Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was hitting many familiar notes during his speech in London Thursday evening — including his campaign to axe the carbon tax, with a focus on the impacts on agriculture.
“If you tax the farmer who grows the food and you tax the trucker who ships the food you tax all who buy the food,” Poilievre told the gathering at the Greek Canadian Community of London Hall on Sarnia Road.
About 15 minutes into his speech another message was being sent from the back of the room, with chants of “ceasefire now” and “free Palestine.”
While Poilievre acknowledged the protestors, he was intent of finishing his message as they were ushered out of the community centre by police.
“You made your point,” he called out. “Nobody came here to listen to you scream”
He also told the gathering, “We won’t be funding Hamas. That money will go to Canadians.”
Maya Hussein was one of those removed from the hall. She was incensed by the reference to Hamas and said, “When it comes to Hamas, guys, I’m so sick and tired for it,” she told CTV News. “There’s no Hamas in the West Bank and they’re kidnapping them and they’re raping them. They’re taking their homes. This is a disaster. This is a genocide.”
Escorted by police, a protester backs out of the hall as she continues to chant “ceasefire now” at a Pierre Poilievre rally in London, Ont. on Nov. 16, 2023. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)While admitting many of those gathered to hear Poilievre didn’t seem sympathetic to their message, the protestors said they won’t be deterred.
Including Jess Notwell, who is Metis and sympathizes with the Palestinian people.
“We continue to educate people. We continue to teach people that settler-colonialism equals genocide.”
David Heap is with the human rights group People for Peace London. “The leader of the Conservative Party in there claims to stand for ordinary Canadians,” Heap said outside the hall, “Well, 70 per cent support the call for a ceasefire now. So it’s time for the political elites who are in the small minority of Canadians to listen to the rest of us.”
Inside the community centre, Poilievre did make it to the end of his almost hour-long speech as there continued to be sporadic chants and more people were removed.
After the event wrapped up, Sarnia-Lambton Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu told CTV News, “While I support people’s freedom to express their thoughts, clearly Pierre acknowledged that he heard their message. But to continue to shout and shout and to try to drown him out I think was actually rude.”
https://london.ctvnews.ca/chants-of-ceasefire-now-and-free-palestine-rang-out-during-pierre-pierre-poilievre-s-campaign-style-rally-in-london-1.6649270
