Prime Minister Trudeau visits Saskatoon
- EFN Staff | January 26, 2017
According to Saskatoon mayor Charlie Clark, Prime Minister Trudeau is the first sitting Prime Minister to visit City Hall.
“We asked our staff and no one had any memory of this happening before,” said Mayor Clark. “I’m not going to lie; it was pretty special to be part of a historic day like that. He was pretty frank and direct in his meeting with Council.”
The Prime Minister was in town for a Town Hall meeting as part of his cross Canada tour to connect with citizens. He came by City Hall for an in camera meeting with Council to discuss federal and civic relations. The media was allowed five minutes to photograph and video before the meeting.
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Mayor Clark took the chance to present Mr. Trudeau with a special pair of mittens. “We thought it was fitting in this era of reconciliation to present you with these mittens we bought for you at Wanuskewin Heritage Park,” said Mayor Clark as he presented the mittens which were made on the Ahtahkakoop First Nation.
Trudeau was gracious in acceptance and agreed we have much work to do.
Following the in camera meeting, Prime Minister Trudeau was off to a town hall meeting at the University of Saskatchewan. The packed hall saw Trudeau dodge a direct question from Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Felix Thomas on the slow progress of getting funding directly to First Nations.
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Trudeau was also met with various protestors including those against a carbon tax as well as pipeline opponents who used the current spill on the Ocean Man First Nation as an example of the dangers faced with his current decision to approve two pipelines in Canada. Trudeau is visiting Regina on the 26th then continues his tour.