is be even more Canadian than we already are,” Trudeau said.  Canada is the only G7 country with a trade deal with the other countries.

Notably unasked were questions about the CN Intermodal facility, an issue of high concern for Milton.  Rail is a federally regulated industry, however, local authorities have launched a court challenge over jurisdictional issues.

This was the first visit of a sitting Prime Minister to Halton since 1974 when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau visited the area. Running for the Liberals in Milton riding is Adam van Koeverden.  The federal election is scheduled for October 21, 2019.