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Trudeau visits Kamloops

Justin Trudeau met with the Kamloops mayor and First Nations
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Many cellphones were used to film and take photos of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Kamloops on Oct. 21. Photograph By ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW

Kamloops this Week

The prime minister was at city hall on Tuesday afternoon, prior to attending that evening’s acclamation of Terry Lake as Liberal Party of Canada candidate for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Mayor Ken Christian, in addition to provincial and federal ministers — Jonathan Wilkinson (fisheries, oceans and Canada Coast Guard), Carla Qualtrough (public services and procurement) Joyce Murray (digital and Treasury Board president), Mike Farnworth (public safety and solicitor general) — area First Nations and Red Cross personnel.

Christian said the group reviewed the 2017 and 2018 wildfires and had a briefing from BC Wildfire Service, intended to provide lessons for the future.

“I had an opportunity to talk to [Trudeau] about the role of a host community, some of the experience we have had,” Christian said.

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On the mayor’s agenda was how the Canadian Armed Forces are dispatched in an emergency situation.

Additionally, the two discussed the Interior University Research Coalition, a tri-university partnership between Thompson Rivers University, University of British Columbia Okanagan and University of Northern B.C. to conduct emergency-management research in the Interior.

Between 35 and 40 police officers were also on hand as part of the prime minister’s security detail.

Christian said the top of his federal requests relate to infrastructure, the Stuart Wood cultural centre, police and railroads.

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The mayor said Tuesday’s meeting was not a campaign event, but a specific business meeting related to emergency management.

Christian also had a chance to meet with Trudeau when the prime minister visited Kamloops for a fundraising luncheon and town hall meeting.

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