Thunder Bay – Election 2021 – The latest Nanos federal ballot tracking has the Conservatives at 33.3 per cent, the Liberals at 30.8 per cent, the NDP at 21.7 per cent, the Greens at 4.9 per cent, the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) at 3.8 per cent. The BQ was at 22.7% in Quebec. [Also of note, exclusive of the decided respondents, from the total sample, 12.1% of Canadians were unsure in their vote.]
New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh came to Thunder Bay on Friday determined to light up supporters and did just that. A large crowd of supporters gathered on Friday afternoon for the official campaign launch of Thunder Bay-Rainy River candidate Yuk-Sem Won.
The NDP candidate said, “Thank you all the wonderful supporters who came out to launch the campaign what an amazing day!”
Liberal candidate Marcus Powlowski took Friday to issue a statement on vaccines and vaccine passports.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have pushed all levels of government which have often seemed reluctant to use any sort of coercive measures to be more aggressive, in order to protect public health and allow our economy to keep functioning. In January of 2020, I asked Dr. Theresa Tam at a meeting of the House of Commons Health Committee why the WHO committee that she was a member of had yet to declare COVID an international health emergency, and why we weren’t asking people to self isolate when they returned from China. In March of 2021, I pushed both the province of Ontario and local public health authorities to use their powers under the Ontario Health Promotion and Protection Act to require people with COVID-19 to self isolate. In May of 2020, I cited evidence in Health Committee as to why we should be promoting the use of masks, and pushed Dr. Theresa Tam to make mask wearing mandatory.
“I would never support strapping people down to vaccinate them. However, the government has a duty to use all reasonable means to protect the health of our citizens, and allow businesses and other venues to stay open and prosper. With that in mind, I am happy to support this important funding for vaccine passports”.
In the Kenora Riding, Conservative Eric Melillo was at the Dryden Fall Fair. Liberal candidate David Bruno is holding his office opening and official campaign kick-off on Saturday.
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP and Liberal candidate Patty Hajdu was at Ribfest in Thunder Bay.
NDP candidate Chantelle Bryson is campaigning north shore communities today. So is Conservative candidate Josh Taylor.
Liberal Leader Takes the Day
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is taking the day off the campaign trail. Over the course of the past week, Justin Trudeau has been heckled and challenged at campaign stops by protestors.
“I’ve never seen this intensity of anger on the campaign trail, or in Canada. Not when I was a kid, even with my dad visiting out west, where we did see anger. Certainly not in my last 12 years as a politician,” stated Justin Trudeau.
BREAKING: Justin Trudeau elicits contempt everywhere he goes – from Bolton Ontario. #TrudeauHeckled#TrudeauMustGoNow pic.twitter.com/yQLmFoDaWx
— Rowan (@canmericanized) August 27, 2021
Trudeau can’t go anywhere without being heckled. pic.twitter.com/i5ojsHwQ55
— Yanky (@Yanky_Pollak) August 27, 2021
On Friday in Bolton Ontario, Trudeau’s security detail sought and were granted cancelling of a campaign rally over what was reported as uncertainty in being able to protect both the Liberal leader and the crowd from a group of angry protestors.
The National Post reported, “There’s no doubt that if the 200 or so protesters in Bolton, a town 50km northwest of Toronto, had been able to get their hands on the Liberal leader, they would have torn him limb from limb, such was the manic rage. That was clearly the judgment of Trudeau’s security detail, which pulled the plug on a planned rally because of the threat.”
Likely the protestors, which seem to be more co-ordinated that disorganized are going to eventually shift public opinion, but likely toward support for the Liberals.
Conservative Leader in the Maritimes
Erin O’Toole will be in Fredericton and Charlottetown campaigning today.
Over the course of the campaign one of the repeating messages from the Conservatives has been that the Liberals are “hiding” their platform.
In a daily press release to media, the Conservatives say, “According to a senior Liberal war room source, Trudeau is still looking for “big ideas.” How expensive, unproven, and risky are these “big ideas?” We don’t know.
“In fact, it’s been 13 days since he launched his campaign and Trudeau has still not released his plan.
“What is Justin Trudeau hiding in his risky plan for Canadians?
- Taxing the sale of your home?
- Raising taxes on your family?
- Risky and untested programs that will cost you your job?
“Canadians don’t know. Justin Trudeau won’t say”.
The Conservative Plan was released early in the campaign.
New Democrats Focus on Indigenous Issues
Over two days of campaigning in Kenora and Thunder Bay, Jagmeet Singh put focus to issues on Canada’s relationship with Indigenous people.
On Friday in Thunder Bay the NDP leader released the party’s plan for pharmacare. The NDP say this would be implemented by 2022.
Singh met with Chiefs from First Nations across the region at the Valhalla Inn as well.
Yes ???? https://t.co/ssoq9By0ki pic.twitter.com/rUnzKjBpvI
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) August 27, 2021
The day continued with a stop at the Persian Man on Balmoral, and then on to the campaign rally at Thunder Bay-Rainy River candidate Yuk-Sem Won’s campaign headquarters. There a large and very enthusiastic crowd greeted the NDP leader with loud cheers.
