Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier says fewer immigrants coming to Vancouver and Toronto would mean less pressure on the housing market in these cities. He was extremely well received inside the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel ballroom in Surrey, where he spoke Wednesday morning and received standing ovations.

Out in the hallway, on the other side of locked doors, protesters hollered their discontent.

Bernier said 41 per cent of immigrants settle in Vancouver and Toronto.

sa国际传媒淪o, if you have fewer of them, that wonsa国际传媒檛 put a bigger pressure on the housing market,sa国际传媒� he said.

Bernier said that if elected, his government would cut foreign aid, noting Trudeausa国际传媒檚 government gave $2.2 billion to African countries to fight climate change.

sa国际传媒淲e can save money there,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淏ut yes, we are generous as Canadians, yes, if theresa国际传媒檚 an environmental disaster somewhere, we will be there to help, and if there is a humanitarian crisis, we will be there, but not to build growth, and bridges, and pipelines in Asia. We need to help our people first.sa国际传媒�

Bernier was the fourth speaker in the Surrey Board of Tradesa国际传媒檚 series of sa国际传媒渢own hallsa国际传媒� speaking engagements that showcases federal party leaders heading into the October general election.

The Sept. 25 event at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel drew eight protesters ahead of his talk, pacing out on the sidewalk carrying signs with slogans like sa国际传媒淧oisonous political candidate.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淭he Surrey Board of Trade has invited Maxime Bernier, the leader of the far-right, racist, anti-immigrant party, Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada. Wesa国际传媒檙e here to say no to Bernier and all the toxic politics that he represents,sa国际传媒� said Isabel Krupp, who held a sign that read sa国际传媒淩efugees Welcome Here.sa国际传媒�

Another protester, Dave Diewert, said the rally was organized by the sa国际传媒淎nti-Police Power Surreysa国际传媒� group.

Diewert said those who came to protest oppose sa国际传媒渇ar-right racist discourse that really gives oxygen to white supremacy and to an anti-immigrant sentiment.sa国际传媒�

Inside, Bernier called for Canada to allow 150,000 immigrants in per year, instead of 310,000.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e not anti-immigration, but wesa国际传媒檙e not for mass immigration.sa国际传媒�

He said this past year sa国际传媒渙nly 26 per centsa国际传媒� were economic-class immigrants and if elected, hesa国际传媒檇 like to see that change to 50 per cent. sa国际传媒淭hey will help us to build this country. Thatsa国际传媒檚 what we need.sa国际传媒�

Bernier said Canada takes in more refugees than the U.S. and all European countries, sa国际传媒渟o we need to stop that. But the problem is we donsa国际传媒檛 receive the real refugees, that are waiting in the country where their life is in danger,sa国际传媒� but instead border jumpers, 40 per cent of whom will end up being deported.

Eight protesters outside Sheraton hotel in Guildford voicing opposition to People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier speaking there today. Isabel Krupp and Dave Diewert explain why.

sa国际传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

Full house here at Sheraton hotel ballroom in Surrey to hear Maxime Bernier speak this morning at townhall meeting organized by Surrey Board of Trade, which has security on hand.

sa国际传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

Maxime Bernier on protesters hollering at him in Surrey today#surreybc

sa国际传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

It was a full house inside the hotelsa国际传媒檚 ballroom, with security guards on hand and RCMP in the hallway.

sa国际传媒淲hen people are calling names at us, for me, it is because they are weak,sa国际传媒� Bernier told the crowd. sa国际传媒淭hey donsa国际传媒檛 want to have a discussion.sa国际传媒�

He added that his political party is the fastest-growing in the country.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e in Canada, a strong democracy. We must have the right to say what we believe in,sa国际传媒� he said to applause. sa国际传媒淲e call that in our country free speech.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 not popular. Our ideas are popular,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淲e know we have the best ideas when we speak about freedom, and personal responsibility, and respect and fairness. These are Canadian values, and values coming from the Western Civilization, and western countries.sa国际传媒�

If elected, Bernier said, his party would end corporate welfare, and abolish capital tax.

SEE MORE:

Bernier: "I'm not popular. Our ideas are popular."

sa国际传媒� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)

The Surrey series has already heard from Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, in February, Green Party leader Elizabeth May in April and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh in August.

SBoT CEO Anita Huberman said the business group also had security when NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh came to Surrey for the town hall series.

Huberman said Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has not yet been scheduled to speak.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e just waiting for him to confirm a date,sa国际传媒� she said.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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