An Estevan area farmer was among those selected to ask a question to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during Trudeau’s town hall in Regina on Thursday night.
Jason LeBlanc, who was seated in the front row at the event, questioned Trudeau about the need to force a carbon tax on Saskatchewan. When LeBlanc outlined his stance opposing the tax, he received some cheers and applause from the public.
After being interrupted by a woman screaming her frustration, and another interruption from a male opponent of the carbon tax, LeBlanc praised the way in which the prime minister carried himself, and then launched into his question.
LeBlanc brought up innovations in agriculture and transportation that have reduced Canada’s carbon emissions, and also promoted the carbon capture and storage technology used at SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Power Station.
In his response, Trudeau called it a price on pollution rather than a carbon tax.
“One thing about a town hall meeting is you do not have a chance for a rebuttal. Once the prime minister answers your question, whether he’s right or wrong … he does not debate you.”
LeBlanc noted that Trudeau randomly answered questions throughout the evening. One of them was from Courtland Klein, who sported an “I love Canadian pipelines” t-shirt.
That man wanted to know why Trudeau would sign on to the new free trade agreement with Mexico and the U.S. when steel tariffs were still in place, and why the Trans Mountain Pipeline has yet to be constructed.
If people did have a question to ask, they needed to stand and wave their arms to get the prime minister’s attention, but they also had to be respectful.
“I would say about 15 to 20 per cent of the people in that section would be waving their arm,” said LeBlanc.
In LeBlanc’s case, he had to ask the prime minister if Trudeau would answer a question about the carbon tax. Trudeau’s back was turned, and when he turned around to respond, LeBlanc was already standing.
“I was ready to ask the question. I knew what I was talking about, but it’s different, I have to admit … when you’re five feet away from the prime minister and you’re asking him a question in front of a thousand people who are heckling you, and won’t stop heckling,” said LeBlanc.
One woman was getting on his case while LeBlanc asked his question.
“There were a lot of things going on in the place that kind of diverted my attention,” said LeBlanc.
What LeBlanc didn’t appreciate was Trudeau’s penchant for what LeBlanc called “bullet answers” – responses that Trudeau has essentially memorized. The answers Trudeau had regarding Indigenous people, climate change and other issues are known already, even though the questions weren’t screened.
“He’ll tweak that question just enough to where he can answer it,” said LeBlanc.
In LeBlanc’s case, he felt the prime minister didn’t answer the question about a carbon tax, since Trudeau referred to it as carbon pricing.
He believes Trudeau fielded 10 or 12 questions during the night.
LeBlanc arrived at the site of the debate a couple of hours early to ensure he would have a good seat. People who wanted to attend were asked to reply in advance, but there were empty seats.
“To get into the place, you went early, and you stood out in the cold for two hours, and you got to meet the lineup of about 300 or 400 people. I had a lot of good debates out there. A lot of nationalities and minorities were all coming to stress their points.”
He believes the crowd was about 60-70 per cent university students.
The event started with an introduction by Regina-Wascana MP Ralph Goodale, who is the only Saskatchewan member of Parliament in the Liberal caucus. When Trudeau entered the room, there was a mixed reaction, but nothing was too extreme.
LeBlanc described Trudeau as very approachable and a very good listener.
But he left the meeting believing that Trudeau does not care about the agriculture sector, and cares more about the environment on a global stage than in Canada.
He encourages everyone to attend a town hall like the one in Regina if they get the chance, and he wishes the Yellow Vest Movement protesters would have been present inside the building for the town hall.
