Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stopped by Niagara Falls on Sunday, one day before the Sept. 20 federal election.
Trudeau's red Liberal campaign bus pulled into Heartland Forest Nature Experience at about 2:30 p.m., to a crowd of Liberal campaigners and supporters who were awaiting his arrival.
Joining him were Niagara's Liberal candidates Andrea Kaiseer, Chris Bittle and Vance Badawey.
Kaiser, running in the riding of Niagara Falls, which includes Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie, said it was "surreal" to have the Prime Minister in Niagara, "but absolutely incredible. He's such an inspiration. And you know what, we've been working hard since 2019 and it just shows the momentum that we've been building and I couldn't be happier."
Kaiser said she was proud to hear Trudeau make strong statements about addressing climate change.
"I'm so proud of the fact, like when you look at the Simon Fraser University study that I mentioned in (The Lake Report's debate), eight out of 10 for the Liberal plan. And that's one of the reasons I got back into politics in 2019 was because of climate change, and so to see that and to know that there is a big commitment in the Liberal party to that, I'm so proud to be part of that."
Trudeau gave a 20-minute speech about the party's platform, highlighting the emphasis on tackling climate change, continuing to advocate for vaccines and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, helping families with "tens of thousands of dollars" to purchase a first home, and growing the economy by supporting working-class Canadians.
He also spoke about Liberal accomplishments over the past six years.
"The only way to grow a strong economy for the future is to invest, as we have over the past six years, in the middle-class and people working hard to join it," he told the crowd of red-clad Liberal supporters.
Trudeau seemed concerned with just one other party, the Conservatives, and criticized some of that party's platforms.
"(The Conservatives) also don't understand that the only way we can talk about growing our economy, about building a better future, about creating opportunities and jobs for everyone, is to get done with this pandemic as quickly as possible," he said.
"Canadians know this very, very well because you stepped up. You were there to protect your neighbours, you were there to support seniors and elders, you were there to protect your family, you were there to hunker down, to wear a mask, to wash your hands 25 times a day. And when we got vaccines into this country, months ahead of schedule, enough for everyone to get vaccinated, you got vaccinated."
Trudeau criticized Conservative leader Erin O'Toole for not ensuring all of his party candidates are vaccinated, questioning how, if those candidates aren't vaccinated, O'Toole will be able to convince Canadians to be vaccinated.
"Mr. O'Toole? He can't and he won't. He won't even ensure that the people he is directly leading, his 300 or so candidates across the country that he is directly the leader of, he can't even ensure that they're all getting vaccinated, let alone the Canadians, 37 million of us, that he's proposing to lead. That's not leadership."
He ended his speech addressing climate change.
"Finally, you don't have a plan for jobs and growth, you don't have a plan for the economy, for workers, you don't have a plan for the future of the country if you don't have a serious plan to fight climate change."
"Andrea has worked all her life in the tourism and hospitality sector here in Niagara and you all know how important it is to welcome people here to protect and celebrate our natural world, our beauty, our wines. We need to make sure we are continuing to protect all that we have to offer," he said.
