People乌鸦传媒檚 Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier says fewer immigrants coming to Vancouver and Toronto would mean less pressure on the housing market in these cities. He was extremely well received inside the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel ballroom in Surrey, where he spoke Wednesday morning and received standing ovations.
Out in the hallway, on the other side of locked doors, protesters hollered their discontent.
Bernier said 41 per cent of immigrants settle in Vancouver and Toronto.
乌鸦传媒淪o, if you have fewer of them, that won乌鸦传媒檛 put a bigger pressure on the housing market,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Bernier said that if elected, his government would cut foreign aid, noting Trudeau乌鸦传媒檚 government gave $2.2 billion to African countries to fight climate change.
乌鸦传媒淲e can save money there,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut yes, we are generous as Canadians, yes, if there乌鸦传媒檚 an environmental disaster somewhere, we will be there to help, and if there is a humanitarian crisis, we will be there, but not to build growth, and bridges, and pipelines in Asia. We need to help our people first.乌鸦传媒�
Bernier was the fourth speaker in the Surrey Board of Trade乌鸦传媒檚 series of 乌鸦传媒渢own hall乌鸦传媒� speaking engagements that showcases federal party leaders heading into the October general election.
The Sept. 25 event at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel drew eight protesters ahead of his talk, pacing out on the sidewalk carrying signs with slogans like 乌鸦传媒淧oisonous political candidate.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淭he Surrey Board of Trade has invited Maxime Bernier, the leader of the far-right, racist, anti-immigrant party, People乌鸦传媒檚 Party of Canada. We乌鸦传媒檙e here to say no to Bernier and all the toxic politics that he represents,乌鸦传媒� said Isabel Krupp, who held a sign that read 乌鸦传媒淩efugees Welcome Here.乌鸦传媒�
Another protester, Dave Diewert, said the rally was organized by the 乌鸦传媒淎nti-Police Power Surrey乌鸦传媒� group.
Diewert said those who came to protest oppose 乌鸦传媒渇ar-right racist discourse that really gives oxygen to white supremacy and to an anti-immigrant sentiment.乌鸦传媒�
Inside, Bernier called for Canada to allow 150,000 immigrants in per year, instead of 310,000.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e not anti-immigration, but we乌鸦传媒檙e not for mass immigration.乌鸦传媒�
He said this past year 乌鸦传媒渙nly 26 per cent乌鸦传媒� were economic-class immigrants and if elected, he乌鸦传媒檇 like to see that change to 50 per cent. 乌鸦传媒淭hey will help us to build this country. That乌鸦传媒檚 what we need.乌鸦传媒�
Bernier said Canada takes in more refugees than the U.S. and all European countries, 乌鸦传媒渟o we need to stop that. But the problem is we don乌鸦传媒檛 receive the real refugees, that are waiting in the country where their life is in danger,乌鸦传媒� but instead border jumpers, 40 per cent of whom will end up being deported.
Eight protesters outside Sheraton hotel in Guildford voicing opposition to People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier speaking there today. Isabel Krupp and Dave Diewert explain why.
乌鸦传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)
Full house here at Sheraton hotel ballroom in Surrey to hear Maxime Bernier speak this morning at townhall meeting organized by Surrey Board of Trade, which has security on hand.
乌鸦传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)
Maxime Bernier on protesters hollering at him in Surrey today#surreybc
乌鸦传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)
It was a full house inside the hotel乌鸦传媒檚 ballroom, with security guards on hand and RCMP in the hallway.
乌鸦传媒淲hen people are calling names at us, for me, it is because they are weak,乌鸦传媒� Bernier told the crowd. 乌鸦传媒淭hey don乌鸦传媒檛 want to have a discussion.乌鸦传媒�
He added that his political party is the fastest-growing in the country.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e in Canada, a strong democracy. We must have the right to say what we believe in,乌鸦传媒� he said to applause. 乌鸦传媒淲e call that in our country free speech.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 not popular. Our ideas are popular,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淲e know we have the best ideas when we speak about freedom, and personal responsibility, and respect and fairness. These are Canadian values, and values coming from the Western Civilization, and western countries.乌鸦传媒�
If elected, Bernier said, his party would end corporate welfare, and abolish capital tax.
SEE MORE:
Bernier: "I'm not popular. Our ideas are popular."
乌鸦传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)
The Surrey series has already heard from Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, in February, Green Party leader Elizabeth May in April and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh in August.
SBoT CEO Anita Huberman said the business group also had security when NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh came to Surrey for the town hall series.
Huberman said Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has not yet been scheduled to speak.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e just waiting for him to confirm a date,乌鸦传媒� she said.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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